Michigan, low income, no benefits, HOW TO SURVIVE????

Question

Hi

Couple living in michigan, with income that varies from $200 - $300 a month maximum but state wont give us any benefits necause i run my own business they take the entire business earnings into account rather then what i made after business expenses

Also i am origionally from another country and have not lived here 5 years so they have to class us a s a single instead of a couple cos im not allowed to claim anything

We need over $1000 a month to survive keep things running pay the bills and eat etc but the government seems quite happy to let us carry on with only $200-$300 a month barely enough to feed the two of us.

Wife has no job been searching for almost 6 months now, got laid off last job.

Im working hard to make the money and she is working hard to find a job but it just isnt happening how do they expect us to love what can we do

It seems government isnt willing to help until everything falls apart, until the business goes bust, and were kicked out to streets

Just to add, our income at moment is relying on unemployment benefits from the wife and the couple of hundred the business makes after expenses and we only fall about $100 a month over the maximum cut off of about $261 but how the hell do they expect anyone to live on less than $500-$1000 a month

Food for 2 each month costs more than $300 not to mention rent, and essential bills
Its madness

Does anyone know of anything that may help us, please

Let me also explain, firstly i am a web designer but dont get too much business at the moment, my wife is over weight and not veryw ell at the moment, suffering from severe depression of which she is getting councellign and treatment for but we have seen welfere and they basically told us in politer terms, we dont want to give you any ******* money so go back home to your country and take your wife with you, we dont have any cars at all, we dont pay for cell phones or anything like that we dont even pay utilities so were not spending money on alot of stuff other than some debt we got into trying to survive up until now and bare nececities such as food and drink, we dont buy lavish food or clothing, we barely eat more than once a day sometimes not even that, and we currently stay with relatives who are wanting us out or wanting some money asap, we have tried all the usual thigns for work, tried and failed but we keep trying, we dont want to have to get benefits or anything

but we dont seem to be able to find any work that [ays anywhere near enough to survie, most jobs are so far away that by the time we have insred a car and paid for gas we would be making hardly anything at all

I dont see how people like the person who made the first post, expect us to close up and move, we have nothing, no assets at all, no savings, were just about flat broke with over $2000 in debt and very very little income, even less soon once unemployment benefits run out

As regards my gross income being considered by the state, well i took all my finacial documents to see the person dealing with benefits and they looked everything over, my total income so far this year and how much i had spent on business expenses and they said they had to use the total income not whatw as left after expenses which i thought was crazy strange but they said it so not a mistake i made on a form or anything

Answer 1

It sounds like your business is a "hobby" verse a business since you aren't making any money.

Both of you need to be searching for a job. I am in Michigan, I just had a friend get a job for $7.75/hour in a factory. Yeah, it isn't great pay but it will put food on his food, keep rent up and keep the utilities on. If you really want your business to work you need to get a 2nd job until you can live off your business. Right now it is a hobby taking all your money.

If your wife is educated she will probably have to "dumb" down her resume when applying for minimum wage jobs. Sometimes you need to get a foot in a door so you can move to a more desirable position. Many companies still use temp agencies for the first 90 days to weed out the bad workers, apply at all the temp agencies and tell them that you will do any work.

If you haven't noticed Michigan is having a State budget crisis. The 2007 budget just got approved. They are now just working on the 2008 budget. Many, many departments are taking HUGE cuts. One of the departments, department of human services (welfare, medicare, food stamps, etc), took a big hit on the 2006 budget. Until the State gets revenue coming back in from small businesses, more and more state programs made to help will be limited or cut.

Answer 2

Okay, I don't mean to sound cruel here. Please don't misunderstand.

But, as it was said so appropriately by the Eagles: "in the land of milk and honey, you must put them on the table."

I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it, I really am. I've been there and it sucks. But this is a democracy and the government doesn't OWE you anything. Most particularly since you are a foreign national. (Don't get me wrong -- I'm actually one of those people who's all for throwing open the borders. Then again, the only way that can happen is if we, as a society, insist that everyone has a personal responsibility to take care of themselves.)

You're probably going to have to move elsewhere. Since the bad news just keeps pouring out of Detroit (with that great flushing sound coming from the general direction of the American auto makers and their supporting cast), I'm quite sure the local economy and local support systems are flooded with people in precisely the same situation.

After 9/11, I lost my own business and had to start all over again. And while I was, for all intents and purposes, unemployed for more than three years, I managed to find ways to survive. I also never took a single dime of unemployment, much less anything else from the government.

You CAN get back on your feet. It isn't easy, but it can be done. Stop whining about the government (because you aren't going to change them) and start looking for other ways to address your issues.

Answer 3

I don't think the person that suggested calling Dave Ramsey listens very much himself. I am listening as I type. I promise Dave would tell you you NEED more income NOW. He would agree with the person that said you DON'T have a business, you have a BIG HOBBY. If you can find SOME kind of income by Friday, you are not desperate enough yet.

If your business GROSS income is being considered by the state, you are either completing the wrong forms, or completing them incorrectly. I wouldn't expect anything from them anyway.

Answer 4

I sympathize with you and your situation - layoffs are difficult in more ways than just financial. You said you run your own business... Would it be possible for you to charge more for whatever goods/services you provide, in order to increase your profit margin? Have you looked into government grants for your business, to help cover things like advertising and marketing? (You can research these online). Perhaps your business would be more profitable in a different part of the country, and perhaps your wife would have better odds of getting a job elsewhere? In the interim, you need to take a close look at where you're spending your $$ and cut out the non-essentials. Cable tv, dining out, internet access, cellular telephone... these are all extras that can be cut-out. Shop at Dollar and discount stores rather than big brand-name grocery and department stores. You sound enterprising and ambitious, so I'm sure you'll find a way to manage without relying on government handouts. Good luck to you and your wife -

Answer 5

MI economy is not so great. Can your wife clean houses? Can she work at a bar as a waitress or bartender? Fats food? Anything? You should qualify for food stamps and possibly medicaid. Have you spoken with a welfare agency? What is your business? Can you work part time in another job? Are you a citizen or perm. resident alien? You could contact public assistanc and ask them for an accountant who will help you pro bono. Good Luck

Answer 6

First of all, I would call Dave Ramsey and explain your situation, he WILL help you. What I think he will say, is first sell everything you can - do you have two cars? can you get by with one? do you have expensive clothes? sell them and start only buying affordable clothes. do you have any monthly payments you can get rid of? do you have home phones and cell phones - switch to one or the other. do you pay for cable tv? cancel it. Do everything you can to reduce the things you MUST spend money on, like buying food in bulk or shutting off lights when you aren't in the room to save on electricity. Get rid of anything you pay for that's not a necessity. Please get in touch with Dave Ramsey - he's saved people from so many situations, many even worse than yours.

Answer 7

Close your business and move.