I need serious opinions and advice?

Question

my friend has a problem and i have no idea how to help her.

she lives in an apartment which costs 600 a month. she only makes 1200 a month. she lived in the apartment with her boyfriend and then they had a baby. he left cause he couldn't deal with the responsibility of having a baby and they agrued all the time. he said he would only pay for what his child needs.

she cannot pay the bills with only 1200. she pays.

rent

food

electricity

comcast

laundry at the laundry matt

shes going for child support but doesn't think it will be enough to live.so i guess my question is, does anyone know any programs or anything i could tell her about that will help her take care of her and he son? she lives in pennsylvania. i know theres different programs for different states. she said she applied for some but she get denied. they said she makes too much a month. but its not nearly enough for her and her 3 month old. any advice or help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

DHS will help, especially with her being a single mom. There is WIC, food for mom and baby and food stamps she may qualify for.  There are also places that she can live that would base her rent on her income and cash assistance.  In michigan there is a dept. called MSHDA, they help low income families who work buy a house with nothing down and very low interest, probably cheaper than her rent right now.  I bought my first house through them and my payment was 523.00 on a 70,000.00 home.  Those programs are available nationwide also, just not sure what they would call it in your state.  They will make sure that the dad pays child support or he will go to jail, my ex did.  His employer will have to take it directly out of his check if he does not want to pay.  Pull up DHS for your state and have her make some calls.  They will give her something

Answer 2

She should continue to try for child support. Also, most places have a section in the Yellow Pages called Social and Human Services, they will list most of the local resources. She may also be eligeable for food stamps even if she is denied for cash assistance. WIC is also a great program for help with food. Many states also have subsidies to help with gas/ electric, etc. Section 8 (help with rent) is available through the local Housing Authority in most places. If worse comes to worse, many churches also can help on a one time basis with past due rent and/ or bills, and many have food pantries as well. It can be rough to start out with, but there is help out there. I hope this helps and best of luck to your friend.

Answer 3

yeah...lose the cable and it's called look up the welfare department in the phone book. next she needs to look for a smaller apartment and cut back on all things that aren't needed for survival. NO fake nails and stuff like that....next she needs to not get messed up with credit cards. No need to rack up debt if you can't pay for it. Also look into getting a roomie

Answer 4

First, all the things she doesn't need have to go.  Computer, internet, whatever comcast is, TV, beauty items(except maybe a few hair clips, scruchies), expensive clothes.  She can start thrift store shopping if she doesn't do that already.  No more expensive shampoos and such.  Suave works just fine.  No more expensive laundry detergent.  Generic works just fine.  Tell her to contact her electric company about all the tricks to keeping her electric bill down.  

Second, she needs to sue for child support.  In many states she can get 30% of his income.

Third, have her sign up for WIC

Fourth, time for a cheaper place.  Or she can try and get a roommate.

Fifth, let's hope to God she doesn't do the shackup thing again.

Answer 5

Okay - first drop the comcast.  I know it's hard, but TV isn't a utility. (sorry).

Second, she needs to sue for child support.  The court will mandate and make sure she gets her money.

Third - contact her local county agency.

Fourth - start looking for a cheaper apartment

Answer 6

Does she have food stamps? Section 8 rental assistance?  Most electric companies offer assistance, too.   Her three month old should automatically be on Medicaid and there are assistance programs to buy baby formula and diapers.  Is she on WIC?  There's tons of stuff out there to help her out.  Also, the state employment agencies offer work assistance programs where she can go to classes they provide so she can build skills to get a higher-paying job.  Finally, she needs to go after the SOB ex-boyfriend with a vengeance for child support. Many attorneys will take cases like that pro-bono and many states have dead-beat dad laws. They'll throw his lazy behind in jail faster than you can say Bob's your Uncle.  And, she's entitled to 20 percent of his gross income.  And, I think Pennsylvania is a wage-garnishing state. In any event, good luck.

Answer 7

She should find someplace cheaper to live.  Can't she live with family for now until she gets her finances straightened out.  Sue the father for child support.  Tell her to cut all her corners and only keep the necessities.  You don't need comcast or a cell phone.

Answer 8

Let me break this down....$1200 a month minus $600 for rent equals to $600 left.  Now say food for the month is $200 (only 1 adult and a 3 month old plus coupons) leaves $400.  Electricity is $100 at most for an apartment leave $300 left.  Laundry is maybe $60 a month.  That means $240.  Need the basic phone service, not call waiting, or cell phone, or internet.  Basic, local service...that's 50 a month.  That equals to $190.   That equals to $47.50 a week.  I hope this girl knows how to save her money.  And isn't one of those that spends it on cigarettes or to dye her hair.  Because she's going to have to cut a lot of corners and make some serious sacrifices to get by.  What do these people think when they have babies?....

Answer 9

1.Tell her to lose the Comcast--the focus here is survival for her and child. The cellphone has to go, too.

2. She'll need to land a job.  

3. Free legal clinics are over-burdened with mass hard luck cases like your friends---things could take time to snag the daddy for child support.  Tell her to be prepared for him to be eel slippery in avoiding earning a legit paycheck that can be legally garnished.  He's likely to do that....however CPS has some impressive legal tricks to make his life h**l as a deadbeat daddy---and CPS keeps some pretty good late fee intrest records for missed payments.

4. Welfare---sign up for it.  They'll require she get a job (back to item # 2 ).

5. Avoid "easy $$$" offered via prostitution and/or illegal drug sales.  Mom's no good to baby if she's a crack and/or meth addict---and she'll be worthless stuck in prison.....or dead.

All looks dark now, but w/ some help from you and others---she might can rise up from it and be on her own.

Answer 10

1200 a month is not even close to enough for herself and her baby  with the cost of living these days she should not be denied ne thing!! I don't live in the states so i dont know how it works, but if your friend is in need she can go to welfare if people from other countrys can come here and use it why can't someone from our native land use it, atleast until she gets her feet on the ground... talk to her local democrat person (in canada we call them Mp's not sure there) ne ways they can help out, there are food banks she can go to if she calls for welfare, they should be able to give her a list of places to go or whatever... she could also find a cheaper apartment!!