So now I'm on welfare

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I have to say it’s a bit of a hit to my pride. But more than that, I’m embarrassed because I don’t look like someone who should be on welfare. I have a lot of very nice things, though nothing that would be worth enough to sell it. I look healthy even though I’m not, especially because I only go out on good days. I’m worried I’m going to look like I’m abusing the aid I’ve been given every time I get my card out.
 
We all go through difficulties, especially financial ones. If you need help, you do; simple as that.

Don’t be afraid of needing help even if you have nice things, remember even those who were most pious and saintly nevertheless still need our Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation.

Just be honest with yourself that you need it and discontinue when you don’t, don’t worry about looking what you think should superficially fit the part.
 
I’m now a person on welfare with an iphone and designer jeans (one of the two pairs of actual pants I own). Such a stereotype - but really it wouldn’t be cost-effective to get rid of it.
 
I have been there when my hours were cut at work I had to go on food stamps and I didn’t look the part either we all need help sometimes and as soon as I was able to go back to work full time I was off of it Don.t worry about what people think.
 
I’m disabled with heart disease, anxiety, and other problems, but I look like any other man most of the time. I try not to shy away from telling other people I’m disabled because that would be pride on my part and pride is a sin. I know it’s difficult, but I know I’m not like other people, and if I tried to pass for one of them, soon enough they would find out there’s something wrong with me since I can barely ever join others for social occasions and have to have my periods of rest during the day.

Let’s be humble and join our frailties and weaknesses to our Crucified Lord.
 
Don’t feel bad, I’m a cashier and I’ve rung up plenty of people who pull out a food stamp card to pay who look like they should not have it. 🤷 Things happen, no need to sell or get rid of good things you acquired when your money was good. But I do know what you mean about that though. Yeah cell phones have contracts and it’s cheaper to just stay in them than deal with the early termination fees. But your post does make you think about judging people on welfare who have nice things though. 😉
 
Being on welfare in the US is a negative stigma. You can thank fox news for that. Don’t sweat it. Its only a shame that the govt barely doles out enough money that one uses up the aid in 3 or 4 trips to the grocery store. Social aid is much much less of a stigma in Europe, plus individuals on welfare there are well provided for.
 
It’s not just FOX news, there are stories in the papers about welfare fraud and we hear about relatives who abuse the system. My nephew’s SIL has 4 kids by 3 men and she gets all kinds of goodies. She knows how to cheat the system.

As long as you know you are not doing anything wrong than don’t worry. Get back on your feet as quickly as possible. Maybe your church can help.
 
In England, they say that many people are only one payday away from homelessness. I am surprised to read that you have to have a card which identifies you as being on welfare benefits - here, people just get a cheque to cash, they can spend it on whatever they want. I can’t see how a card helps anyone’s self-esteem. 🤷

I do hope your situation improves and please don’t beat yourself up about having to get some help from the system. I’m sure you’ve paid in plenty to the Government over the years, now it’s your turn to get something back.
 
Sorry to hear that you are on welfare. Say the 54 day Rosary novena for a job.
 
McCartney said:
Sorry to hear that you are on welfare. Say the 54 day Rosary novena for a job.
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Job’s not in the cards for quite a while, I’m afraid.
Isca said:
In England, they say that many people are only one payday away from homelessness. I am surprised to read that you have to have a card which identifies you as being on welfare benefits - here, people just get a cheque to cash, they can spend it on whatever they want. I can’t see how a card helps anyone’s self-esteem. 🤷

I do hope your situation improves and please don’t beat yourself up about having to get some help from the system. I’m sure you’ve paid in plenty to the Government over the years, now it’s your turn to get something back.
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Too young to have really paid in, actually. Sort of sucks as it means I’m not eligible for SSDI. There’s a pretty nasty gap in the system for young adults who have trouble right out of school - especially since a lot of school jobs are classified as “work-study”, which doesn’t count as having had a job for a lot of programs.
 
I am sorry for your distress. The feelings you have, even your fear, can be an opportunity for progress and sanctification. I will pray for your good. Consider…

TRUSTFUL SURRENDER TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE
by St. Claude de la Colombiere

Trust in God’s Wisdom

It is then a truth of our faith that God is responsible for all the happenings we complain of in the world and, furthermore, we cannot doubt that all the misfortunes God sends us have a very useful purpose. We cannot doubt it without imputing to God a lack of judgment in deciding what is advantageous for us.

It is usually the case that other people can see better than we can ourselves what is good for us. It would be foolish to think that we can see better than God Himself, Who is not subject to any of the passions that blind us, knows the future and can foresee all events and the consequences of every action.

