seanw,

It does no good to wallow in self-pity when you should be counting your blessings - such as that subsided roof over your head. What about Medicare? Those are not shabby benefits. Talk with migrants from other countries, developed ones too and find out that you are not so badly off at all. Think about it.

Very few people are born with a platinum spoon their their mouth. All but the few have to put in some very hard yards - not just to be able to support themselves first off, but for the whole of their lives.

Apart from finding more work as some have suggested, what other options do you have to ease your budget such as growing a few veggies and fruit?

As for you dumping on your 'dump' of a Housing Commission house, give us a break!

Put in the effort and get some pride out of it. I meet people in their eighties with a daily struggle against cruel disorders like rheumatoid arthritis who are fiercely independent. Despite bugger all income and no support from others they take pride in doing what they can. This morning before the sun was up I was helping an old guy by re-sorting his garden to make it easier for him. He needs room between beds and higher beds for his wheelchair. While I was loading the truck he was out of his wheelchair on his hands and knees pulling stuff across the ground to help. Late today I am planning to find that cheap seed site on the Net because he has been reading about Kale to add to his Silver Beet.

You have had your moment of self-pity and fair enough too I guess. Now you need to do something for yourself and your family, which again was your choice.

Foxy,
I do work and it's still not worth putting in the extra effort, with two school age kids and a single income we do better if I work 20 hours a week and try to earn less than 40 a year, pay no tax and rely on welfare. We've done the maths,to get "ahead" I'd have to earn about 120 a year and put in 50-60 hours on the tools, either that or my wife would have to work full time.
The other issue is that the government wants us to move from welfare to work but my reply to that is "Where are the jobs?", they talk of mutual responsibility but it's all on us, the worker. Hey Mr Hockey, provide me with stable full time work and a 70k salary and I'll sign up to your vision, if the government isn't going to employ me I'll do things my way, at least being a sole trader I can't lose the job I have and end up with literally nothing.

Dear Jay,

Thank You for sharing your circumstances.
I'm in no position to judge you or any one else.
I've never been on the dole - and have worked my
entire life taking whatever jobs were available
to keep my family afloat. That was the way I was
raised - to work hard and not expect anything
from anyone. To persevere and not give up.
It has not been easy - but well worth the effort.
I've passed the same ethos onto my children -
an ethos that I got from my parents.

Dear seanw,

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances.

Don't let anyone imply you are not paying tax. The GST means even if you paid nary a cent in personal income tax you are still contributing 10% of practically everything you earned. Well done on the savings you managed.

I disagree with spindoc in that no one in this country should have to work past 40 hours to make ends meet or even to get a little ahead.

But I understand how hard it is as a part timer when you are trying to increase your hours with a second job. Since you will have claimed the tax free threshold on your first job any other part time work will have you at the higher rate and it will seem like dubious value.

It certainly sounds like the system doesn't have the proper tapering that will allow you to feel there is not real roadblock facing you working those extra hours. This is poor policy and you are right to highlight and complain about it.

Cont'

Cont'

On the broader question I once employed a bloke who was a good catholic with 7 young kids. For what I was able to pay him he would have been better off on the dole but still he fronted up every day. His wife really resented me for it and I think reasonably so. He certainly would have done better by his kids to have gone on to benefits and the family definitely went wanting as a consequence. But he stuck with it and was a partner in his own business within 5 years after I sold up.

My advice for what it is worth is to try and find full or part time work in a job that has prospects either through experience gained or promotion. This way even if things seem really tough you will at least have your sights set on a goal. Don't be satisfied with sh-tty dead end work because you will always resent it. If you can't see a path forward then look for something else.

And please don't take our sanctimonious resident blowhard Hasbeen to heart. He recently claimed to be 'paying his way' with his medical bills but it turned out he was 'on the teat' like so many others. Plus if he really did own his own business there is no way in the world he wouldn't have been diving to avoid as much tax as he could.

Finally congratulations on fighting for custody of your disabled son. I certainly don't know all the circumstances but there are a hell of a lot of fathers I know who ,given your financial situation, would have taken an easier path.

All the best.

Hi there SEANW...

Sean my friend, you've done very well to come on to this Forum and carefully articulate your difficulties to a group of absolute strangers. And it does take more than a modicum of courage, particularly as you're not entirely sure what sort of response you might receive from the other contributors hereon ?

Like the others here, I do empathize with the unsatisfactory vocational and domiciliary quandary, that you and your small family find yourselves ? I guess it would give you cold comfort, but at least you're receiving 'some' governments assistance in sustaining your small family unit, in the short to medium term ?

Is there any prospect of finding additional casual or part-time work to supplement your meagre income ? I (think) I understand your ambivalence being on benefits ? Your only wish is to be fully independent from 'Centre Link' with their prevalence for rules and regulations ? A case of a good man wishing to preserve his self-respect and personal esteem.

Regrettably, the only piece of advice I can offer Sean, is to 'try' and search for some additional work. Work of a kind that you'll find more fulfilling, and less distasteful ? On a positive note, I've this sense, despite your innumerable difficulties, you're a man of character, and a man of quiet strength. And though you're having a tough time of it lately, you'll most assuredly prevail. Sooner rather than later I would've thought ! Good luck mate !