Should I (we) feel guilty? Sumpin' just ain't right about this.

[Thumper]

If you'll recall an earlier post, Lynn was screwed out of 5 weeks of vacation pay when she was "laid off". "Laid off" is in quotes because there's a serious belief that, after this virus thing is over with, her position will actually be eliminated (long story, but an educated guess). So, again, we're scrambling to reconsider our financial situation. Number one, file for unemployment. Great, IF she could! It took her three weeks to file after endless hours on the computer due to the website constantly crashing. She'd go through an hour of b/s filling out the forms, it would crash, then she'd have to start all over again. She'd try getting up at 3:00 am ... same results. Sundays, same results. To make matters worse, EVERYTHING had to be done on-line, there was NO way to contact a human being and the offices were closed down due to the virus. I have no clue how people without computers were applying. Then, last week, they announced the state was shutting the whole system down completely to try to "fix" it. It's been over a month since she was laid off and she was finally able to apply this week.

But, in the meantime, we both received the $1200 stimulus check. Don't get me wrong, it was definitely appreciated and helped with unexpected expenses that happened to crop up at the same time we received it, but we felt kind'a guilty receiving it. Don't ask me why, but we did. Back to the unemployment thing, like I said, she was laid off over a month ago and was just able to get through the system to apply early this week. She received a notice of approval, but we've yet to receive any money from unemployment, BUT ... almost immediately, two $600 payments hit the bank! This was from the EXTRA $600/week stimulus that was approved in addition to unemployment! More? Yep, there's more. When she received notice her unemployment was approved, they suggested she apply for food stamps! Or EBT, or SNAP, or whatever the heck it's called these days. WTF? Ok, she applied and was accepted! To top it off, they sent notice about other "benefits" available ... I can't even remember all of them ... gov't phone, help with the utility bill, some sort of freebie repairs to the house to make it more energy efficient and on and on and on! Damn! We finally drew the line and said enough is enough with all this free gov't cheese being thrown at us!

Last night I ran a little tally. Keep in mind, this is a small town and wages aren't all that high ... but the cost of living here goes hand-in-hand with wages. After almost 15 years at Hyatt, I think Lynn only makes about $17/hr. (not sure persactly). But, since the lay-off, she's been approved for $1100/mo. unemployment, an extra $2400/mo ($600/week) stimulus, they've sent her an EBT ("food stamps") card and load $294/mo. on that, Plus she received $1200 for her stimulus payment and they're talking about issuing another one! That comes out to $4000/mo. in regular payments, not to mention the stimulus money! That's MORE than she makes WORKING! WTF??? AND ... we're not even taking advantage of all the services they "suggested" she may be eligible for! Heck, at this rate, why would she even want to be called back into work? I'm sorry, but as nice as it is and as much as it helps right now ... sumpin' just ain't right about this goofy system and we're starting to feel guilty even being a part of it. Well, HALF of me feels guilty, the other half says we've scrimped and cut corners for years to get by with no outside help, maybe we'll just enjoy this "temporary" windfall while we can. Then, there's still that sting of losing her 5 weeks of vacation pay, but that's unrelated to the gov't cheese hand-out.

This is just crazy and I can see how one could learn to work the system and avoid working altogether!

Oh, and the "food stamp" thing? I've never participated, but from my recollection, that was always for "necessities" only. It seems I remember you couldn't use them to buy alcohol, cigarettes, junk food, etc. I read the paperwork that came with hers and it's ridiculous. It may as well be cash! It's simply a debit card. They automatically load the $$$ onto it every month. You can actually go to an atm and withdraw cash! And there are no restrictions to the "groceries" you can buy with it. I wonder how many withdraw the cash and buy drugs with this "gov't hand-out"? It's screwy imho. I'm starting to feel like a snowflake Democrat even accepting this stuff!

[airbud7]

Thumper....I could copy and paste your post and make it my thread and it would be exactly this way in my household...complete with the screwed up unemployment office computer that took 1 month to fix...Lynn is making more money laid off than working right now.

[Thumper]

Lynn is making more money laid off than working right now.

Yeah, I already said that!

