1.27.2010

grumble, grumble, NNU, grumble...

Every government institution insists on viewing me with my husband. It's like glob tag in elementary school. We got married, and then we were one glob, so sayeth the United States of America. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is inconsistency. To qualify for food stamps they look at my income along side of Josh's. If we (together) make less than a certain amount, we get aid. To get a student loan deferment they look at my income, alone. The problem with that? I don't have an income. Apparently, I make too little for them to consider me for deferment. *Growl* I can't make any more, Jerkfaces! I have kids that I can't afford to put into daycare. I'm a stay at home mom. (That is not on their list to consider for deferment.) Nope. I have to make a certain amount of money. I have to have a job. The funny thing is that if I were on food stamps, I would automatically qualify. It sucks that because I feel like I should not take advantage of government systems that I don't really need, I get punished. Me being on food stamps could take them away from someone that really can't afford their food. I don't care why that person can't afford food, people should eat. I can buy my groceries, therefore, I refuse to apply for food stamps. However, even if I were to apply they would guage me as a dual income, something that they won't do when it comes to deferring student loans. That just seems somehow wrong. Stupid double standard crap.

3 comments:

bekah said...

I so understand that frustration...it's like when they wouldn't let Russ reconsolidate his loans at a lower interest rate because his cosigner didn't have high enough credit, even though his cosigner was the SAME ONE on the pre-consolidated loans. So together they weren't reliable enough to pay a lower interest rate--it totally made sense for them to be left together on a higher interest rate and be forced to pay significantly more money every month. Bureaucracy is very often retarded.

Unknown said...

I have a solution... apply for food stamps. If you qualify then you get the economic hardship deferral. THEN, because you don't technically NEED the food stamps. Give them to homeless people. They need them and often don't have them. See... you could get your deferral AND help the homeless. Just something to consider.

Jennifer said...

I already said this on Twitter, but if you pay your taxes, you are totally entitled to apply for state assistance. That's what they are there for. And if a year of food stamps means you a) save up enough to start being able to pay loans back, and b) gets them off your back a while, there is no shame/harm in doing that! You wouldn't be a welfare abuser, but an economic tactician. :)