Tuesday, June 18, 2024

How I Overcame Poverty

Everyone knows that being on Social Security is a poverty issue. It hardly gives you anything and when you are on it, people expect you to stay on it. You can try to get a job, but when you let anyone know that you are disabled and getting Social Security, your co-workers tend to sabotage your work, making you forced to quit.                                                                                                                But there are other ways you can go about supplementing your income. One way, is to enter into research. There are many research pathways and they give you a little money to pad your pocket. They are usually over one year and they come out to you or you go to them (your choice) about every six months. They pay you on the spot and it is cash. Usually around 50 dollars. I know that doesn't sound like much, but to someone on Social Security, it can be a windfall.

Then there is college. If you go to community college, there are grants you can get that will cover your tuition and books and sometimes, the amount is over what needs to be paid and that amount goes into your pocket. You must take at least two classes a semester. I took three. Then I did the degree for transfer. That brought me to the University. It was a state University so I was also eligible for a second grant specifically made for state University students. This is how I got my bachelor's degree for free. There was no extra money for my pocket at that time, but the education was priceless. 

After my bachelor's I got a promotion at work. I had gone through the ticket to work program at Social Security. It allowed me to work and go to school. Both were part-time. Then when I graduated, I went to full-time at work. That put more money into my pocket. With the ticket to work program, I was able to keep my Social Security for a while. Maybe two years, before they dropped me. I still get my Medicare though. 

Last, I was accepted into the PASS Program at Social Security. That is where you seek extra help to become self-sufficient. There would be big payouts to help off-set the cost of living. I even got help with buying a car instead of taking the public transit to work. This allowed me to be more flexible at work. 

The biggest part of this would be when I got out of debt. I was an apprentice at the San Diego Trolley. It was for five years. When I left, not of my choosing. I got sabotaged. I found that I was in 60,000 dollars of debt. I managed to pay it off in two years. The last debt that I had was a student loan that I thought I would never rid myself of. Then, I got a surprise backpay from Social Security. I paid it off and then found myself re-eligible for college grants. So, I took full advantage of that. Now, I just got accepted into a master's program at a state University. I also found that there is a state grant for that too. So, I am excited. I will see where this will take me next. 

Please check out my Vocabulary ABC's

 DeLellis And Associates

DeLELLIS AND ASSOCIATES
Your attorneys for Social Security Disability and Workers Compensation Claims
P.O. Box 7458
San Diego, CA 92167

619-206-3603