Adulting for Beginners

This is the shit that happens between graduating college and dying.

[ernmark]

During a conversation with my manager this morning, she mentioned that her manager– the district manager– had told her that “We want people who are passionate about our products. We don’t want people working here if they’re doing it for the money.”

To which the manager (internally, because she doesn’t want to be fired), went “you’ve got to be fucking shitting me.”

Here’s the thing: it is totally possible to do a job for the passion and not be obsessively thinking about the money every minute of every day. In fact, there have been economic studies regarding that very thing.

You know when it starts?

When the employee in question is making $50-75k per year.*

That’s the starting point of financial security. That’s the point when you’re fairly secure that you’re going to have rent, food, and basic living expenses covered. 

I’ve worked a lot of jobs over the years. A lot. I saw the same working as a freelancer– when I charged lower rates, my clients treated me like shit and acted like they were doing me a favor; when I charged more, they respected me as a professional. A newspaper that started out paying me above market wage also treated me very kindly, because they started with the assumption that I was a human being who needs to eat.

In my experience, the employers that insist that your job be your “passion” are also the ones that pay you nothing and treat you like garbage. It’s exactly like abusive people, who tell you that you would put up with their abuse if you “loved them enough”. It’s a way of convincing the victim that they’re responsible for their own mistreatment, which is absolutely fucked up.

Here’s my advice to you:

It is absolutely okay to take a job that doesn’t pay you what you deserve–  you’ve got to eat, after all. But don’t think for a second that you have a responsibility to that job. If you see something available that pays better and treats you better, take it and don’t look back. Don’t waste an ounce of sympathy for employers who try to convince you that passion is an acceptable substitute for survival. 

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

7 Questions to Help you Find your Passion

1. What did you really love doing as a child? What did you seem to have a natural talent for?

2. What are you willing to do for free because it brings you satisfaction and fulfillment?

3. What sorts of things absorb your attention, and cause you to lose all sense of time?

4. Do you prefer to work with others, or by yourself?

5. Do you prefer order and structure, or do you prefer freedom, and the chance to be spontaneous?

6. What would you do, and where would you work, if someone told you they would finance your dream? Would you build a business? Travel? Spend it on yourself? Invest it in doing something meaningful for others?

7. If you were asked to picture the ideal life, what would it look like? What would be all the different aspects and components?

[skjam]

Some Health Insurance Terms for Beginners

It occurs to me that quite a few of the younger tumblr posters and readers might not yet have had to choose their own health insurance, (and older folks often struggle as well) so I thought I’d talk about a few of the basic terms you need to know.

Disclaimer:  While I work in a health insurance-related field, I am not an expert–please talk to a professional before making your health insurance decisions.  Also, the U.S. health insurance system is snafu so parts of this won’t apply to saner countries.

Premium:  This is the periodic payment you make up front just to have health insurance in the first place.  In the olden days, some plans had this as an annual fee, but now most plans go with monthly plans or withholding per paycheck.  Premiums are the main income for insurance companies, and to stay viable, income must always be higher than outgo.  If it’s a for-profit operation, the income needs to be higher than outgo by a considerable margin.

Deductible:  The out of pocket cost that must be met before your health insurance starts really kicking in.  Many healthy people will not spend enough in a given year to meet the deductible, and that’s by design.  However, you do get some of the benefits of being in a health insurance plan even before meeting the deductible–see “allowed amount” and “preventive care.”  Plans with low deductibles tend to have high premiums and vice versa.  Not all plans have deductibles.

Coinsurance:  After you’ve met your deductible, the insurance company will now pay a percentage of further medical costs.  The industry standard is 80% but you may see lower.  The remaining amount you must pay out of pocket, and is called “coinsurance.”

Co-pay:  Some plans, instead of or in addition to having a deductible, have a flat fee that you are required to pay out of pocket for services, and this is called a “co-pay.”  For example, a quick office visit so the doctor can check on your skin rash might have a $50 co-pay per visit.  These tend to have higher premiums or be government plans.

