Canada Pension raises retirement age for those under 54!

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by sillysally

Our assisted housing rules must be more strict in the US ( or at least in Indiana) because when we got married we applied for subsidized housing but made to much. Nate was making around $12 an hour and I was working part time at about $7.50 an hour (this was 9 years ago).

Yeah basically if you have a job.... No soup for you

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by lizzybeth727

Yep. People also managed fine before government pensions.

Yes perhaps we should get back to that. Let the people KEEP the money they are forced to pay into these government pensions.

You have the option to opt out of collecting welfare but you don't get the option to opt out of the government pension plan

[LindaJD]

In Ma. you have EBT cards from welfare and believe it or not you can use them in nail salons, tattoo parlors, strip clubs and casinos. The cards can also be used to withdraw cash from ATM machines, making it virtually impossible to track what purchases are then made using the money. Data cited in the panel***8217;s report showed that 85 percent of benefits were redeemed at ATMs during one three-month period last year, while only 15 percent were used at point of purchase.That was in our newspaper just last week. I find it disgusting.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by LindaJD

In Ma. you have EBT cards from welfare and believe it or not you can use them in nail salons, tattoo parlors, strip clubs and casinos. The cards can also be used to withdraw cash from ATM machines, making it virtually impossible to track what purchases are then made using the money. Data cited in the panel’s report showed that 85 percent of benefits were redeemed at ATMs during one three-month period last year, while only 15 percent were used at point of purchase.That was in our newspaper just last week. I find it disgusting.

I just read up on Virginia's...that's not the case here at all. Here you can only use it to pay for food. They are not good at ATMs, cannot be used on non-food items like cleaning supplies, pet food, toilet paper, etc, and can only be used at specific retailers that are approved to accept the benefits. Seems like the program here is pretty well run.

[sparks19]

I will have to look up the actual specifications for food stamps here. I know there are restrictiOns on food like no individually wrapped cheese slices lol

Then there is the issue of people having children while on assistance (be that welfare, disability, etc). If you are unable to find a job you need to hold off on another child. If you are too disabled to work... Is it right to bring kids into the world when you are unable to work? I feel like the answer should be no.

Just seems like too many have kids to up their assistance check. I say if you have kids while on assistance then the amount should not increase. You get the same as you did before and you figure out how to budget that.

I wish there were more places like the claire house here. They are amazing, they take in women and kids/families that are homeless and they teAch them how to budget, find a job, etc etc. they offer tons
Of classes for moms from parenting to money management to responsibility. Fail a drug test and you are out. They offer a hand up and NOT a hand out. They teach women to provide for themselves and rise up. Their success rate is
Amazing

[sillysally]

The issue with kids though is that the kids are often the ones that suffer. I don't think that when you are on assistance is the best time to have a kid, but sometimes things happen. Kids have no say in whether they are born, and I don't think you can regulate reproduction rights.....