The Good and Bad of not getting COLA in 2010.

I am drawing Social Security Disability. Really don't like it, but I ended up with degenerative disk disease, all down my spine, because of all the literally working my ass off in factories all my life for the "elite", as we have all found out. I paid into mine all these years, but what did it get me? At the most, I started out with $694.00 a month. And that was back in Nov. of 2005. That is because I worked mostly minimum wage jobs, in and around the small town I lived in, and I understand how they figure that. And since then, I am up to $776.00 a month. That is a whole $82.00 a month more in 4 yrs. I've learned how to live off of that, thank god for low income housing, and food stamps, or I'd be living with relatives. And of course the state I live in, pays my supplemental, or should I say, what medicare doesn't pay for, they do. So I feel pretty lucky. I'm not griping.

But...what gets me, is there are older people here in this low income apartment housing I live in, that make less than me, yes, less, because when they worked, the wage was even lower than what I made! Now, isn't that sad? I respect my elders, and it disheartens me that the people that are in their retirement years, make less than me, even my Mother, before she passed at 75, was making $300.00 less than me! This is just an example, I know some people make more because of their wages before they retired or became disabled. I'm just making a point before I start with the good and the bad. I just had to add that cause I feel that our elders should be making "more", I think you get my point. They are on more meds for aging problems, and as far as I'm concerned, they are screwing the elderly just because they are older. This really sucks for them, especially. My Mom was just making a little over $450.00 a month, and just because she had a husband that worked, she had to pay her supplemental in which was over $100.00 a month, then, when she would get a COLA, that would go up, and she was even making less, or, end up with the same amount because the supplemental insurance would also go up! We can't win for losing. But she was lucky. Her husband worked. The elderly that are here, 98% of them are single, or widowed and living alone.

This is how it goes. The good part of not getting a COLA, is my rent will stay the same, or go down now because we got a raise in our elec. bill credit at this complex, but, then our elec. bill goes up at the same time. It went up about $10.00 a month in the past 2 yrs. I've lived here. So, our COLA last year helped, but then my rent went up and my food stamps dropped. So, the good part is that there won't be a change in how my income is managed by me, but they manage to keep us, that are unable to work, or have retired for the so-called golden years gets screwed up and we stay the same basically with our income because of all the ups and downs of everything. And even if I went to work part-time, for extra income, it wouldn't be extra because my rent would go up, would lose my food stamps and would still be in the same boat except different circumstances.
So, not getting the COLA is good to a point. My rent won't go up and my food stamps won't go down, the same for the elderly.

Except for the ones that are still paying house payments, insurance for the house, insurance for their car, their supplemental for medicare, medication, daily living, medication, Christmas and holidays, medication, food, medication, stress because of having no money, and medication because of the hypertention you ended up with because of having no money because of medication!! It's called, slow kill of our mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, great aunts and uncles that we would prefer to have around because they are, most of them, very good role models for our us, and our society, and we LOVE THEM!!. And look what is happening!! It is a never ending battle, especially for our elderly, I've watched it.

I've watched them charge literally "hundreds" on their credit card for "medication". That is heart wrenching to watch them go downhill after they have literally worked their ass off, raising their children, grand children, great grand children after all these years of struggling, to treat them like this!! And some of them losing their homes after paying on them for 30 years!! Then, they have their credit card bills stacking up now because of "medication"!! Or, because they had to charge bills on their credit card also because they don't make enough to pay their normal bills because of the payments went up on their credit cards, and interest because of "MEDICATION"!!

Even if I could work, the wages are so low that my rent would be way more than I could pay, and I would probably make too much to get food stamps, but that is okay, point being is that no matter how hard we all try, they make sure that we all stay poor. They raise taxes on the landlords if you rent, then it falls back on the landlords, then they have to raise the rent that is outrageous anyway, then you work for minimum wage cause you couldn't afford to go to college to improve yourself, and you seem to become poorer even when you are working overtime, and when you work more overtime they take more taxes out, and then you realize that you can only work a certain amount of overtime and the higher the wages the more taxes they take out. You get your paycheck for working so hard and missing all that family time and it was only 20 bucks higher than working your normal 40 hrs a week!! Just making a point about all this. I'm not griping about myself, nor having a pity party, I take care of myself even if it means staying home all the time, in which the gas prices keep me from going much anyway. I drive an old boat that is paid for, and runs good. I'm lucky there too. I have no debt. Got out.

The bad parts of not getting COLA is mostly the elderly that have to pay the supplemental for medicare and not getting a raise this next year when the supplemental is going up, and food, it will be very damaging to them. Like I pointed out, this is just a constant merry-go-round for the elderly that are just trying to enjoy their golden years and they are the ones getting screwed, shame on you in congress, shame on you!! And you are getting a 5% raise!! This will all come back on you some day, your next life will be living hell! And you'll wonder why you ended up there!! How dare you treat our grandma and grandpa like this, how dare you!!