Out of Pocket Maximum: The point in a calendar year where you’ve spent enough of your own money that you no longer have to pay coinsurance or co-pays; your insurer takes over all remaining costs.  This number is usually very high, but if you are very sick or unlucky you may reach it.

Lifetime Maximum:  The stinger in most health insurance contracts.  Some benefits, such as infertility treatments, are often capped with an amount that the insurance company will pay up to, but no more–ever.  Some plans may also have a lifetime maximum apply to the plan itself.  You’re now costing the company more than you’re worth and they used to be able to just kick you to the curb. (Now they’ll help you sign up for Medicaid.)  This usually looks like a very high number until you get one of the nastier cancers, or a chronic condition with expensive treatments.

Preventive Care:  Medical care and tests designed to prevent future illness.  Things like annual checkups, flu shots, mammograms, etc.  Most medical insurance plans fully cover this even before the deductible is met as it is way cheaper for them to have your problems taken care of early than when they become noticeable to the naked eye.

Allowed Amount:  Providers can charge anything they feel like up to legal amounts, but if you have a sufficiently large risk pool for your insurance plan, the insurance company can negotiate the maximum amount allowed to be charged for various procedures, services and medications.  These prices are generally a bit less than those charged to the uninsured, and apply even before you meet the deductible.

Prior Authorization:  Some procedures or treatments require proof of medical necessity before the insurance company will pay out, and they won’t pay if it hasn’t been cleared with them beforehand.   This is usually spelled out in the medical policy that comes with the plan.  There may be considerable preconditions attached to a prior authorization, so read carefully and ask questions.

Formulary:  May be called “Preferred Drug List” or something similar.  This is the list of medications your health insurance plan will cover.  Some drugs that are not on the formulary may be covered if your provider submits a “formulary exception” (like a prior authorization, but for drugs.)  Others may require you to try other drugs first, or never be covered.  Formularies are subject to frequent review and changes based on new information.  The most important time to check is if you’re switching insurance plans and need to keep your medications stable.

And that’s a few of the basic terms you might see regarding your health insurance.  Your thoughts, and other terms you’d like to see covered?

[kickassfanfic]

This is super helpful! Maybe a list of questions to ask / find out? Like when I knew I was going to be in the hospital a lot the following year, and I had the opportunity to make changes to my insurance plan, I went with one that had the lowest annual out-of-pocket, because even though the premium was higher, I knew I was going to go through it, and the total for (high premium + lower out-of-pocket) was less than the total for (lower premium and higher out-of-pocket). 

If you’re in good health and have low risk factors, you might come out ahead if you pay for a less expensive plan. Your deductible will be higher, but your preventative care benefits *should* apply even if you haven’t met that deductible. Stay as healthy as you can, but remember that if catastrophe strikes, you DO still have coverage. 

Also, if you’re injured on the job, workers comp pays first. Likewise, if you’re injured as a result of an auto accident, YOUR auto insurance has the first payout for your injuries. (And if you’re not at fault, they’re the ones who go after the other driver’s insurance to get reimbursed.) 

It’s also helpful to know that you can’t always just go to whichever doctor you like. Your medical insurance probably has a network of doctors who have opted in to their program, and they will pay at a lower rate (or sometimes not at all) for other doctors. Workers comp and auto insurance varies; they often have a panel of doctors you can choose from. 

[citizenshipandsocialjustice]

[artistluv]

When the honeymoon stage ends what happens

…………

[ceraycarter]

You’re more honest with each other. Bodily functions are something to laugh about. Sweatpants and tee shirts are a regular thing. They know what you look like without all the makeup. Being “laid up and watching Netflix” is the only thing you’re looking forward to after work. You don’t go on fancy dates as often but you trade that for quality time. You find yourself being more vulnerable and you open up more. They become your best friend. You will able to talk about anything. You won’t be worried about impressing their parents, you’re just gonna love them anyway regardless of how their parents may feel. You will have inside jokes that no one else will get. Sex is not as often but, twice as passionate. Little fights will happen, but you’ll learn not to sweat the small stuff. You’ll learn what compromise really is about. You’ll dream about the future together. Grow together. Be on each other’s team. See their ugly crying face, and be the one to wipe the tears away & do something stupid to make them life. things are amazing after the honeymoon stage. However, it’s a time about giving up your walls and open up some doors you have locked a long time ago.

