scared of being homeless?

Question

I'm 51 year old female who was injured on my second job. my second job is now paying me only 66% of my income and lost my first job because of disability with my back and neck injury. I have been going to therapy and now they took an MRI after 3 months and found 3 hernirated disc and a nerve inpairment that is effecting my right arm. I have not enough income coming in to pay the rent, car payments and insurance on the car. I have a social security appointment coming up to apply for disability, but that takes several months for approval. I have gone to catholic charities but was denied for help because I don't have enough income and other city agencies are out of money at this time. I Feel hopless and desperate for help. I have tons of paperwork to support my disability. My credit is now ruined. Can anybody help?

Thats what you would think! Went to catholic charities for rental assistance and they told me that my monies that was not equal to my bills,. I was in shock. I would not be going there if I could afford my rental. Pick up one of there rental help packages and see for yourself. I could not believe it myself!

well I did get a lawyer and hes the one that filed workmans comp because employer did not have workmans comp insurance, just filed disability with socal security and was told its going to take 4-5 months. In the mean time, not getting any emmediate help.

Do I need or just want my car, Frankly I need the car. I have to go to therapy and Doctors-with my faith in God hopefully I will get better.

No, I don't have anybody that I could stay with.

If it wasn't for my faith, I almost considered ending this horrible nightmare!

well its sounds like your a lawyer. I did get a lawyer and he aint doing squat! I told him that I don't have money to survive and all he does is keep talking about how i'll need surgery. Frankly, I don't care about next year-I'm only worried about today, next week and next month. Thats all I do is worry and its causing quite a depression. Do all lawyers think of there money and not the individual person that is getting desperate.

Answer 1

Move into a trailer park, where the rent is low, or a share house or apartment, but not with drinkers or drug users; immobilise your vehicle and secure it well, and your money, too (get a moneybelt - keep only a small amount in your purse, and most in the bank). Get rid of the car. Get a scooter or smaller, older car and don't worry too much about insurance (sell what you don't need). Minimise costs all round. You can probably find a cheaper ISP, too. Substitute, extend, make do, or do without. Go to your library and get books on household tips and moneysaving ideas. Have oatmeal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and beans, peas and a serve of both a green and a yellow/orange vegetable for dinner. Buy generic pasta and other products. Buy economy size. Clothes and shoes at op shops, save your good clothes and wear old ones at home. Do the more lucrative online surveys, and try to get some work you can do at home, possibly telemarketing. Don't pay up front, though, for any offer. Keep warm in summer and cool in winter to save energy costs; dress appropriately. Do babysitting (keep good references, and ask for them). If you do work for Meals on Wheels, you get to eat, saving money. The Red Cross pays for blood, but don't be tempted to overdo it! Try other charities. If you do babysitting, say you are available to take care of their home when they are on vacation, feeding the pets, watering the garden, deterring burglaries, once you have references, you can put an ad in the classifieds "protect your home when you go on vacation, pets fed and exercised, garden watered by reliable stay-at-home type; deter burglaries, don't get cleaned out! Good references: very reasonable rates!" (start asking, say $87/week; allow yourself to be beaten down to $65 or $38, if you have to); get friends to write you references now, make them an offer first.

Answer 2

As they say in 12-step programs, I can only offer you my "experience, strength and hope".

When it became clear to me that my life was falling apart, I began to minimize...getting rid of whatever I didn't really need, hopefully selling some of it.

I moved into a dump, but it gave me a few extra months of being able to stay off of the street.

I traded down my car, looking for something that I could stand to sleep in.

I stopped paying ALL bills. If your life is at stake, don't worry now about a credit rating. This is survival, and for now you have to do what will keep you alive. Later on you can start a program to rebuild your credit, but simply stop paying everyone now.

Simplify your diet, and get used to eating things that require little preparation (fresh and canned fruit, canned veggies, bread, cheese). Most homeless people that I lived with stopped eating greens because they couldn't cook them. Start eating raw brocolli, Okra and other delights NOW. You have to make what you eat a #1 priority, including getting used to finding "creative" sources for drinking water.

The toilets of the world are locked up, so you need do improvise. Those empty paint jugs make a good "toilet", Wal-Mart trash bags and tissue or newspaper lining make for an easy way to dispose of your waste, and Home Depot always has a pretty cheap potty seat/cover that you can place on top of the paint jug.

Keep one REALLY NICE outfit and always be prepared to wear it when the opportunity for a job interview comes up.

Be prepared to move to a place that has a good program for the homeless AND has warmer weather in the winter. I picked San Diego because it is my home town AND because I knew about the many programs they had at St. Vincent de Paul Villages (run by Father Joe Carroll).

As a woman, you should likely find a running buddy as soon as possible...another woman is best. Men will use your homelessness and vulnerability to exploit you and abuse you, which will only lead to a more hopeless situation.

Better a single bunk bed in a homeless shelter, slowly making progress, than sharing a home with some jerk who later beats you up and throws you out on the street and steals your car.

Churches and Twelve-Step programs are great places to hang out in your "spare" time. Don't expect them to fix your problems for you, and then they can't disappoint you. Instead, go for the companionship, the free coffee, the restroom, a fill up of your water bottles, and networking the latest opportunities for the homeless.

The good news is that four years later I have a stable life with an income that keeps me off the street and fed with the staples of life. I'm hooked into a church fellowship, and I have friends who only knew me as a homeless bum years ago.

G.E.T.
Registered Nurse (retired)
100% Disabled Vietnam Veteran

Answer 3

If you lived in Missouri, I might be able to help you.

Your Yahoo name is a lot like Illinois, so I'm guessing you live in Illinois. Try to find a disability lawyer, some of them advertise on TV, find somebody who will work on a contingency basis (that is, you don't have to pay until you win the case); there are plenty of lawyers who will do that.

Answer 4

Hi lgIllinoi...,

I'm sorry to hear about your situtation, hang in there things will get better. I have learned that half of the things we worry about never come to be (you do have a very real concern)

Do you have family or friends you could stay with for a little until this clears up?

Answer 5

do you need or just want a car? I drove for 50 years And had to give up my licence for health reasons. . Hard at first. my stretch limo has trolley wires on top. and some times share it with others. Change your thinking Change Your Life.. Dr. Normam Vincent Peale

Answer 6

hey guy going through same stuff takes up to 2 years even with lawyer sry to say but gl to you and your family

Answer 7

i hope you won't go homeless because my dad has disability and its really hard for us to survive too but what we do is we pray to god alot and we get most of our prayers come true

i will pray for you

if you want you can email me anytime at [e-mail]

Answer 8

catholic charities,or any charity,requires a minimum income?c'mon!

Answer 9

GET A LAWYER NOW .......