I'm in the same boat *hands you the bailing bucket*. I have learned the art of bartering, I have learned the art of salvaging, I got LUCKY with the rent on where I am now. I barely make it. I know someone else with disability, and they AREN'T making it. They have a kid to boot.

I agree- it's a form of slavery. You cant make but so much, and if you're doing everything 'in the system', you get slashed at the knees at every step. Any opportunity to try to get free is stabbed thru the heart by the govt. If I try to get a part time job, goodbye medicaid and medicare. If I sell my car, the govt needs to know about it.

Now, for the kick in the nuts: The illegals and the people who leech off the system who dont NEED to be on it. These people are stealing OUR money, and no, it isnt right... but try telling that to those rich SOBs in Washington. Oh, we'll get another $250... like THAT is gonna do anything helpful in the long term. Funny how it'll show up most likely during an election month, from what I have heard (like around Nov-Dec ish).

I have a solution, but it aint for everyone, and NOT for the faint of heart... And that's all I am saying.....

It really sucks to be placed between a rock and a hard place. Sorry you have to endure this place in your life and especially our elders.

I too have been disabled and have subsisted on food stamps, housing assistance and am trying to get my social security. Its been a crappy last two years and I really thought I was gonna live and die under a bridge.

Fortunately for me I had the V.A. behind me that pays me 100% disability (just recently). It took a while to get my benefits. I lost everything I had because of the red tape and time involved with the bureaucracies.

How can anyone live on what you or the elderly receive in benefits?! It's an outrage how we treat our truly disabled and elderly in this country.

Hang in there. I do know its tough. There really isn't much solace to offer. Seems like genocide is the goverments answer to the sick and the old.

reply to post by wylekat


I know there are a lot of us out here. Let's just get it out and talk about it. I know of a lot more people that I have seen homeless here, living under a bridge and can't get help because they have no address! Now isn't that just mucked up? You can get help, but since you are out on the street with no home, we can't help you get one till you have one! How moronic is that? Excuse me!

Stop the wars and bring our people home and take care of our own. Our country is sad, very sad.

When I go to do laundry, I always seem to attract the homeless, that is okay, cause I'll always give what I can and have at the time. I right now have cleaned out my junk and giving it to the gleaners to give to the less fortunate. Stuff I've carried around for years mostly because of the sentimental value, or because I thought I needed it for another time. Nope, I am giving it away to help someone that is in the shoes I use to walk in. Maybe junk to me now, but it will be their treasure when they find it!! That is what makes me smile!

But like I said, I've learned how to make it on what I've got, and I am very proud of myself for it. I use to be really depressed because I am a very hyper and energetic person, but I can't do it no more. I finally have accepted it and dealt with it and am making it, but barely. I even send my niece 5 bucks once in awhile, she is raising 2 young boys and her boyfriend is just a wheeler dealer, good at it, but they are going through some tough times too. But I'll send what I can as long as it doesn't break the bank. We will survive, you sound like a survivor too!

And the illegals? They live in groups, have wads of cash in their wallet, and kids out the butt and food stamps!! I use to work at Wal-Mart, so I saw it all the time!! All the time.

I am not in low income housing but I am on social security disablity. I have multiple diagnosises. I have ADD, Bipolar depression and generalized anxieties. I worked for about 20 years of my life and had a nervous breakdown because I was working 50 hours a week but could not get on my own. This triggered the Biploar symptoms. I also have some sort of undiagonosised psychical condtion where I get sick under fluroscent lighnting.
I can't get into low income housing because I am working on a college degree. I need a college degree so I can teach online courses. My rent will go up when I renew my lease in 2010. Electricity will also go up on me in April 2010; i am on the budget plan. They told me my electricity will go up from $83/month to $120/month. I was counting on an increase in SS to cover this increase.
I will have to do more budget cuts. I am barely making it now. There has been an increase in the cola since 1975.
I feel bad for my grandfather who is 81 years old. He does not get a lot in SS because he gets a small retirement from the police department. He retired back in 1980 so his retirement is only 50% of his 1980 income which equates to $8,000 per year. He worked his a$$ off and he even briefly served in the Korean war.

reply to post by dreamseeker


Yeah, my Dad was in WWII, and he had PTSS, didn't know about back then, but it made him crazy, became an alcoholic, and basically killed himself because of all that with his drinking, he died in 79 at 53 yrs old. But he done pretty well for himself, had a small grocery store till he decided to retire and let someone else run it. The good ol days, back in the 50's and 60's it was.

Don't know where you live, but have you considered subsidized housing? This is not HUD. It is where they figure your income and your rent is only 30% of your income and you get a credit for your electricity. I know you said you couldn't get low income, but you should be able to, don't understand going to school, being on disability and not being able to get into low income housing. That's just crazy how all this stuff works. Trying to improve yourself and on disability and can't get low income housing? Crazy world we live in. Just suggesting in case you may not know about this. Take care of yourself, I'm rootin for ya!!