Reply #12: And economically dangerous

[zipplewrath]

"I know people like this. Where mom, daughter, and granddaughter are all receiving a myriad collection of assistance. I would prefer to think that they are the exception and not the rule. But, they know the ends and outs of every program so thoroughly that they essentially pay for very little out of pocket. They receive subsidized housing, utilities, food, free phone (that one surprised me), childcare, travel for health care. I mean they have really educated me. But, it just seems a desperate way to live."

It is not only a desperate way to live, it is economically dangerous. Not only can you see some, or all of the benefits disappear in a week because of some snafu in the government, the rules can change, or you can fall out of "qualification" pretty quickly too.

There aren't all that many living as you suggest, although once one member of a family qualifies, the odds that there are others, and that they now know what documentation to bring, goes up. It takes along time to get "qualified" for some of these programs, and even longer to actually start receiving benefits. And it can all go away in a week. It is a well known problem amonst the organizations that try to help people even get into them, much less stay in them.