No Disability, Can't Work...

[thleensd]

I know some of you have shared similar experiences, what did you do?

I'm too weak for a normal job. I have a couple good hours in me per day, but have a few more than that if I can be at home and work on and off (like on my computer). I tried to work for a while, but was running myself into the ground, getting worse instead of better. It seems that rest and LOTS of food is the best remedy for me. (And, I'm getting better... just not very fast)

Long story short, when I was working, I thought I was paying into disability, but I wasn't. So, I can't have state disability. I meet the criteria for federal disability, but in order to qualify, you have to have been disabled and not working (not working, not collecting unemployment) for an ENTIRE YEAR! I can't afford to do that, and I'm running out of money. It's frustrating, because I've been very responsible with money in my life, but am now whittling away my savings.

I know there are plenty of disabled (for lack of a better word?) people that figure out how to make enough money to live.... but I don't even know where to start! I am college educated/masters degree, but not in a computer friendly field (music/teaching).

Now that my brain fog is lifting, I've had a million ideas of home based businesses run through my head, but none of them actually seem feasible without either a tremendous amount of energy or start up funds. For sale: gluten-free cupcakes, $25 each. What a bargain!

Any brain cells firing?

[kareng]

If you are a music teacher, can you give instrument or voice lessons? Substitute teach. That's all day probably, but one day at a time might not be bad.

[ravenwoodglass]

With your education what about tutoring? Contact your local schools and see if they can send some students your way and stick an add in your local paper. Perhaps even add music lessons in there.

Something that kept me off the dole for years was online selling. If you have a good eye for antiques or collectables or have some stuff lying around that you don't use or need listing on an online auction site might bring in a little cash.

If your well versed in all we need to know about being gluten free you could also put up an advertisement at a local health food store offering to educate others.

[Looking for answers]

My music teacher friend partnered up with a local music store and does lessons part-time, on her own terms. Would something like that work?

[Jestgar]

Accompanist for local choirs / music groups / churches. Lessons in your house, or maybe in a local church choir practice room. Tutoring of your subject at higher level, or any subject at the grade school level.

Do you knit, paint, make jewelry, anything that can be shown in small restaurants or shops? (The restaurants here display local art work on their walls with a price attached - free decor for them, free studio showing for artists.)

[chasbari]

I can only say I relate to your plight. I have started to grow my studio again but the one on one teaching is rather intense as to energy and I have all I can handle and it isn't enough. I wish I had some suggestions for you but I am looking for solutions as well. I currently have 24 students and it is almost too much.

[T.H.]

in the music lessons area, you can make offers for lessons in the homeschooling community, too - many homeschoolers have more flexible hours than kids in school, so if your 'good' hours are during school hours, they can still take lessons. They also tend to pass the word around, so you'll have to do less advertising. You can do small groups that way, too.

[thleensd]

Something like online sales would be perfect... just need to find a niche. My friend makes a living on ebay that way (records), but I just don't know much about any one thing.

There's no way I could get through a whole day subbing. I'd be walking dead. The money is pretty bad, too. I also need to eat a meal every two hours, and I'm trying not to burn too many calories (trust me, it's not as fun as it sounds!)

Lessons are certainly a possibility, but hooking up with a store is generally minimum wage. Can't live on that. I can make a good hourly wage as a clinician, but there are only so many bands and choirs in town (that can afford to bring someone in). I'm exploring that route, certainly. Teaching from home might be ok... that's a lot of kids that will know my address though.

I'd love to do something like teach group *something* ... ten of them could come in for an hour and pay ten bucks each... bam, $100/hr. I could handle teaching for an hour. I can't play, though. My back is wrecked from malnutrition (in weekly therapy) and last time I picked up an instrument I was on my back for a week+.

I've considered creating something to sell... but once again it seems like such little return for a lot of work. Need to think smarter than that. =) Even something like composing/arranging music just isn't that lucrative unless you're John Williams. If I had a nice camera, I could do photography... but I don't. The thought of losing my home over this is eating me up.

Maybe the gentleman from Africa with the 1,000,000 dollars that promised me an inheritance (if I only provide him with all of my personal contact and bank info) will come through. That sounds like easy money. You think??

[ravenwoodglass]

Have you sat down and talked with the SSI folks? It is my understanding that you don't have to have been disabled for a full year, you just have to be expected to be disabled for a year. Your doctors have to back you up of course. Almost everyone is turned down the first time they apply so if you are turned down apply again. If you do get disability it will be effective for when you first applied and you will get a lump sum from the time you became disabled. Also as a last resort do go to social services. At the very least you should qualify for food stamps and perhaps some financial assistance. There are also programs to retrain folks that can no longer, for health reasons, do the job they were previously doing. I know that no one really wants to have to go on welfare but your tax dollars have been paying into the system for years. There is no shame in accepting temporary help until you can get back on your feet.