Experience shows that even the gravest misfortunes can have good results and the greatest successes end in disaster. A rule also that God usually follows is to attain His ends by ways that are the opposite to those human prudence would normally choose.
In our ignorance of what the future holds, how can we be so bold as to question what comes about by God’s permission? Surely it is reasonable to think that our complaints are groundless and that instead of complaining we ought to be thanking Providence.

Joseph was sold into slavery and thrown into prison. If he had felt aggrieved at these apparent misfortunes, he would really have been feeling aggrieved at his happiness for they were the steps to the throne of Egypt. Saul loses his father’s asses and has to go on a long vain hunt for them. But if he had felt annoyed at the great waste of time and energy it caused him, his annoyance could not have been more unreasonable as it was all a means of bringing him to the prophet who was to anoint him king of his people.

Let us imagine our confusion when we appear before God and understand the reasons why He sent us the crosses we accept so unwillingly.

Peace
 
DarkLight said:
I have to say it’s a bit of a hit to my pride. But more than that, I’m embarrassed because I don’t look like someone who should be on welfare. I have a lot of very nice things, though nothing that would be worth enough to sell it. I look healthy even though I’m not, especially because I only go out on good days. I’m worried I’m going to look like I’m abusing the aid I’ve been given every time I get my card out.
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If you aren’t abusing the system, then don’t worry about how it looks.
 
RosslynV said:
Being on welfare in the US is a negative stigma. You can thank fox news for that. Don’t sweat it. Its only a shame that the govt barely doles out enough money that one uses up the aid in 3 or 4 trips to the grocery store. Social aid is much much less of a stigma in Europe, plus individuals on welfare there are well provided for.
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Fox News has got nothing to do with it. Being on the dole has always been stigmatized…even back as far as World War I.
 
DarkLight said:
I have to say it’s a bit of a hit to my pride. But more than that, I’m embarrassed because I don’t look like someone who should be on welfare. I have a lot of very nice things, though nothing that would be worth enough to sell it. I look healthy even though I’m not, especially because I only go out on good days. I’m worried I’m going to look like I’m abusing the aid I’ve been given every time I get my card out.
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A person’s worth isn’t determined by pride/weatlh/work/status/productivity/heatlh, etc. Love God, and be kind to other people. I’m sure you’re a great guy, and good luck to you 🙂

Best wishes,

N.
 
Isca said:
In England, they say that many people are only one payday away from homelessness. I am surprised to read that you have to have a card which identifies you as being on welfare benefits - here, people just get a cheque to cash, they can spend it on whatever they want. I can’t see how a card helps anyone’s self-esteem. 🤷
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Welfare isn’t there to help someone’s self-esteem. It is there to help feed them.
 
maryjk said:
Welfare isn’t there to help someone’s self-esteem. It is there to help feed them.
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Still, there’s no point making it intentionally humiliating either. I’d certainly already rather be somewhere else rather than here. Though the cards aren’t that bad, it doesn’t really look much different from using a debit card. Much better than the old way I think, there are people out there who would make assumptions and treat you badly without knowing the situation. I know it was a real problem with meal vouchers in schools.

As a practical matter I do think the aid should make it a little easier to focus a bit past survival. In some areas an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure indeed.
 
DarkLight said:
Still, **there’s no point making it intentionally humiliating either. ** I’d certainly already rather be somewhere else rather than here. Though the cards aren’t that bad, it doesn’t really look much different from using a debit card. Much better than the old way I think, there are people out there who would make assumptions and treat you badly without knowing the situation. I know it was a real problem with meal vouchers in schools.

As a practical matter I do think the aid should make it a little easier to focus a bit past survival. In some areas an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure indeed.
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Sorry, you believe that the people that came up with “the card,” did it to intentionally humiliate you?
 
maryjk said:
Sorry, you believe that the people that came up with “the card,” did it to intentionally humiliate you?
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Given that that’s in direct contradiction to the rest of my post, obviously not.

I have heard people try to push that we should make welfare embarrassing. I’ve heard enough cases of people being harassed for using their welfare. I even think that some solutions do tend to be more embarrassing than others - hence why I said I think that the card is better than the old way of doing things. I think all other things being equal it’s better to use solutions that don’t mark out people who are on benefits, because there are a lot of people who will give others a hard time based on their own assumptions.

And I posted here because, for all I grew up being exactly that sort of person, I see how difficult and painful it can be for someone who ends up in a place they’d never thought they’d be. I really am a walking stereotype. Young, healthy-looking, nice phone, nice clothes…and a benefit card. And it scares me sometimes, because I know exactly the sort of cruelty the people I grew up with would aim at someone like me.
 
Be sure to vote for those who are making it easier for job creation next time. Seems the young folks are getting it in the neck for voting Obama in last time.
 
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