Lizet's Place

Last night my "day" got worse ( Read more... )

Now! Time to switch gears! I have my accounting final to do. I'm going to do a quick 20 min run-through of some equations that I had a hard time with during studying before starting my final at 11am. I rather do it now so I don't accidentally forget later.

A recap. I get CalFresh. It's monies provided on a debit card for low-income people (though apparently not all low-income people qualify?) to get groceries. The money can only be used for groceries and not other household goods.

I have been using it for about 4 years now, though I took some time off when I was working other temp jobs that put me over the threshold for whatever reason.

Every year I have to do a recertification where I update the county on my employment status, school status, and living arrangements. In past years it had been no problem, but when it came time for this year, I had to let them know that I'm self-employeed in addition to getting paid by the state under my caregiver/IHSS work.

Well, my recertification was in October/November because my benefits expire at the end of November. I put in all of that information and during my phone interview with my caseworker, I was informed that proof of self-employment would be needed. I explained to her that I don't get the standard pay-stub, but I did have access to something that showed what I get paid in commissions for any sales I make. I take screenshots of that and submit...well before the end of my benefits.

But! Come November 18, I get a letter saying that my benefits are being discontinued because I didn't submit proof of self-employment. Uhh the fuck I did! Of course, it was like a Friday/Saturday when I found out my benefits were discontinued so calling didn't do any good other than to tell me that I could appeal the decision online. I got right on it and did that, only I don't know/think that my request went through because every time (the 2 times I tried on 2 different days) I submitted it, I got a blank screen and no email confirmation. I wasn't going to try online again, so I typed up the request for appeal and was going to mail it in (that was one of the options as well), but never got around to it as I ran out of stamps and money to get stamps, so the letter has been sitting in my purse signed and in an addressed envelope waiting to be stamped and mailed.

Then! Today I'm checking my email and as I look over the Informed Delivery Digest from the USPS, I see there's another letter from the county! I recognize the address, so I get on my laptop, log into the county website where my benefits are from and I see they approved me!

WHAT!?

On November 18 my benefits were discontinued but on November 25 they were approved! I looked at the approval letter and nowhere does it mention the discontinuance from the week before, but my benefits were reduced by $76.

So for like 20 days I was stressed over how to make what little money Kim gets last until I could mail my request for appeal mailed...only to find out that the day before Thanksgiving it was approved but the letter is just now arriving to me due to mail being slow.

I have no idea why my benefits were discontinued in the first place. I think my social worker just said that I never submitted them, thus triggering the discontinuance, but I also think that she didn't look over the proof I sent in a timely manner and my case was automatically discontinued. Then the 3rd option is one of the online appeals I submitted actually went through and they saw that it shouldn't have been discontinued. I'll never know.

What’s the most frustrating product you own?
currently my laptop and B&N Nook. My laptop is about 10 years old and is to the point where I have to have a portable fan blowing air at it to keep it from overheating and shutting down. I also had to take the battery out because that seemed to be making it overheat A LOT! for my B&N Nook, it's not accepting the most recent update from B&N and I can't use it. Like a month ago I accidentally reset it to factory setting or something and haven't been able to use it since. I'm thinking about taking it to a store and seeing what they say. I don't know where any of the paperwork for it is, but I know it's beyond whatever warranty that came with it.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen a kid do?
It's been like 8 months since I've really been around kids because of the quarantine and everything. I see 3 kids most Sundays now that we're back to having church outside, but it's only for an hour and then we go our separate ways. Also, I can't think of anything from pre-covid days either. my memory sucks.

What’s the most beautiful beach you’ve been to?
I have a love/hate relationship with the beach. I'd like to go, but parking is always so far from the water (I know it's a good thing!) and some of the beaches out here is like busting a mission to get to...by the time we get to the spot we're going to set up, I'm over being there and ready to go back.

But that being said, I went to the beach in Florida (Eglin Beach) for my 25th birthday. Holy cow was the sand white! And so damn fine! Nothing like the coarser sand on the beaches here in Cali.




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So I didn't call about my CalFresh. OMG! I always remember when they've closed for the day. I think I'll just fill out the form they sent with my notice. I like the option of doing it online, but after I tried over the weekend, I'm frustrated by the whole thing...but they need to know what they did wasn't cool (not that they'd care or anything *shrug* If I'm able to get it again, I know not to include "self-employment" if it doesn't provide an actual w-2 or some official form from my employer.

THEY CANCELED MY CALFRESH!

Why? because they said I never provided proof of self-employment!

How am I self-employed? I try and am failing miserably, to sell Color Street. I was a good citizen and reported this because they said if there is a change in income, it needs to be reported.

well, report it I did...and this is what happens!

I told my caseworker that I don't get a w-2 as an independent stylist/contractor/whatever with this company, but I have access to the payment portal that keeps track of commissions I make.

Which...that a joke. In October I made less than $80 in commission. The most I made was back in June when I made like $220. In these 21 days of November, I've made ZERO! I haven't sold a damn set of color strips to anyone. I've given away probably $100 worth of sets to get people interested in hopes of wanting to buy themselves, but no dice.

When I get to April of next year, I'm probably going to sell off everything that I have and be done with it.

But in the meantime, I need to get my fucking CalFresh back so I can eat! the fucking state should have suspended discontinuing people's benefits because of everything that's going on right now.

Sure, I get money from IHSS, but that's like $687 a month. My cellphone is $200, the storage unit is $300. That leaves me with about $187 for groceries. My fridge can only hold about a week's worth of groceries so I'm shopping, online because of the pandemic, yo!, weekly. That's $46.75 a week. Less than $50 a week to get groceries! And now that I have to change my eating habits because I might be diabetic, it's going to be so freaking hard to get what I need!

Anyway, I filed an appeal online, probably several times because I don't know if the damn thing went through! When I clicked create/submit, I got a blank screen. I waited for about 20 mins and it remained. I refreshed and it asked if I wanted to submit again. okay, sure...but still a blank screen! UGH! Also, there was no email confirmation!

I have to call on Monday and hope they aren't super busy.