Applying for Support....AGHHH! TBC

So after 3 months of being jobless and realizing that taking a minimum wage job doesnt cut it with two kids and daycare cots etc I went and applied for Ontario Works. I had been surviving that 3 months on Child Support, Child Tax Benefit and Universal Childcare Benefit (100$ for every shild under 6 per month) which apparently all combined is less than Ontario Works so please keep in mind that it cant be all that much really. I did the telephone intake (lengthy and rather in depth actually) and was told based on the information I had given I should be eligible and was given a list of documents and ID (pretty much everything except a journal of how many times I had peed that day) I had to bring in to the appointment. I gathered the documents and attended my appointment ( 2hours long by the way when they said it would be an hour, so theres 20$ in babysitting just to go apply). When my assigned 'worker' was done inputting things, checking off her lists, and asking me the same 5 questions 50 times ( i feel the need to mention here that I'm a pretty good communicator. I speak plain english and my case really didnt seem all that complicated to me) she then informed me that I was eligible for a very small amount but yes that would indeed secure me medical benefits and they would be able to help me out with daycare costs and possibly subsidy eventually(this was my goal as id previously been on the waiting list for childcare subsidy for over two years...but thats another story). She told me that since I'd been smart enough to bring a void cheque for automatic deposit (another thing I would have had to come back and bring had I not been smart enough to think ahead as this was not on the list they gave me on the phone) I would receive the minimal amount of money by the following week, as early as Wednesday. So I go home slightly relieved that at least I can buy medicine and take the kids to the dentist sometime soon. A week comes and goes, no money. I call and she says they are waiting for me to bring in my tax returns !!?? I say ok well I didnt know I needed to Ill do that right away. Apparently the person on the phone nor my worker at the appointment felt the necessity to inform me I had to give them my taxes. I drive over the same day and have them given to her. OOOPs! ....CHild up from nap To Be Continued...

Problem Numero Uno of O so many..

The Welfare Case Mentality..

Yes I can relate for I used to have the same Mentality too...why should I pay for those lazy ass people to sit around all day and do nothing but have more kids that will grow up on the system I'm paying for? May sound harsh to some but I knw that's exactly what I used to think and I know that so many still do. So, here's a question for you? Have you ever actually thought about it? Ever sat down and figured out what these people survive on? Thought about the fact that not everyone's on the system to abuse it and that maybe those who are have learned it from generations past and have never been given the skills to survive on their own and maybe just maybe their terrified? Now that I find myself trying to survive on it I still think people must be mad to live on it forever and I certainly wouldn't want to but I can certainly understand why people do it. If you dont have any skills and you dont have any support isn't it just easier to have a stable steady (although minimal) income where you get health benefits and at least some dental coverage. Not to mention all the community supports out there (if you choose to use them). Allow me to refer you to http://owdoesntwork.blogspot.com/for the details on that. Have you ever tried to live on the system, even for a week? Lemme tell you it's an art form.

Surviving The System

Ok so it has come to my attention that the system doesnt work very well at all. I dont know why but I'm trying to figure it out. There are so many holes that need to be filled. I have started this blog partially out of frustration but with the hope that maybe I can figure it out and help others in the same situation.
I am a single mother of two girls (well call them Tiny and Tall) and after trying to work at a minimum wage job working till 10 at night and not seeing my children, struggling to cover childcare costs, insurance gas etc who now finds herself relying on the system( aka OW here in Canada) . Ive been on it for a month now and I just cant figure it out. Mind you I do receive child support right now ( I say right now cause I always wonder how long it can be relied on for) so I receive a very minimal amount of support from OW but when I do the calculations we're better off on the system than working at a minimum wage job and we now have medical and dental coverage (dental for the kids and emergency dental for myself) which we didn't have while I was making minimum wage. Im not going to get into the sad story of how my husband and I got together quite young how I went to college but was never allowed to work in my field and how I ended up here with virtually no support but lets just say less than 2 years ago I was living in a brand new house in a brand new neighbourhood and two cars and two kids and a husband an everything looked shiny and pretty. I only divulge this much in hopes that you dont think this is just a pity party and realize that pretty much any day this could happen to any one of us. Im not saying I'd ever go back either...as hard as things may be I know my girls and I are better off. All I want to do is figure it out, figure out how to use the system to get ahead...to do more than just survive...I want to be in control of our lives and most importantly our finances or lack there of at this point.

I'll apologize in advance for the occasional jumbled rant as I find this whole situation completely frustrating. I will also apologize for anyone I may offend (ill do my best not to) and for my hopping from one subject to another. Im hoping to cover how to survive the system, tools available (that for some reason no one wants to share with you) general money saving ideas, coupons etc and of course some serious mommy content. I don't promise to blog everyday cause that would be a lie but I really think that if Im in this situation I cannot be alone and if this helps one person (even if its just me getting it of my chest) then it's not a waste of time.

Thanks for reading and if you ever have comments or suggestions, ideas, resources or whatever please let me know :)

~D