Can You Live on Welfare

If I ever was fated to live in an apartment that cost only ____, I would probably have a studio type or 1-room apartment. I am not sure about the exact specifications, but it would undoubtedly be small. A good estimate would be 12 square meters with a very small bathroom.

The paint on the walls would be old, mildewed and probably chipped and worn away. There would definitely be a leak that the landlord would not mention to you at which you would find out in an unpleasant manner when it rains heavily.The kitchen is just a corner on the wall and the bed most probably folds into the closet. There is hardly any space and the plumbing would most probably be malfunctioning.BudgetTotal Amount available: $211Food: $100Transportation: $50Utilities (electricity, phone services, water, heat): $50Others: $11Most of the budget would go to food and transportation to work. Medical expenses would be dependent on the service or the benefits that my work would provide.

If I wasn’t a regular employee I would feel very bad about this and no doubt scared.The first thing that I would have to give up would be ‘wants’ such as new clothing, eating outside in restaurants, and even some trips to meet friends and relatives. I only realized now that meeting friends and relatives had the ability to grievously compromise a budget so small.This would no doubt mean that I would be confined to seeing people around my neighborhood. This would work very well if my parents and close friends lived nearby but if they somehow lived nearby, but if they lived quite far away it would be a long time between visits.

To perhaps make it through the month, I would no doubt work overtime; in essence tire myself out just to be able to make ends meet. The budget previously presented is no doubt stretching it and making it clear that I would be living on sustenance alone.Acquiring some form of welfare would no doubt be one step that I would take in order to cope with my needs although it would help only marginally. Also, once the system recognizes my independence it would no doubt take the welfare away.

This would be my experience supporting myself. It would be a different story if I had children or even parents who needed some form of support.If this was the case then there would be no extra money for anything left and welfare would be a necessity.Children would then be living on sustenance as well, and may not even get the proper milk and such. Depending on the age of the children, child care would also be a problem. If the children were very young, child care would have to be factored in to the budget.

Having child care factored into the budget would mean that another person would be depending on the money coming in. This other person would also need food, clothing, health and medical needs, hygiene and such.Also, from the state of child care subsidization and those waiting in line for state child care, I would have to somehow factor into my existent budget the costs for child care.If the children were not so small and did not need any form of child care, school would be the necessity.

Allowance, money for food and supplies, even more clothes and shoes as well as some fees would be needed.Another distinguishing feature of the budget and the situation I would be going through would be the lack of savings.In my opinion and that of the readings, poverty would become cyclical and deep if one would not take measures to overcome it. Saving up no matter how little would be some steps that may be taken in order to change the future that I or my children would face.Getting a job would cause lots of celebration for a person previously living on $211.

Even if it paid only minimum wage, it would no doubt be a great help. Still, only the necessities would be covered by the minimum wage job and because of that, the basic needs would be covered first.Rent would be the first priority in the budget. Food would be next, and this part of the budget would only be expanded to fill my nutritional needs.

Still, there would be no eating out at all.Transportation would remain the same, and utilities as well.As for the other expenses, this may be expanded. Some clothing, probably used or from a thrift store may be purchased.Clearly, sustenance living would still be my situation even with the job.

No doubt the welfare assistance would be lowered in light of my new source of income.Also, some form of savings would be able to be included in the budget. No matter how small the savings it would be a great help and would provide at least a little safety net for me. Medical and health needs may be incorporated into the budget and perhaps I can purchase some vitamins now.

If I had a child or a dependent to support, however, things would be much different. Though there would be some extra income, the needs of my dependents would no doubt come first.The food for children would be expanded and more budgets would be poured into here. Also, medical needs for the dependents have to be considered.However, when one factors in the medical needs of $150 or perhaps the transportation repair costs of $800, things would be different on a graver level.First off, the $150 medicine would decimate the budget.

Another thing to consider in this matter would be the fact that without the medicine I might as well be ready to be sent to the emergency room. If the medicine was absolutely necessary, going into debt would be an option.Asking for help and borrowing money are two different things. If asking for money from parents and friends isn’t allowed then getting a loan from someone else, someone who is completely unattached to me and had no emotion attachment to me would be one option.It would be very difficult to do this because this would be one way for my poverty to get worse. Going in debt would mean that I must find some way to pay these people back and in the end that may mean any number of things.

Creating debt would mean creating another place for my money to go, another necessity that has to be met. Even now that the debt would be from someone who would not be able to put extensions or go easy on me, it would be a necessity to pay.Also, depending on the length of the medicine-taking, I may be in deep or very deep debt. If I was able to save 10$ every payday, it would take me roughly 8 months to pay off one package of the medicine!If the car I needed for work would cost $800 to repair, the debt would come in one fell swoop and at this I would be paying off and siphoning the money from my job and the welfare for more than two years.Debt no doubt is one way for those who are impoverished to try to alleviate their immediate situation. At times this is the easiest place to turn to.

In essence, it is not really considered ‘help’ when one borrows money from emotionally unattached and official institutions or persons. This, however, makes things even worse because of the inflexible nature of the debt.Welfare would be one way for help, this time I would be applying for additional medical welfare. Without savings and being in debt buries one under extreme stress and frustration and makes coping difficult. At this point I might even consider doing something illegal or not allowed, and I begin to see the predicament and nature of poverty that is so often present in Hamilton.