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Old 06-25-2022, 03:33 AM
 
6,949 posts, read 4,412,655 times
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This is a cautionary tale for others not to sacrifice your life to care for another because it may doom you to a life of poverty. It can work if the parents leave the child enough money to ensure their future once they die.
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Old 06-25-2022, 05:35 AM
 
6,751 posts, read 5,455,181 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
Who else will you be living with and how much can they afford to pay?
This.

OP, go get yourself certified as a CNA, and place an ad for a "live in overnight CNA/companion".
Or hunt Craigslist for such a position.
Or maybe college board jobs.

I once dated a girl in college whom I met in the one course that was an elective..she in nursing, me in business management.
She lived in a spare bedroom for an elderly gentleman, which alleviated his family being there overnight.
She was ",on duty" from 9 pm to 6 am. He had a buzzer he would ring for her to come help with toileting.
Her first order was to get him ready for and into bed at 9-9:30. And get him up at 5 am and ready for the day.
He was mostly ok for the day and his family would rotate visits.
This arrangement allowed her to continue studying, gave her a place to live, and she was given a $200/m stipend as well as a $300/m packet (not hers) in case she had expenses for the gentleman (i.e. a quick run to the store, pharmacy copays, etc)

But, you'll either need a certificate or be a nursing student.

There's another option..become an LPN or go on after that 2 yr degree to be an RN. You are still young enough.
Just watch what you take out in student loans..

I know taking care of someone is a "herculean task"..I grew up caring for an invalid mother who needed care starting when I was age 9, and I was the eldest (male- no sisters)

Another option is to look for an older model that rents by the week or month. They are decent, just old and don't fit today's "toney hotel standards". Most likely no "room service"(maid service, etc) or it's minimal.
You have to provide your bed linens and etc, but they are fairly cheap (around here, where you live want to live might be expensive or not exist.
It can be relative to the area.

Another option is to try applying for section 8 housing vouchers.
The trouble here is that landlord s may not take section 8.

There might be other options in your area.

Call these 3 digits: 2-1-1, nothing more. Thus should put you in contact with the "help line" in your area.
ANY questions or seeking help for just about ANYTHING you can be connected with or they'll tell you how and where to apply.

You can go to food pantry or church "soup kitchen" to help reduce your food costs so you can save more.
Some landlords require first, last and security deposit to move in.
Meaning if an apartment is $500/m, you'll need $1500 just to get the key.

Check out cheaper more rural areas for less expensive housing.

The fact that you were previously a caretaker..may make the landlord look favorable on you.. hoping you'll "caretake" the unit.
And maybe not.

One final thought..how much debt do you have along with that 700+ credit score? The less debt you have, and especially if none, you might mention to a perspective LL that since you have $zero in debt/monthly obligations, that you are more able to pay the rent because it's the only monthly bill you have, besides the utilities..if not included in the rent.

Best as you work out details...

Last edited by galaxyhi; 06-25-2022 at 05:47 AM..
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Old 06-25-2022, 07:17 AM
 
12,101 posts, read 17,036,497 times
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You share an apartment.

Is the $15 an hour full time?

If so, that's enough for roughly $600-800 in rent or so, depending on how you live.

A lot of people make $15 an hour and are able to live decently.

But just for the record, I know for a fact that places like Elizabeth and Irvington have rooms for rent that cheap and cheaper. Because I know people who have rented there.

TBH, I am not sure if as a single person family if you are FT, you qualify for that type of housing
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Old 06-25-2022, 07:32 AM
 
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Yep answer to low income housing, poor people should just work 24/7 and thus wont need any housing or can live standing up in a broom closet. LOL Are people serious?
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:03 AM
 
12,101 posts, read 17,036,497 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JJgalaxy View Post
Brief background- I was a caregiver for my mom for many years and couldn't work due to it, which basically imploded my personal finances. She passed, and since Oct I've had full time work making $15 dollars an hour. I'm 42 and spent most of my life caring for other people, and I really want my own space now, but I've never rented. I am completely lost about how one goes about applying for low income housing. I'm in NJ, and it seems completely overwhelming and I don't know where to even begin. I have a good credit score (770) and can pay a deposit, but people around me keep insisting it is impossible for me to live alone and that all low income housing requires waiting lists of many years or just isn't available, and I'm feel very demoralized and depressed. I've tried researching, but I just feel lost and like I'm hearing conflicting things. How do you start as an adult renter who has never had an apartment and is low salary, but is also very frugal, responsible, and just wants the very basics?
So it is full time work.

I would imagine it would not be easy at all for you to get subsidized housing.

They would prioritize people with families. There's hordes of people who make 30K a year and support themselves.

Some of them may be younger, but that doesn't matter, they can't discriminate by age.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:25 AM
 
12,101 posts, read 17,036,497 times
Reputation: 15764
Quote:
Originally Posted by Teacher Terry View Post
This is a cautionary tale for others not to sacrifice your life to care for another because it may doom you to a life of poverty. It can work if the parents leave the child enough money to ensure their future once they die.
Well...

I don't that OP cared for his mom for 24 years.

But, it also brings meaning to life.

You did something that really made a difference in someone else's life.

Alternately, you could have spent a life making a lot of money doing ... something.

You die either way.

Also 30K a year for a single person is not poverty.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:28 AM
 
50,434 posts, read 36,095,389 times
Reputation: 76335
Quote:
Originally Posted by JJgalaxy View Post
Brief background- I was a caregiver for my mom for many years and couldn't work due to it, which basically imploded my personal finances. She passed, and since Oct I've had full time work making $15 dollars an hour. I'm 42 and spent most of my life caring for other people, and I really want my own space now, but I've never rented. I am completely lost about how one goes about applying for low income housing. I'm in NJ, and it seems completely overwhelming and I don't know where to even begin. I have a good credit score (770) and can pay a deposit, but people around me keep insisting it is impossible for me to live alone and that all low income housing requires waiting lists of many years or just isn't available, and I'm feel very demoralized and depressed. I've tried researching, but I just feel lost and like I'm hearing conflicting things. How do you start as an adult renter who has never had an apartment and is low salary, but is also very frugal, responsible, and just wants the very basics?
Call 211 the NJ helpline for social services and other NJ services:

https://www.nj211.org/affordable-housing
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:32 AM
 
50,434 posts, read 36,095,389 times
Reputation: 76335
Quote:
Originally Posted by jobaba View Post
So it is full time work.

I would imagine it would not be easy at all for you to get subsidized housing.

They would prioritize people with families. There's hordes of people who make 30K a year and support themselves.

Some of them may be younger, but that doesn't matter, they can't discriminate by age.
HUD only requires that income be 80% or less of the median income in your county for low income, 50% for very low income. So if median income is $60,000 in her county which is fairly low, she’d qualify as very low income.

Sparse work history and zero rental history is going to make it difficult.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:45 AM
 
12,101 posts, read 17,036,497 times
Reputation: 15764
Quote:
Originally Posted by ocnjgirl View Post
HUD only requires that income be 80% or less of the median income in your county for low income, 50% for very low income. So if median income is $60,000 in her county which is fairly low, she’d qualify as very low income.

Sparse work history and zero rental history is going to make it difficult.
That's what it says on paper, but in practicality, there's hordes of people working $15/hour jobs. Any time you go to a store.

I don't think it's that easy to get help in you don't have dependents. Otherwise, every who works at Shop Rite would be getting subsidized housing.

But I'm not the expert either.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:49 AM
 
650 posts, read 768,866 times
Reputation: 198
Why ask for help from government or rent ?



Just buy a house in PA. CHECK Zillow. Some houses are under $50k.
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