That’s why some people don’t make it past this point, because they don’t know what unconditional self-love means. Remain open and optimistic, love will never fail you.

[ceraycarter]

I love when this post resurfaces. It’s like a gentle reminder.

[throwdownyourheart]

Relevant for me right now.

[trappeds0ull-deactivated2020072]

To be honest, I believe in this.

[exmellivorinae]

OH MY GOD whyyyy did no one tell me you’re supposed to send thank-yous after interviews?? Why would I do that???

“Thank you for this incredibly stressful 30 minutes that I have had to re-structure my entire day around and which will give me anxiety poos for the next 24 hours.”

I HATE ETIQUETTE IT’S THE MOST IMPOSSIBLE THING FOR ME TO LEARN WITHOUT SOMEONE DIRECTLY TELLING ME THIS SHIT

[a-windsor]

NO ONE TOLD YOU???? WTF! I HAVE FAILED YOU. Also: Dear ______: Thank you so much for the opportunity to sit down with you (&________) to discuss the [insert job position]. I am grateful to be considered for the position. I think I will be a great fit at [company name], especially given my experience in __________. [insert possible reference to something you talked about, something that excited you.] I look forward to hearing from you [and if you are feeling super confident: and working together in the future]. Sincerely, @mellivorinae

[exmellivorinae]

THIS IS A LIFESAVING TEMPLATE

[a-windsor]

YOU ARE WELCOME

[emeraldboreas-deactivated201809]

My brother got a really great paid internship one summer. The guy who hired him said the deciding factor was the professional thank you letter my brother sent after the interview.

[zwischenstadt]

If you are 35 or younger - and quite often, older - the advice of the old economy does not apply to you. You live in the post-employment economy, where corporations have decided not to pay people. Profits are still high. The money is still there. But not for you. You will work without a raise, benefits, or job security. Survival is now a laudable aspiration.

Quoted from Sarah Kendzior’s “Surviving the Post-Employment Economy“ 

“In the United States, nine percent of computer science majors are unemployed, and 14.7 percent of those who hold degrees in information systems have no job. Graduates with degrees in STEM - science, technology, engineering and medicine - are facing record joblessness, with unemployment at more than twice pre-recession levels. The job market for law degree holders continues to erode, with only 55 percent of 2011 law graduates in full-time jobs. Even in the military, that behemoth of the national budget, positions are being eliminated or becoming contingent due to the sequester.

It is not skills or majors that are being devalued. It is people.”

Her work is frank, speaking of a reality I hope that will never be mine. At the same time, it gives me a strange comfort to know that I am not alone.

(via sextus—empiricus)

I will always reblog this quote.  Hits way too close to home for me.

(via missbananafish)

The most salient part of this, to me, is the underscoring of the fact that there is no “right” college major where you’re guaranteed a job forever. Conservatives love to pretend college graduates working minimum-wage or freelance jobs just didn’t “pick the right major” - those foolish fools studied the arts or literature or something else frivolous, so they deserve crushing debt and no job security! No. There is no magical college major that will let you sidestep the jobless recovery.

(via thebicker)

[caribbeanvibesblog]

[yourbigsisnissi]

1. Clean as you cook, not after 2. Before you sit down to eat wash the dishes 3. Before you move on to the next thing, wash your dishes

[yourbigsisnissi]

Bonus: do not walk by a sink that has dishes in it. If you see the dish, stop and wash the dish

[emmastudies]

one of my lecturers printed us a step-by-step guide to writing an essay for an assignment we had. i decided to type it up and share it with you guys. i think for the most part it is really useful and a super simple way to break down your essay. hope this helps :~)

[ambienne]

Dear internet,

Please give me all the advice you have on writing cover letters. Like, the closer you can get to literally just writing a cover letter for me, the better. Ok bye.