(Ha! Joking ... it just looks weird with two Lynn's)

[Big Skyz]

My biggest worry in all of this is that nothing is free and nothing is reliable or stable. I say if they are willing to help you out for now, enjoy it while it lasts, as you and I both know it won't last for too long. I felt guilty getting our stimulus checks because both my wife and I are essential workers. However we decided to use the money to increase our food storage and we both feel better about that. We didn't necessary increase it because we are worried about starving or not having enough money, but we have 6 kids. So far all of them have been able to stay employed and draw a check, but that could change in a blink of an eye right now. We just want to make sure we can make sure they can stay on their feet if they suddenly find themselves out of work, money, and food.

[Bwana]

OMG, no wonder folks want to stay on that gravy train.

I'm glad it is there to help out with situations like yours Thump but for the long-term folks who simply milk the system...what is there incentive to stop?

[Thumper]

.... for the long-term folks who simply milk the system...what is there incentive to stop?

Persactly. It's nuts.

[jb]

Food Stamps and I go back to 1970, I worked 40 hours a week at a factory while attending college full time, (almost two years) then got laid off, went to the Unemployment Office and they told me, even though I worked full time while going to school full time, I didn't qualify because I was not available for work during the day. Found a part time job at the local Hospital ( with the help of my ex-girlfriends husband) This helped some, but then my wife was let go from her job because she was pregnant ( they could do that back then) . This was in the fall of 1970 and my Student Teaching was to begin, this made working at the Hospital impossible.
So we lived off saving for a month, #1 Son was born in September , so things really got tight.
With a new baby, me driving to my Student Teaching job (about 50 miles a day) and zero income, we were just staying alive.
Rent & Utilities $$ came from a National Defense Loan I got, but not enough to buy food.
So I went to the Welfare Office and pleaded my case to some really nice lady, she did the paper work and qualified us for the max $78/month (food only). I got out my check book to pay for the stamps ($8.50) and she said, Oh, we can't take checks, only cash which I had about a dollar on me. Said "Sorry, I only have about 75 cents. She paused a moment and said make the check out to me and I'll give you the $8.50. She said it's couples like you that this program is set up for, I know that when you graduate and find a teaching job you'll pay all this back and more with your taxes.
I come home with $78 dollars of Food Stamps and head right to the supermarket, we buy food stuff that we never had while in college, along with baby food, we had a hard time spending that much money. Wife was so embarrassed about Food Stamps she made me go through the check-out.
I graduated in December and start looking for a job, in the mean time we get another $78 to spend. January I get a call from a local Architect I knew, asking if I want a job with a local factory making pre-fab housing (another story) as a Senior Architectural Draftsman,
pay was $5 / hour with tons of overtime, that was good money back then.
Job was located about 30 miles from home and not wanting to leave the wife and kid home without a car, I found a good use car for my transportation, she kept my 67 Mustang.
Received my first paycheck two weeks later and thought we won the lottery, headed to the grocery store and bought our regular stuff and headed to the check-out, we had about $50 in Food Stamps left, but she said "No" we'll pay for these with your check, got home and she tore up the rest of the Food Stamps and said we'll never use these again, and we never did.
So, Thump, you and Lynn worked hard all your lives, you paid taxes all those years and now you get a few of those bucks back, you earned it, you deserve it, take it knowing that chit happens and now it's time for some payback.

[Thumper]

Found a part time job at the local Hospital (with the help of my ex-girlfriends husband)

Ha ha! I had to read that one a few times! I assume they got married AFTER you two quit seeing each other!

Your wife's "embarrassment" reminds me of the first time I went to the unemployment office back in the very early 80's. The first job I "lost" was in the late 70's. The company I worked for went bankrupt and we (the employees) had no clue until we showed up for work one morning and the gate to the parking area was padlocked ... the only way in to the office area. We were instructed to go to the unemployment office. I don't know now why, but at the time, I was too embarrassed to go. I found other work anyway, so I guess it was a mute point, but I remember it well. The next job loss was in the early 80's and our company sold out to a new owner. He blew out 90% of the existing employees (including me) and brought in his own employees from another business he had. Again, I was too embarrassed to file for unemployment until a workmate explained WE have paid into it with our paychecks and I'm entitled to it. I guess I always looked at it as "charity" ... not really sure. When I went in to file, I expected to be lined up with the dregs of society for some silly reason, but found myself standing in line with "normal" looking people ... some even wearing business suits! I have no idea why I was so intimidated by the thought of filing for unemployment, but I had this goofy vision of people standing in the soup lines during the Great Depression. Looking back, it was silly ... but I was looking at it as "Welfare" I guess. I've always worked for everything I've ever gotten and just couldn't get used to the idea of "handouts" (which unemployment is NOT).

