Here’s a summary of how people responded to the question of “what is my welfare?” I think its good to start with something Soleil wrote – she really tried to emphasize how individual welfare is – which is important for us all to remember (and comes up in the diversity of answers that people offered). She writes, “To me, welfare in MY SITUATION consists of MY well being according to MY needs to help ME work my way up until I’m able to build or accomplish MY goals. (I added the emphasis)
So here are some of the ideas that people wrote down about what things are important to their welfare:
Good education
A job that I like, a good job (one that pays well)
family, friends, a significant other,
happiness, Being surrounded by positive people, peace, health, healthy mentality
shelter/house, food, water, clothes
security – financial (savings), “money to survive” “a secure future” “not struggling to make ends meet” “financial independence”
Mobility, living with my family
success in my life, prosperity for my family and friends
cell phone, laptop, tv, computer, car, luxuries that I can afford – “my lifestlye and how I am able to maintain it” “It is to have all the necessary things and some luxury things for living” “I like things that only capitalism can buy. I almost feel guilty saying that but its very true.”
Feel free to comment or to add more things in the comments!
I receive Social Security Disability benefits, and the associated benefits that come along with that for living in NYC mean that I have a rent I can manage. With financial aid, I can attend school.
When I think of what my welfare means to me, I think having enough money to get by. That means affording basic clothing, my dog, new shoes every few months, and going to the movies and eating out once in a while. Buying the brand of coffee I like, no $1.99 crap at Walgreens on sale.
I get a subsidy on my rent and my electricity is included in my rent. That’s sweeeeeeeeeet.
I remember seeing a show where John Stossel went around trying to find out what it meant to be poor, and he found one guy who said he was poor but he had cable TV, and he asked if you could really be poor and have cable TV. I thought, you know, that’s a really good question. I’m not sure it ever really got answered. But I mean really, when you’re poor and have bad TV reception, you’re really, really screwed.
I can’t help but be confronted in my own mind with how ridiculous I can be considering I am on a fixed income. I bought an iPhone yesterday. I receive Social Security but I bought an iPhone yesterday. Believe me, I can make the argument that it was a financially sound decision and I have no qualms that I can convince you too, but there’s a clear absurdity to my owning an iPhone and being on a fixed income. (I don’t even have 8gb of playlists to fill it up with easily!!!) In all fairness, I can afford it, but still… My benefits are generous because I worked for many years.
In case you’re wondering, I don’t have cable TV.
-Rob
Funny thing, I think many of the things we own today we cannot afford — by “afford” I am clearly speaking in regards to consistantly being able to make purchases in price ranges we seldom get ourselves involved in. I would like for “welfare” to mean what it used to mean back during the days of the 1940’s and 50’s: a state of being happy, healthy and prosperous. I would like for me to think of myself in this position, but in my case the government is promoting my aid by offering me financial aid (which I am forever greatful for). I bring up the issue of financial aid because it is a very [common] example of welfare and it is one that also displays the reaches of it across the household-income spectrum. There are people that make a decent living — $75,000 to $90,000 a year — and apply there children for financial aid in college. Despite all the negative connotations that have been attributed to its terminology, “welfare” is forever changing — and fast — into an opportunity concept more than anything else.
The only type of welfare i get is financial aid…which is GREAT! Going to school for free plus geting some money left over is the best thing in the world. Though i have friends who receive no aid or very little aid and are living with their parents YET get little finanical support from mom & dad…This makes me wonder how fair is the system?
And what of those who commit felonys?…i think thats what u have to do to get NO help from the government…
This aid system is a bit screwed up..but i am grateful to it for helping me out (cleary im looking out for my benefit)
Is any of the aid that you get in the form of loans?Whatever your situation may be – both sorts of aid exist, and its good to think about the difference between ‘free money’ and ‘free-for-now money’….
Most student aid in the US is loans you have to pay back. In many european countries its grants that you never have to pay back…
Do you think there are ways in which having loans to pay off in the future might skew a student’s plan of studies, as well as limit their set of possible options after school is done?
