Don't want a job...

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I've been on disability for a year now. Looking for work is a voluntary activity since it's not required. But I've joined a job agency voluntarily because I want to work.

Only thing is, I've just realised that a full time job, after income tax, travel expenses, etc, doesn't pay much, if anything, more than my wife and I get on our benefits. Once I start working and earning past a certain amount, our benefits start going down. If I work full time, I'll lose all my benefit, and my wife will lose most of hers.

So I'll get to wake up at 6am and prepare for work, go to work, work all day, travel home from work, shower, have dinner, put the kids to bed, wash the dishes, and finally finish at 8.30 in the evening. Five days per week. Weekends are full too.

For what? A little self esteem?

I don't want to sacrifice my life. I value my personal time.

The solution seems to be to work part time. That way the impact on benefits is minimised, profit maximised, plenty of free time. And could use some free time for working towards a better situation. Sound reasonable?

Not sure if the job agency agrees. They get funded for success in placing people in work. I think my case worker is sympathetic, but the people behind the scenes might be getting impatient. I'm supposed to be grateful if they find me a full time job in a hot, noisy factory.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Consider yourself lucky to have a disability allowance, some of us aren't so lucky

I think that is reasonable. I am hoping to develop an interest that might allow me to be self-sufficient but it seems distant. I receive benefits, and have been doing a little voluntary work, which sometimes amounts to as little as eight hours a week, up to about 20. In my spare time I study a little.

At least you should be able to support your children more when not working full-time, and they will gain from that, as will all of us.

If people do not think I am productive enough, f*** them.

May be you are wrong. I think you are right.

I consider myself very lucky to have disability allowance, especially since it has a few more $ than regular unemployment benefits.

Must admit, one thing the internet has made me more aware of is just how different the various countries are in relation to social security/welfare.

It is kinda good for my kids. We home school, so there's more interaction between us than if we'd done it the way it was when I was a kid. My dad used to work evening shifts. Asleep when we went to school, and we'd be asleep when he got home. Only saw him on weekends for years.

Amazing what we've come to accept as acceptable.

I have a some money that I received from a deceased relative. I can either live off of it for 4 years or look to either buy or start my own business. It isn't that I don't want a job, it is just I cannot get hired for one reason or another. Somehow I also qualify for another 18 weeks of Unemployment benefits as well but still, it is frustrating & embarrassing not be working especially since the job market is pretty strong in this part of the country (Boston MA)..