Just recently (relatively) when I was released from the hospital (1999?), I'd lost my business, had zero income (had to file for disability) and was not physically able to work. I had no idea what I was going to do. A social worker at the hospital helped me file for disability (I was pretty much helpless at the time) and asked if I wanted food stamps. Again, that stupid "charity' thought kicked in and I told her I'd rather not apply at this time, but if I can't make it with the disability payments, I'd reconsider. Dumb? Yes! It just goes back to the "feeling" of getting something for nothing and being embarrassed to accept it. That's the same feeling I'm getting right now with the current situation, but I've taken on a harder stance I guess. As you say, we've paid into the system all our lives, so tapping into it at a time like this shouldn't make me feel guilty in the least. I KNOW all that, but it still makes me feel "dirty" for some stupid reason.

That said, I'm not gonna worry about it any more and take what I can get. It's going to be extremely temporary anyway. Florida has one of the shortest unemployment (benefit) periods in the country at only 12-weeks and as of right now, there has been no mention of extending that as far as I know.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Regardless of how others may use it, I think most Americans view it as a safety net and nothing more. So use it while you need it and don’t look back. And when you don’t need it, don’t use it.
Using it as it was intended is a good thing, not a bad one, Jim.

Careful that gummint cheese don’t bind you up though. You’re already FOS enough.


BKB

[Thumper]

Ha ha ha! Good point! Heck, I actually remember the (literal) "gov't cheese" but have no real clue ... do they still have that? It was like a big ol' 5-lb. block of Velveeta. Not bad really! We used to have a neighbor who got the stuff (Welfare I think) and it was way too much for her, so she'd give it to us. Mom used to make grilled cheese sammiches for us 6 kids with the stuff.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I have no idea if its still around. In the days of government cheese, food programs gave away actual food and in my part of the country it was called ‘commodities’. Powdered milk, cheese, peanut butter, and I don’t know what else. My step-grandparents got them for a time when I was a kid so I’ve eaten my share of it. And the whole time they bitched about ‘peoplepulling up to the welfare office in their Cadillacs to get their commodities’’. They sounded a lot like you! And they were good Democrats. Think of that!

BKB

[Thumper]

WTF is a good Democrat?

(Oh, and I heard you the first time!)

[airbud7]

WTF is a good Democrat?

The one with government cheese!.....follow along now!....how else can they get a vote.

That Cheese on Top!!!

[Arty]

I grew up on govt cheese. Commodities, as Barry said.
The cheese was awesome.
The powdered milk tasted like powdered milk.
The peanut butter was OK.
The beans made me fart like a pregnant heffer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thumper]

TBH, I don’t think I ever heard anybody complain about the gov’t cheese. It was pretty good stuff as I remember it. The other stuff, well .... it was what it was. Nothing to write home about. Odd, but it seemed there was always some of that stuff around from one source or another.

[airbud7]

I always thought the phrase "government cheese" meant a government handout? money.

Then about 5 maybe 6 years ago I brought it up to Lynn and she said damn that s*** was good!...

I'm like what?.... and she looked at me like I was crazy....and then she said you never had government cheese?

I said No!....she said that's the best cheese there ever was!...

It was only about a year ago I finally realize it was really cheese."not money"...and apparently the best cheese in the world!...

PS: I hope y'all save me some.

[Thumper]

If you ever want to know anything about government hand-outs, ask an immigrant hotel housekeeper. Lynn is one of those people who gets along with most everybody and there is no "class system" with her. She's worked at the Hyatt for 15 years (until COVID) and people tend to hang in their own cliques. Lynn, on the other hand, is friends with everybody except the obvious assholes. The housekeepers and maintenance people like her because she's a bit higher up in the hierarchy, yet they're comfortable talking with her about their personal lives, problems they have with their jobs, fellow employees, whatever ... and they know, if they want their conversations to remain private, Lynn will see to it they do. She's always been that way and people trust her.