[emilysidhe]

This is how I did the one for my librarian position.  I hope it helps.

Dear Person Hiring for this Job,

I am writing to ask you to consider me for X position.  This is a paragraph about why I want to do X position in general.  It includes at least one personal detail and at least one job skill I consider a particular strength.  It argues that I am passionate about this career.  It is not long.

I have had the opportunity to gain experience in this job by - paragraph about my work or study experience.  It should go from most recent experience back.  Include some details about your responsibilities/achievements in your most recent or most important positions.  If you have mostly study experience, give more detail about what exactly you studied.  If you shadowed people, mention that.  If your work experience is largely unrelated, try to shoehorn some of it in (e.g. I gained experience working with people by).  You can supplement with relevant hobbies.  (But if you do have recent, relevant work experience, you should largely be detailing that.  Only embroider the other stuff if you need to flesh it out.)  This should be the longest paragraph.

I hope you will consider allowing me to do X thing at your company.  This is a few sentences about why I want to work at your company in particular and what I think I could bring.  Try to mention at least one detail from the company website, so they know you visited it.  This is a short paragraph that parallels the first one.

Thank you very much for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Person You Would Be a Fool Not to At Least Interview

[walkingoutintherain]

oh my god thank you this is relevant to current interests

[magpieandwhale]

Two other points, to challenge what’s being said above a little:

1) Remember that the person reading this cover letter wants to know how you can contribute to the company. Not how excited you are about the position: it’s all about what they gain. Try framing the whole thing in that sense — “You would gain my X awesome skill that would help you Y with your mission.” “Here’s why I’m awesome and a great fit for making your company go better.”

2) At the end, ask for the interview. “I am available at PHONE NUMBER at your convenience. I look forward to speaking with you about this great opportunity soon.” Maybe even say you’ll be following up at a specific time and date. Ask for the job. People respond to that, and it’s a good way to fake confidence until you make it. Ask for the job.

Okay, three points. People reading cover letters get SO BORED going through them. Think about starting off with a story that relates to why you’re interested in the job, or that demonstrates a skill or a strong interest that would make you a good candidate. Be memorable — people remember stories, even (maybe especially) very little ones.

[walkingoutintherain]

*hoards advice*

[strangehorse]

my boyfriend and I sometimes struggle to be on the same page when it comes to comforting- often i just want to vent and don’t need advice, whereas validation confuses him and he wants a plan of action

to counter this, we’ve come up with a system where we ask: “do you want advice, empathy, both or neither?” 

if it’s just advice, i know to go straight to action points and not spend time on fluffy words 

if it’s just empathy, he knows i want to be reassured and comforted and that’s all

if it’s both, it’s time for advice that recognises how hard the situation is and is perhaps gentler in nature

if it’s neither, just a hug is really good

i recommend trying to use this in your lives! it makes sure you’re giving and getting what you need, and reduces the risk of resentment or similar

[queendread]

Right now, I’m sifting through 50+ applications for a new entry-level position. Here’s some advice from the person who will actually be looking at your CV/resume and cover letter:

‘You must include a cover letter’ does not mean ‘write a single line about why you want this position’. If you can’t be bothered to write at least one actual paragraphs about why you want this job, I can’t be bothered to read your CV.

Don’t bother including a list of your interests if all you can think of is ‘socialising with friends’ and ‘listening to music’. Everyone likes those things. Unless you can explain why the stuff you do enriches you as a person and a candidate (e.g. playing an instrument or a sport shows dedication and discipline) then I honestly don’t care how you spend your time. I won’t be looking at your CV thinking ‘huh, they haven’t included their interests, they must have none’, I’m just looking for what you have included.

