Down and Out in America
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
Well, today marks 20 days without gainful employment. Homelessness is a very real, and very imminent possibility, although we haven't received the eviction notice yet (we have five business days after receipt of the eviction notice). I decided that it would be a good idea to go ahead and blog about my experience, that way I have a recoverable record for later writing purposes. This is NOT a "pity me" blog, it is a record of the facts for my own purposes, I just felt it appropriate to allow you to share.
I filed for unemployment on August 18, the day I was released from my job. I still have yet to receive final determination of my approval (I filed in Wisconsin, to preserve my benefits in Nevada in case I need them later). We bit the bullet and applied for TANF, but are still a ways from getting any cash benefits (we have food stamps, fortunately, so we won't starve). Nevada law requires 20 job searches per adult in the household, which means we need 40 between us, which has not been easy, as it's difficult to find 20 jobs in town that are hiring. And we don't have the money for the 60 mile drive to Vegas.
I counted up all our change yesterday, and it came to a total of $27.45. We desperately need some extra money, so I'm starting putting in 8-10 hours per day collecting cans off the roadside. So far, between the 2 hours we put in last night and the 3 I put in this morning, I've collected $9.14 ($8.64 in cans, one car battery and a nickel found on the roadside). Our late fees for rent are $10 a day and it costs me $2 in gas to get to a good spot to collect, so, we're about $2.84 short of the break even point (although I'm taking an "all or nothing" approach on the rent; I'm not paying the landlord everything I have only to end up broke AND homeless). I should make up the difference in my next excursion. My hope, at this point, is to raise up enough money that we can get one of those sleazy rent by the week motel rooms (it isn't much, but it's better than a homeless shelter). I can make about $50 a day at day labor, but can't work overtime, so I will try to put in 40 hours with one day labor place, and 15-20 with another. This should give us enough extra to move up in our living quarters by Christmas or shortly thereafter.
I'm hoping to find a generous soul in town willing to store our things until we can retrieve them. This way we don't go through the doubly devastating situation of losing everything we have. If we wind up unable to have internet access, I will attempt to update things at least weekly through library access.
We're still keeping a positive mental attitude, although it's very trying on the wife and kids.
One note to the reader: the next time someone tells them about the "milk and honey" lifestyle of the welfare system, please tell them they're full of shit for me, ok?
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish
I filed for unemployment on August 18, the day I was released from my job. I still have yet to receive final determination of my approval (I filed in Wisconsin, to preserve my benefits in Nevada in case I need them later). We bit the bullet and applied for TANF, but are still a ways from getting any cash benefits (we have food stamps, fortunately, so we won't starve). Nevada law requires 20 job searches per adult in the household, which means we need 40 between us, which has not been easy, as it's difficult to find 20 jobs in town that are hiring. And we don't have the money for the 60 mile drive to Vegas.
I counted up all our change yesterday, and it came to a total of $27.45. We desperately need some extra money, so I'm starting putting in 8-10 hours per day collecting cans off the roadside. So far, between the 2 hours we put in last night and the 3 I put in this morning, I've collected $9.14 ($8.64 in cans, one car battery and a nickel found on the roadside). Our late fees for rent are $10 a day and it costs me $2 in gas to get to a good spot to collect, so, we're about $2.84 short of the break even point (although I'm taking an "all or nothing" approach on the rent; I'm not paying the landlord everything I have only to end up broke AND homeless). I should make up the difference in my next excursion. My hope, at this point, is to raise up enough money that we can get one of those sleazy rent by the week motel rooms (it isn't much, but it's better than a homeless shelter). I can make about $50 a day at day labor, but can't work overtime, so I will try to put in 40 hours with one day labor place, and 15-20 with another. This should give us enough extra to move up in our living quarters by Christmas or shortly thereafter.
I'm hoping to find a generous soul in town willing to store our things until we can retrieve them. This way we don't go through the doubly devastating situation of losing everything we have. If we wind up unable to have internet access, I will attempt to update things at least weekly through library access.
We're still keeping a positive mental attitude, although it's very trying on the wife and kids.
One note to the reader: the next time someone tells them about the "milk and honey" lifestyle of the welfare system, please tell them they're full of shit for me, ok?
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish
