I’m willing to bet I get rams of hate letters for the use of the word stupid in a blog post title, much like the use of the word moron to describe Kevin Mitnick – but just hold on a second. My fiance and I yesterday went to see a really sweet speaker and television host talk about financial success in the christian sense. I have to say this guy is great, he makes a lot of sense – but it also raised more concerns of mine.
Kate and I stand below Dave's Big Head
Under the recommendation of Kate’s mother and several friends we went to see Dave Ramsey, a nationally syndicated radio and talkshow host on financial matters and one really weird guy. Dave teaches financial stability through self-discipline, by no longer using a credit card or making any sort of loans – and always paying with cash.
But then I start thinking about those with disabilities and how this ties in… I don’t have statistics but my guess is the SSI paycheck is currently well below the poverty limit. With SSI you can not have a pool of more than $2,000 in resources – so no emergency fund for those medical issues!
Kate also has a disability as well – and is currently in the process of applying for SSI. When were married a whole new realm of SSI laws comes into play – new limits on income, new SSI payout levels, new limits on resources. As I thought about this I start to realise one thing – the way the system and society is set up is that people who are born with disabilities are given just enough money to barley survive on (not live on) for their whole lives.
Survival vs. Living
Survival and Living are the same thing to many of you, but its actually a very different thing. Survival is when you have barley enough money to pay rent, and any bills – and live off from rice and beans. I know everyone has to start at living on rice and beans, but the fact is if you are born with a disability the system is set up spend life surviving on rice and beans.
Living is when you can afford a few extras, a vacation or that cool gadget you always wanted – things to make you smile and have fun. The way society and the system is built – people with disabilities have to work much harder to live than survive (and even much harder to survive then others).
Can’t Survive on SSI?
I can see many of you who are not familiar with developing a budget on SSI thinking to yourselves you cant survive… so lets look a breakdown of a average lowest budget possible in my area….
- $400/month rent
- $30/month renters insurance
- $45/month car insurance
- $25/month phone bill
- $30/month housekeeping supplies
- $50/month utilities
- $50/month gas, car upkeep
- $20/month personal hygiene
As you can see, living expenses adds up – and this is not including food, and many other necessities. In my state SSI pays out about $650 a month. I know I could cut the car, but the car is my only hope of having a job in the future. I’m lucky enough to be able to have to opportunity to donate plasma nearby (which can be risky) and operating a few websites and blogs to earn an extra bit a month – which is not much.
Whys it the system and societies fault?
The way the system is set up is not really giving you much of a chance to succeed – people on SSI can barley afford to survive, much less college, books for college, a decent car for a job, interview clothing, etc – and society does not make it much easier with the stigma that those with disabilities face. When I took a job last year – my mom was actually not happy for me but so upset because I was risking ruining my disability – and shes partially right, but im sick of surviving – I wan’t to live.
I know the government offers employers tax breaks for hiring those with disabilities – but lets be honest, when you check yes on that optional question in the application how many employees automatically throw the application away? Yes its illegal discrimination, but prove it – the burden is on you.
Get to the point already!
So now that I have rambled for a while – my point is the system is set up to encourage and further failure by those with disabilities and it needs to stop. Employers need to be encouraged to hire those with disabilities, the government needs to allow more flexibility to those on disability who actually want to work. Am I being stupid, or is the disability system set up in a stupid manner?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Good post. I’ve been saying this for years (having been on disability for years). Even if working for someone else is never going to be realistic, they only give you enough to keep you alive until you get that job. It can start to feel like living in a concentration camp soon enough. Blessed are those who have families to turn to.
Disabled orthopedicaly since 1990,raised 3 kids befor and during.Divorced and alone I can’t feel sorry for realeastate bail outs on high dollar houses,whenhundreds of them sit empty down here inAL.Since Ivan I am grateful to rent a 30 yr. trailor cause I can afford it.Disabled are thr lowest on the poverty list,that’s government stats.I have 2 terminal blood diseases, and have just made my 60th birthday.Yet I live on one word,survival and as it adds to the constant pain is only relieved by faith,in God not the government.,I plod on some times so deep in depression I am frozen.For once in this country lets try a trickle up system! what a concept,Let them live on our budgets for a few months and see if they can find some old time compassion.I pray President Obamha will look at us the way thr oyhers didn’t, Stuck on Survival Sucks.