[Cinnamongirl]

Just a thought. I gather that you own your own home and wondered whether you would consider taking in a renter/ boarder? I boarded with a family for 6 mos when I was doing a 6 month internship after college and it worked out really well for me. I got a room, meals and companionship and I still keep in touch with the family.

Another possibility is perhaps you could rent out any instruments you may own that aren't being used. Just about any asset you own can be put to work somehow.

[missy'smom]

I teach ESL/tutor/homework help from my home. Have a friend who teaches piano and other types of music lessons from her home. Those I know in the Korean and Japanese communities are always looking for English and music lessons. How to connect with these communities-advertize in the asian markets. No need to speak their language. Parents are usually able to read and speak at a basic/intermediate level-just keep chit chat to a minimum, simple direct instructions and a good smile and patience.

[thleensd]

I teach ESL/tutor/homework help from my home. Have a friend who teaches piano and other types of music lessons from her home. Those I know in the Korean and Japanese communities are always looking for English and music lessons. How to connect with these communities-advertize in the asian markets. No need to speak their language. Parents are usually able to read and speak at a basic/intermediate level-just keep chit chat to a minimum, simple direct instructions and a good smile and patience.

I like that idea =) It's nice to talk to people and all, but chatty parents can drive you insane. Language barrier might help there. lol

[GlutenFreeManna]

I can relate to your situation a bit. Mostly I have lived off my husband's income for the past 4 years and when I was really bad and he was working two jobs to make ends meet, we racked up quite a bit of debt due to the hospital bills. I am better now and always looking for little ways to bring in more money or save money. Some ideas for you I haven't seen mentioned yet:

Mystery shopping--hard to break into and really make money, but at least you can choose which jobs to take and you get free goodies out of it sometimes.

Selling used books on Amazon or Half dot com--good if you have access to a lot of thrift shops and can take the time to go there for the good condition books. I used to go in to the thrift store, pick out the books that were in great condition, write down the ISBN number, then go to the nearest library and see if I could make anything on the book (you can look it up on half dot com by ISBN #). Then I went back and purchased the books that were worth more and .75. This was years ago before smart phones were big and we were too poor to have internet at home. If you have a phone with internet the process would be much faster/cheaper.

Coupons--using them and/or having a "clipping service". I save quite a bit by using coupons despite all my food sensitivities/allergies. Most coupons are for non-food items anyway. If you are willing to take some time looking around coupon websites you can save BIG on your non-food items (and a few food item staples that are gluten free naturally like canned tomatoes or corn tortillas). Some things I have gotten free with coupons include: deodorant, shampoo, Tooth Paste, Tooth brushes, Toilet paper...These are things everyone (or most everyone) needs so you might as well get them as cheaply as possible, especially when you have very little income. Another idea if you get into coupons and find that you can get the inserts free in your area you may be able to start a coupon clipping business. It's technically not legal to sell coupons, but you can sell your time to cut them out for other people. I don't really know about the in's and outs of that kind of business and it would take a lot of work, however, you could at least sit most of the time while clipping the coupons.

[thleensd]

I haven't looked into books. That sounds interesting. Thanks =)

I can relate to your situation a bit. Mostly I have lived off my husband's income for the past 4 years and when I was really bad and he was working two jobs to make ends meet, we racked up quite a bit of debt due to the hospital bills. I am better now and always looking for little ways to bring in more money or save money. Some ideas for you I haven't seen mentioned yet:

Mystery shopping--hard to break into and really make money, but at least you can choose which jobs to take and you get free goodies out of it sometimes.

Selling used books on Amazon or Half dot com--good if you have access to a lot of thrift shops and can take the time to go there for the good condition books. I used to go in to the thrift store, pick out the books that were in great condition, write down the ISBN number, then go to the nearest library and see if I could make anything on the book (you can look it up on half dot com by ISBN #). Then I went back and purchased the books that were worth more and .75. This was years ago before smart phones were big and we were too poor to have internet at home. If you have a phone with internet the process would be much faster/cheaper.

Coupons--using them and/or having a "clipping service". I save quite a bit by using coupons despite all my food sensitivities/allergies. Most coupons are for non-food items anyway. If you are willing to take some time looking around coupon websites you can save BIG on your non-food items (and a few food item staples that are gluten free naturally like canned tomatoes or corn tortillas). Some things I have gotten free with coupons include: deodorant, shampoo, Tooth Paste, Tooth brushes, Toilet paper...These are things everyone (or most everyone) needs so you might as well get them as cheaply as possible, especially when you have very little income. Another idea if you get into coupons and find that you can get the inserts free in your area you may be able to start a coupon clipping business. It's technically not legal to sell coupons, but you can sell your time to cut them out for other people. I don't really know about the in's and outs of that kind of business and it would take a lot of work, however, you could at least sit most of the time while clipping the coupons.