Even if you apply online, I can see the filename you used for your CV. Filenames that don’t include YOUR name are annoying. Filenames like ‘CV - media’ tell me that you’ve got several CVs you send off depending on the kind of job advertised and that you probably didn’t tailor it for this position. ‘[Full name] CV’ is best.

USE. A. PDF. All the meta information, including how long you worked on it, when you created it, times, etc, is right there in a Word doc. PDFs are far more professional looking and clean and mean that I can’t make any (unconscious or not) decisions about you based on information about the file.

I don’t care what the duties in your previous unrelated jobs were unless you can tell me why they’re useful to this job. If you worked in a shop, and you’re applying for an office job which involves talking to lots of people, don’t give me a list of stuff you did, write a sentence about how much you enjoyed working in a team to help everyone you interacted with and did your best to make them leave the shop with a smile. I want to know what makes you happy in a job, because I want you to be happy within the job I’m advertising.

Does the application pack say who you’ll be reporting to? Can you find their name on the company website? Address your application to them. It’s super easy and shows that you give enough of a shit to google something. 95% of people don’t do this.

Tell me who you are. Tell me what makes you want to get up in the morning and go to work and feel fulfilled. Tell me what you’re looking for, not just what you think I’m looking for.

I will skim your CV. If you have a bunch of bullet points, make every one of them count. Make the first one the best one. If it’s not interesting to you, it’s probably not interesting to me. I’m overworked and tired. Make my job easy.

“I work well in a team or individually” okay cool, you and everyone else. If the job means you’ll be part of a big team, talk about how much you love teamwork and how collaborating with people is the best way to solve problems. If the job requires lots of independence, talk about how you are great at taking direction and running with it, and how you have the confidence to follow your own ideas and seek out the insight of others when necessary. I am profoundly uninterested in cookie-cutter statements. I want to know how you actually work, not how a teacher once told you you should work.

For an entry-level role, tell me how you’re looking forward to growing and developing and learning as much as you can. I will hire genuine enthusiasm and drive over cherry-picked skills any day. You can teach someone to use Excel, but you can’t teach someone to give a shit. It makes a real difference.

This is my advice for small, independent orgs like charities, etc. We usually don’t go through agencies, and the person reading through the applications is usually the person who will manage you, so it helps if you can give them a real sense of who you are and how you’ll grab hold of that entry level position and give it all you’ve got. This stuff might not apply to big companies with actual HR departments - it’s up to you to figure out the culture and what they’re looking for and mirror it. Do they use buzzwords? Use the same buzzwords! Do they write in a friendly, informal way? Do the same! And remember, 95% of job hunting (beyond who you know and flat-out nepotism, ugh) is luck. If you keep getting rejected, it’s not because you suck. You might just need a different approach, or it might just take the right pair of eyes landing on your CV.

And if you get rejected, it’s worthwhile asking why. You’ve already been rejected, the worst has already happened, there’s really nothing bad that can come out of you asking them for some constructive feedback (politely, informally, “if it isn’t too much trouble”). Pretty much all of us have been hopeless jobseekers at one point or another. We know it’s shitty and hard and soul-crushing. Friendliness goes a long way. Even if it’s just one line like “your cover letter wasn’t inspiring" at least you know where to start.

And seriously, if you have any friends that do any kind of hiring or have any involvement with that side of things, ask them to look at your CV with a big red pen and brutal honesty. I do this all the time, and the most important thing I do is making it so their CV doesn’t read exactly like that of every other person who took the same ‘how-to-get-a-job’ class in school. If your CV has a paragraph that starts with something like ‘I am a highly motivated and punctual individual who–’ then oh my god I AM ALREADY ASLEEP.

[revysprite-deactivated20170502]

Very good post thanks for this.

[copperbadge]

Excellent advice for building and submitting job application documents.

[dispatchrabbi]

This is the first good resume advice post I’ve seen on this site. Much better advice than the “lists of active verbs to use” and “here are resume templates”. Follow this advice.

