Question to those living on disability

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I'm on it myself & it seems a pitiful amount to live on and hardly adequate.

How are you getting by ?????

that a person is expected to be able to survive on $339/month baffles me.
& i'm curious as to what advice those who are on it long-term might have to offer on the subject.

$339??? I get more than twice that!

well, i think it's supposed to double after i've been on it a year, at which point they'll have finally determined that if i'm still on it and jobless, then logically that i still need it and give me a little more to work with. kind of like a trial phase.

but even then, $700/month still isn't much at all to live on what with all the ridiculous cost of living these days.

I get these lists from the IRS or social security I forget they are green for some reason they list what I would make if I become disabled. If I went on disability right now I would make $950.00 a month. Maybe you can a partime job? As you add into social security you should get more out of it. I worked 2 jobs for 9 years each. On unemployment I am making $200.00 a week.

My uncle is on it but he's very poor and lives with my grandmother. I think it's hard to get by, honestly.

I'm on disability, not for AS/Autism but for a rare genetic disorder that was well documented for years by many physicians.


I wasn't aware that they only give half on a trial bases. I do get a lot more than that amount and I also have widow's benefits because my late husband was 100% Service Connected.

I am one of the fortunate one's, I received my disability the very first time I applied for it and I have other income so it's not a problem living on my own.


I don't like to disclose the amount of money I receive because it's no one's business how much money I get.


I don't receive SSI nor food stamps or any other benefits such as Section 8 or Housing Vouchers. I make far too much money to qualify for any of that.


I'm 48 years old, I'm a Vet myself and I've worked hard a number of years even while I was ill, so I've paid more in taxes than you have Sean.


How can anyone live on $300.00 a month, unbelieveable!

Its hard to live on such a small income, but someone with an organized, resourceful approach can make it work somewhat. Some tactics: (1) Look for small, totally off-the-books odd jobs of the dog-sitting, housecleaning, snow-shovelling, lawn-mowing variety. It might be hard in the beginning, but if you are persisitent and pleasant, and work reasonably hard, this can provide a decent income supplement, (2) Taking advantage of free food- Where I live there are food pantries and places that feed free meals to the homeless. These aren't necessarily always ideal. Some food pantries may put you through a bureaucratic wringer to prove that you are poor enough, and a lot of the free meals involve waiting in line outdoors in all kinds of weather, but still despite the disadvantages, they are worth looking into. For one thing, the quality of the meals is better than you would think. Its the same kind of bread and canned food and peanut butter that non-poor people eat. We thankfully have gotten away from the punitive 19th-century idea of poor people only deserving inferior foods- no more gruel, cornmeal mush, hardtack, skilly, fatback etc.

I get $800 a month and never spend it.

What do you eat? How do you put a roof over your head without spending money?

Peace ellomo

I'm afraid of going on disability, because I think I would stop trying at life. I find having something I'm "required" to do helps me. However, it is really hard for me to keep a job...what are the advantages and disadvantages of going on disability?

My mommy provides that.

Ah ok cool (that's obvious now you say it) Here was me thinking you had found some amazing way to save money I didn't know about .

Are you saving for anything in particular?

Peace ellomo

Haha, I wish I knew an easy way to make lots of money. I'll save it up for something like a big screen TV or computer. Stuff like that. I'm saving up for a dog right now.

With the pension that I get from the government, I can make $500 a month, on top of that. I can't get over $500, or else money will be taken off my cheque.

I get about $650/month, which will increase by about $100 when I move out of my parents' house. That's SSI; I can't qualify for SSDI since I've never carried a job but I am autistic since birth. The only way I can afford to move out is to find cheap housing and apply for section 8. I may even have to resort to food stamps; we'll see how the budget shakes out after the section 8 application goes through. It'll take some years to learn the independent living and vocational skills, then I can go back to college to get a degree.