Something very interesting that Urwah mentioned about financial aid was about the situation with her friends not getting financial aid even though they might deserve it or should be able to qualify for it.
I’m actually going through a similar situation because i’m trying so hard to get financial aid when i live on my own, pay rent, and four other bills, plus i send money to my mother and siblings that live back home. I work full time as a sales Rep at a retail store which doesn’t pay as good. Apart from all of that i can’t get financial aid because i’m not 24 years old to be considered independent. When i ask them, so what i’m i supposed to do? They simply told me that some students just have to wait until they’re appropriate age to qualify.
Then that makes me think how fair is it that i have to stop my education for a couple of years in order to get financial aid just because of my age. I didn’t want to stop it so i refrain from luxury and other wants and just save up as much as i can to pay for my own tuition but always being afraid that i might not be able to go to school next semester because i don’t have enough.
So the only type of welfare that could’ve been of help to me was that of education and i’m being denied that welfare.
What i don’t agree with is that the system has certain rules that determines qualification and their purpose don’t make sense sometimes. Example: if you’re considered an adult when you turn 21, then why do you need to be 24 to be considered independent? can it be flexible dempending on a person’s situation?
Oh I’m Soleil by the way
sorry to hear that Soleil..my boyfriend is in the same situation..
he helps out his family with the bills.. works paycheckk to paycheck//goes to work fulltime while struggling with school…
its very aggravating for him becasuse one cannot change the system…
In our society today, welfare can be viewed in many ways, standard of living,benefits,etc… I believe welfare stands for the well-being of an individual and those close to them. Even though I am in a middle class family, I view myself as being in a well-to do household. My family and I are well off for the most part, but we still struggle with bills, payments, etc..but then again don’t we all struggle with bills and try to prioritize our money spending. I am in college thanks to my parents and in part due to financial aide. Financial aide helped me out in Freshmen year, but as the semester’s went by it got less and less…just doesn’t make sense, for the most part the system is not fair and I have to agree with Urwah.
Roshni
Honestly, I don’t know how to answer this question of how welfare impacts me or what my welfare is. I’d guess my welfare would have to come from my parents. I moved to NYC from Seattle last August, and being an only child living the furthest distance possible from home (in the continental US) has some financial perks. My parents pay for school and books as well as give me a set amount of money every month. I do work 3 nights a week at a restaurant and do make enough to cover rent, food and cable/internet. Having partial “financial backers” allows me “theoretically” to not worry about how bills will be payed every month, but the funny thing is I still do. I know how hard my father works to support my family (he’s a pharmacist) and I feel since I cost him more money living my dream in NYC than staying put in Seattle, that asking him for more money when I need it is wrong. I know the money would be there if I asked, but asking means I’m not as independent as I’d like to be. Because of this I try to live as frugally as possible. No AC in my apt. I buy the instant coffee that’s on sale for 2 bucks at the bodega, bring bag lunches to school, and buy all home accessories (toilet paper, plates, cups, foil, soap etc) at the dollar store. I guess my fear is that if I get too comfortable asking for money, I’ll get to used to it and won’t learn the necessary ways of living independently.
I used to get financial aid for two years but know I don’t because they said i don’t qualify for it. The difference between those two years are that I got promoted at my job, but everything remained the same. I still have to pay rent, pay for food and buy clothing. I do agree with urwah when it comes to welfare qualification. some people get less when they should deserve more, and some people get more when they don’t need as much help. Well I am glad that my parents helped me paid my tuition.
I believe loans that have to be paid in the future have a very bad influence on students studies. Students should think about what kind of jobs they want, plan ahead not think about money problems.
Majority of the people don’t pay of their loans and thats what ruins their plan for the future. Back then, when they were in college they believed that they would pay it for. The reality is prices of everything has gone up and unfortunetly some people are struggling with minor things, how do you think they are going to manage loans with interest.
If a person want to study more and go for PH.D do you think he/she would do it while this hugh loan that she/he hasn’t paid back? Certainly it limits the person option in the future.