[luchia13]

hey guys psa regarding hospital bills

don’t just pay it. do not automatically pay the hospital bill when you receive it. call your health insurance provider and POLITELY say, “excuse me, i just received a bill for $1200 for my hospital visit/ER visit/etc., is that the correct amount i’m supposed to pay?” because hospitals bill you before your health insurance and they will take your money no matter how the amount due may change based on your health insurance looking at it. 90% of the time, if your health insurance is in any way involved in the payment of that bill, you do not have to pay as much as the hospital is billing you for. call your health insurance provider first, and POLITELY request clarification, always remember that the person you are talking to is human and this is just their job, and then you will very likely find out you actually only owe $500.

don’t shout at anyone about it, don’t get mad, just understand that this is The Way Things Are right now and call your health insurance provider before paying the bill your hospital just sent you. there’s a chance the hospital bill might be correct, true, but call your health insurance provider.

[smallercomfort]

THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT. after my car accident last year the hospital billed me ~$8000. They sent me letters asking me to pay, and I called them back saying my insurance was processing the claim. This is also what I told the collection agency when they kept calling me about the $1000 emergency room fee (billed separately from the hospital fee, mind you). Once everything got straightened out, all I was actually liable for was my $200 emergency copay.

[thevelvetdevil]

!!!!!!! things my ass didn’t know !!!!!!!!

[anamatics]

Yes this is a life lesson my adulting ass didn’t know I needed and I’m out 80 bucks for an anti-nausea pill. 😒😒😒😒😒

[elodieunderglass]

Reblogging for American friends.

Also, it is important [for people receiving medical care in the USA] to carefully read all of the items on the medical bill and look for errors and overcharges. I know that the normal feelings of avoidance and dread can make it hard to look at scary hospital bills, and that’s okay! But as the OP mentions, private orgs like hospitals don’t monitor overpayment of bills - they are motivated to charge you extra - and it is basically impossible to get your money back. Read the bill carefully and make sure that the charges are correct, using the links below for help if you need. If they haven’t sent you an itemized list, you can ask for one. Sometimes you will be charged extra for items or treatment you didn’t receive. Most people don’t know that you can dispute medical bills! But in 2009, Consumer Reports stated that 8 out of 10 medical bills scrutinized by a watchdog had errors, and generally you are not obligated to pay for someone else’s error.

You may be charged for using medication that you actually brought into the hospital with you - that’s easy to dispute! You may be charged for the consumables used during your stay such as sheets, gloves, gowns, etc - the hospital should actually cover that under its running budget. You may be charged for a brand name drug if the generic was available for cheaper - the links below explain how and when you can dispute this. You may be charged a surprisingly expensive “oral administration fee” (where a nurse puts pills for you to take in a little clean paper cup and then hands it to you) but that’s worth disputing if you were actually able to take the pill out of a bottle and put it in your own mouth. And so on.

8 Things You Should Know About Challenging a Medical Bill (FORBES) (includes links to sites that help you calculate how much a procedure/treatment usually costs in your area, if the costs seem super high)

7 Tips for Fighting and Paying A Huge Medical Bill (FORBES) This explains briefly how to negotiate costs, and payment plans.

10 Common Medical Billing Overcharges You Can Prevent (Bill Advocates) A breakdown of errors and overcharges to double check.

Check medical bills for errors: Overcharges are fairly common, and correcting them can save you thousands of dollars (Consumer Reports) More of the same with links to some groups.

[thehappyhooker-deactivated20190]

This is cray

[of-another-broken-heart]

So the USA is trying to starve its poor to death. Not even an exaggeration. 

The SNAP program is getting some work requirements applied again which are expected to leave up to (or more than) a MILLION people without benefits. Of these people, 97% are at OR BELOW the poverty line. 

And the only way to “earn” your benefits - the way to “prove” that you don’t “deserve” to starve to death - is to work 20 hours per week, or 80 per month. 

