So much has happened on this thread since the last time I was here!
Going back to TANF, SNAP, and WIC. TANF is Temp assistance for Needy Families, right? SNAP is the food program, and WIC is for pregnant Moms, BFing Moms, and children until age 7 or 8?
The year we had Ava... We made a whopping total of 17k that year. Whoo Hoo! Let me tell you, we were rolling in the money. Seriously, my Hubs was laid off by his boss, I was making $7/an hour, and HELLO Ava! Our unexpected surprise. I was on BC, but had been on the same pill for 7 years, and found out after the BFP that they become ineffective after a while. Whoops. Now, we never applied for assistance. I had insurance through Starbucks, which I paid for through my paychecks and paid all my deductibles, co-pays, etc.
I returned early from maternity leave because I was offered a promotion that took me from hourly to salary. Lucky break. Hubs worked for our landlords to pay the rent, another lucky break. My Mom paid for the first year of Ava's daycare for us, which she was able to do then, and we were so grateful for. After only 8-10 weeks of BFing, I dried up and Ava had to be put on formula, and soy formula at that. We struggled that year, and new every single bit of the good fortune that came our way.
I have no problems with assistance, and have never been on any. That's not to say that there weren't times, even then that we seriously needed them. We still don't have new cars. We have 2 paid off older cars and don't look at a getting new one for at least 3 years.
I am able to work from home. I don't make TONS of money, and we are not rich. Hubs is a manager at Starbucks. We are a middle class family. Middle, not upper middle class. We always look for ways to save, and ways to increase our income. We do not own credit cards. In some ways we are doing better than our parents, and in some ways we aren't. We have had our own share of experiences that have hurt us immensely in the financial spectrum.
I think it is unfair to say that people aren't humble on this thread. I think what has happened is that it is clear so many of us struggle often throughout our lives, and work to find a place where we can simply breathe financially. It is HARD. It is still hard on us, and I realize our family is lucky to live in a city with just about every grocery store you can think of, so I shop at several. I still buy most things at Aldi's because they are cheaper.
What junk food my family does eat, is purchased at Aldi's for the most part. I don't knock the junk food, but you will never see my basket full of junk food. Personally, I think it's commendable that people shop at Aldi's with food assistance programs, because it's cheaper.
As far as heathcare in this country, I think it's extremely broken. I have many examples of that. There are so many people in this country that can't even go see a doctor. They don't have the access to the health care that my family does, and I think it is FLAT OUT WRONG. I think it kills people, leaves families with a burden, and without parents. I hope the Make Healthcare Afforable Act fixes most of it. Small Business families need that help a lot.
All of my post ended up being mumbled, odd stuff, and I debating deleting it, but I'm going to send it through anyways. I hope it wasn't as scattered as I read it to be.
Going back to TANF, SNAP, and WIC. TANF is Temp assistance for Needy Families, right? SNAP is the food program, and WIC is for pregnant Moms, BFing Moms, and children until age 7 or 8?
The year we had Ava... We made a whopping total of 17k that year. Whoo Hoo! Let me tell you, we were rolling in the money. Seriously, my Hubs was laid off by his boss, I was making $7/an hour, and HELLO Ava! Our unexpected surprise. I was on BC, but had been on the same pill for 7 years, and found out after the BFP that they become ineffective after a while. Whoops. Now, we never applied for assistance. I had insurance through Starbucks, which I paid for through my paychecks and paid all my deductibles, co-pays, etc.
I returned early from maternity leave because I was offered a promotion that took me from hourly to salary. Lucky break. Hubs worked for our landlords to pay the rent, another lucky break. My Mom paid for the first year of Ava's daycare for us, which she was able to do then, and we were so grateful for. After only 8-10 weeks of BFing, I dried up and Ava had to be put on formula, and soy formula at that. We struggled that year, and new every single bit of the good fortune that came our way.
I have no problems with assistance, and have never been on any. That's not to say that there weren't times, even then that we seriously needed them. We still don't have new cars. We have 2 paid off older cars and don't look at a getting new one for at least 3 years.
I am able to work from home. I don't make TONS of money, and we are not rich. Hubs is a manager at Starbucks. We are a middle class family. Middle, not upper middle class. We always look for ways to save, and ways to increase our income. We do not own credit cards. In some ways we are doing better than our parents, and in some ways we aren't. We have had our own share of experiences that have hurt us immensely in the financial spectrum.
I think it is unfair to say that people aren't humble on this thread. I think what has happened is that it is clear so many of us struggle often throughout our lives, and work to find a place where we can simply breathe financially. It is HARD. It is still hard on us, and I realize our family is lucky to live in a city with just about every grocery store you can think of, so I shop at several. I still buy most things at Aldi's because they are cheaper.
What junk food my family does eat, is purchased at Aldi's for the most part. I don't knock the junk food, but you will never see my basket full of junk food. Personally, I think it's commendable that people shop at Aldi's with food assistance programs, because it's cheaper.
As far as heathcare in this country, I think it's extremely broken. I have many examples of that. There are so many people in this country that can't even go see a doctor. They don't have the access to the health care that my family does, and I think it is FLAT OUT WRONG. I think it kills people, leaves families with a burden, and without parents. I hope the Make Healthcare Afforable Act fixes most of it. Small Business families need that help a lot.
All of my post ended up being mumbled, odd stuff, and I debating deleting it, but I'm going to send it through anyways. I hope it wasn't as scattered as I read it to be.