I say all that just to establish the relationship she has with the "lower echelon" within the company. They even call her at home if they have personal problems as they trust her and appreciate her opinion or guidance. One thing we've learned through the years is, if you want to know about ANY government (hand-out type) program, ask a housekeeper! The hotel closed down when this virus thing hit and she still has a couple of housekeepers and a maintenance guy who call regularly to talk about general life and how they're doing through this Corona thing. Now, the "maintenance guy" is what they title as an "Engineer", but he's the one who shows up at the door if a guest complains of a stopped up toilet or an inoperative tv. One of the housekeepers (from the Philippines) has become a pretty close friend and since her husband is basically home bound and going through cancer treatments, we occasionally invite her out with us just to get her out of the house. A couple weeks ago, she asked Lynn if she's applied for her $2000 from the CARES Act. We didn't have a clue what she was talking about, so she gave Lynn the website. She said she's already received her check. We asked if she was talking about the $1200 payment (we both received) and she said, "No, it's supposed to help with expenses, does not count as income and does not have to be repaid." WTF? MORE "free" money? I thought that was what that $1200 was for. (???)

Well, Lynn applied last week, was approved, and the check came in the mail today.

govtcheck.jpg

Now, the weird part is, we had heard NOTHING about this program, but as I said previously, ask a housekeeper, they don't miss a beat! It's no wonder we keep hearing of people on unemployment who don't want to go back to work. Lynn's making more staying at home than she did working! BUT ... that's all going to come to an end soon enough. Florida has one of the shortest term unemployment systems in the country at 12 weeks. They've approved an extension for another 6 weeks, but most of the rest of the country is at 26 weeks plus 13 weeks extension, so once she gets off the government teat, finances will get a bit tighter around here.

Anyway, I really don't understand the program and don't know if it's local or National, but if any of you (or a family member) is in a bind, you may want to look into it. We wouldn't have had a clue if the housekeeper hadn't filled us in. I'll attach the website for OUR county so you can brush up on it, but I think the CARES Act is a Federal program, so it may be available everywhere for all I know. Every little bit helps.

https://www.polk-county.net/news/new...ailable-may-19

[Buckrub]

Well.............that IS a government check. But it's County Government. Not Federal.

Right???

[Thumper]

I'm not sure how it works Bucky. The unemployment is State and I heard the extension is coming from the Feds. Her unemployment goes to direct deposit, so I never see the actual check. I think the $1200 stimulus came as a check, I really don't remember. As for the $600 weekly addition to unemployment, the way I understand it, the money comes from the Feds to the States and the States disperse it. Again, those are all direct deposit. This $2000 is supposedly the same type of deal, the Feds sent it to the States (or directly to the Counties?) and they hand it out. When you apply on the website, it shows how much was allocated to the County and how much has been dispersed so far. The last we looked, they really hadn't sent much of it out ... possibly because (like us), not too many people are even aware of it.

[Thumper]

It kind of reminds me of the hurricane b/s I went through a few years ago. I pay homeowner's insurance (of course), but I also pay separately for hurricane insurance. I've paid that for years, but never needed it. Once I DID need it, I found out it was almost totally worthless. The adjuster came out, assessed all the damages and hardly anything was covered. The reason? It was either wind damage or water damage!!! WTF?? What is a hurricane? It's wind and rain! The insurance did pay for SOME of the damage, but there was a HUGE deductible (which only applied in the case of a hurricane ... it's not negotiable ... I think it was 3% of the total value of the house). The insurance company told me I should contact FEMA and the Red Cross. Dang! I did just that and they started THROWING money at me from all different directions. I don't get it ... why the "F" do I even bother paying insurance? The weird part is, a year or two AFTER the hurricane, the Red Cross sent me another check out of the blue for another couple thousand bucks (don't remember exactly how much). WTF again???? I called to see if it was a mistake and they informed me the money had been allocated for Hurricane Irma victims and after all the claims were paid, they had money left over.

Now, MY idiotic thinking tells me they should put the surplus back into the kitty for the next disaster. Nope! I was told if the money had been allocated for Hurricane Irma victims, it HAD to go to Hurricane Irma victims! So, they split the extra money up among everyone who had filed a claim 2 years prior! How stupid is that? Even if I'd returned the money to them, they'd have been required to split it among the other claimants. Figure that one out.