Either pull a job out of your ass (earn your paycheck AND qualify for food assistance), OR participate in 80 hours of UNPAID labor (PLUS the expense and time of transportation to and from a set, unflexible location). 

And after working 80 hours (plus paying money you don’t have for transportation to get to the designated “program” location/s) for the state to “prove” you don’t deserve to die, you get… are you ready?

I’m gonna use the Florida figures, because that’s what I was reading up on.

Less than $200 in food assistance. The average is actually less than 150.

Care to do the math? 

$150 for 80 hours. 

$1.88 per hour. 

The USA is a fucking dystopia. 

[blossoming-tears]

What the ever living fuck.

[selphinrose-deactivated20181217]

@fullten @lady-feral I…what

[bogleech]

Yeah, I was hit with this. We’re okay right now since we’re staying with family, though feeding us puts a strain on them as well.

I make some internet money that works out to about 125 a week so if I wanna keep getting my food assistance I have to itemize that so it qualifies as a 20 hour a week job, which it probably does, but it’s ridiculous that anyone has to do this and most people under the poverty line will not be able to.

I HAVE had real jobs. I’ve had enough real jobs that the taxes taken out of my own past paychecks already cover all the food assistance I’ve used and plenty to come. I have already paid for this food myself.

And every day a politician somewhere in this country wastes enough money to feed our entire fucking population.

[bogleech]

I WANNA ADD SOMETHING IMPORTANT for anyone who thinks they might need to sign up for food assistance, cause a few people just asked me some stuff about it.

In your interviews and applications, they are going to ask “do you ever eat with other people.”

This is a trick question.

You’re gonna probably think “well, technically, yeah, I had lunch with my friend last week…my mom made me a dinner….”

STOP

Answer NO. Always always answer NO. This question is designed to weed people out. If you admit to literally ever sharing a meal with another human being, that actually allows them to deny or alter your benefit amount. Even though this is legally referred to as “supplemental” food assistance and it isn’t enough to live on by itself, Republicans already don’t want anyone to have even that, and they want to consider it “fraud” if you both receive food assistance and EVER share food with another person, whether you’ve used your benefits to buy ingredients for someone’s birthday dinner or your mom made you a casserole one visit.

The correct thing to say when asked these questions is “I purchase and prepare my own food” or “we eat separately.” Even if you’ve already told them you live with family or a roommate.

Remember: Republicans don’t even want assistance recipients to be able to buy “luxury” items like fucking pasta sauce. They would limit you to nothing but gruel if they could. They’ve fought and pushed to load the benefit process with “tricks” and catch-22′s like these to treat as wide a range of people they can as lazy fraudsters and moochers.

[selphinrose-deactivated20181217]

Hey @fullten , this is some super important information from bogleech here. Sorry to bother you to post it again but I think this might save some people some pain in the future to see this.

[felthief]

This is legit, I got hit with that ‘job requirement’ shit and luckily my Doctor helped with the paperwork to get me exempt since working is basically something I can’t do (at least not for very long – I worked 30 hours a week just a few months ago and it literally ruined my quality of life, my depression and anxiety were amplified so badly that I was unable to do basic things like clean the dishes or take showers, and slept for 24+ hour stretches). It’s a huge pain in the ass, but if you CAN’T work, you need to get some kind of doctor on board to help you by writing a note or something, if possible. Also, when you’re applying initially, list ONLY YOURSELF as your ‘household’. If you list multiple people it requires you to list all of their earnings and assets and even having a room-mate with a decent job can literally disqualify you.

[eauudenil]

[goodluckrob-deactivated20221110]

All truth.

[dynastylnoire]

And all your bills are at least 170 dollars

[tomthefanboy]

You know… Costco has a pharmacy if you REALLY want to stock up.

[bluerayofsunshine]

Plan B only works reliably for people under 160lbs. Ella is more effective for folks over 160lbs and works up to five day after intercourse. Both are OTC medications.