[Buckrub]

THUMP!!!! HUSH~!~~!!!!! You're typing a ton of words here......trying to figure this out. What did a smart man once tell me? "Don't brain **** it to death".. Right?

You're wiggling. Stop wiggling. I don't know diddley squat about the process or the source. I SIMPLY READ THE CHECK!!! It's issue by POLK COUNTY. It ain't Fed. It ain't State. The county wrote the check.

Get a beer. Geez.

[airbud7]

Hey Thump!, Thanks!....I just showed my Lynn your post and she said Heck Yea!.....2000 bucks is 2000 bucks!

if they're going to spend it anyway give me some!

[Thumper]

I SIMPLY READ THE CHECK!!! It's issue by POLK COUNTY. It ain't Fed. It ain't State. The county wrote the check.

Well, excuse the "F" out'ta me. Just because the county wrote the check doesn't mean it's county money. The county didn't acquire it through local, county taxes. I said I don't know the exact route the money takes, whether it goes from the Feds directly to the counties, or goes to the State and is THEN dispersed to the counties and THEN dispersed to the residents. I'm deeply saddened I can't provide you with those facts at this time (which are most likely available on-line) ... but either way, I realize it would be paid by a county check. So bite me.

It's like the extra $600 added on to STATE unemployment. That is Federal money (through the CARES Act), but the STATES determine when it's dispersed to the unemployed .... so I assume it would be a STATE check even though it's Federal money. (again, I don't know as it's direct deposit, so I never see a paper check). There's actually a big stink here now due to the fact the unemployment checks have been held up by the State and the State has been slow getting the money out to the unemployed. Come to find out, the State sat on the funds for a while before finally starting to pay the benefit ... all the while drawing interest on that money. There is an "I-team" investigation going on right now. I'll cut & paste here:

Florida's unemployment fund, separate from the federal fund where Florida is withdrawing the $600 checks, earned nearly $25 million in interest in the first three months of the year, according to an accounting record obtained by the I-Team. In March, Florida was the only state that was taking in more money to its state unemployment fund than it was paying out in benefit checks.

The bottom line is, as you so kindly pointed out, the actual ($2000) check comes from the county. I know that, I can read. I just have no idea the exact route it takes from the Feds to the county. But if you want to point out my ignorance about something that really doesn't mean squat in the overall picture, have at it. It's what you do best.

The whole point of the post was to call attention to a program I didn't even know existed in the hopes it may help someone here who may want to check with their own counties as it's funded through the CARES Act (which is FEDERAL). There may be similar programs in other states/counties ... I have no clue.

Here's the first sentence on our COUNTY website, so I would have to assume the Federal funds are available to ALL states.

"Qualified Polk County residents and small business owners may now apply online for financial assistance through Polk’s portion of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant."

(Payouts to businesses are based on number of employees. Individual citizens receive $2000)

[Buckrub]

I am rolling. Thump, you sound just like me from years ago. I try to fun wid ya, and you go off. Sorry, won't do it again.

Hope y'all get a bunch more checks. From wherever.

[Thumper]

It makes it difficult to know where one stands when they flip-flop from dead serious at all times to SD'er. I guess you need to come up with a disclaimer at the bottom of your posts.

Sorry if I misjudged the seriousness of your poking. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy.

[airbud7]

Bucky just need a hug!......

But, but ....who's going to hug a mean old fart?

[Buckrub]

It makes it difficult to know where one stands when they flip-flop from dead serious at all times to SD'er. I guess you need to come up with a disclaimer at the bottom of your posts.

Sorry if I misjudged the seriousness of your poking. Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy.

Now that's funny. It IS? See? See what I have said for years? Hard to have an argument when someone (sorta tall, big guy, southerner) goes back and forth, back and forth. And by "funny" I don't mean it in a sarcastic bad way. It is just funny to see old folks get old like me. But for a guy that has hammered me for 25 years for being too serious, you just MUST see the humor in all this, right?

And by the way, I have no clue about the gummint checks. I hope you, and everyone we know, gets a ton of 'em............as long as we have a government to issue them, however long that might be.

[Buckrub]

Bucky just need a hug!......

But, but ....who's going to hug a mean old fart?

No, don't need one. Social distancing, and all that. If I did, I bet you wouldn't qualify, though.