Make more money or less money + snap/medical?

[Anonymous]

Background- I am a single mom to two children, with a co-parent to help about 40 percent of the time. No official custody arrangement, no child support though sometimes he's sent some money and he has a nice place for them with their own rooms etc, broke up during COVID. I have a college degree and my parents have helped me pay my rent since I left, I pay part of it and all other bills

The only job that seems to work for me so far has been substitute teaching due to childcare costs and all the random days off. It's been nice to have the same schedule as my kids. The district's pay between 200 and 300. Should I work as many school days as I can, but lose our EBT snap benefits and medi cal? (Ex pays for kids insurance, medi cal is separate). It will come out to about the same. Seems like I would just be working more with no benefit.

I also get a bit more taxes back if I make less. (California earned income credit).

[Anonymous]

I would think about long-term goals. If you want to eventually get a permanent teaching job, substituting for several years gets you an in in a district plus experience. If you get that job you can then get insurance and a pension. This would be helpful to your family in the long run. Or you can do some else then but if it works fir your situation, it sounds good. If you don't get Snap, go to food banks for extra food. There are many.

[Anonymous]

You would have tu make a lot to make up for losing medi-cal

[Anonymous]

I’ve been in your shoes. I chose to have more time with kids, and did snap and medical. Ex was not consistent with insurance and they benefited from having the medical assistance too.

[Anonymous]

How old are your kids?

[Anonymous]

You have a poor person's mentality. Get a real job and have your parents look after the kids. What is snap worth a few hundred bucks a month? You are already scamming the system.

[Anonymous]

You need to get a full time job and apply for child care or have him help with child care when you work and file for child support. More money and benefits.

[Anonymous]

Sue for child support

[Anonymous]

Have some self-respect, and work towards self-sufficiency instead of refining an approach to taxpayer funded charity. Get a real full-time professional job which justifies your acquisition of a college degree, formalize child support with your ex, and make better life choices going forward. Don't be a leech.

[Anonymous]

Why is all of the child care on you? He should be covering 1/2 at least.

[Anonymous]

Do you have an interest in teaching full time ? That would give a similar schedule to your kids. If so, see if you qualify for a teaching program. You might also look getting a full time para job in the schools - one that comes with a healthcare plan and a program to get teacher credentials.

[Anonymous]

How are you receiving benefits but the state isn’t trying to collect child support for your kids? Usually that goes hand in hand.

[Anonymous]

Your situation and choices so far sound a lot like that of my own mom’s. Please think about what will happen as you get older and the stress you will place on your adult children by not planning for your future.

As other have said, you absolutely need to pursue formal child support and find a career track with benefits, opportunities for progression, and to start saving for retirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are you receiving benefits but the state isn’t trying to collect child support for your kids? Usually that goes hand in hand.

In CA they don’t do it for snap and Medicaid
-not OP

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat and in CA as well.
Don’t pick up extra hrs
I don’t always have control over my hrs so I lose snap and go back on it; Medical is more consistent though as it goes off of AGI.
Your picking up extra sub hrs won’t lead to you having a better job. As long as there’s a foot in the door you don’t need to put your head in too, unless it’s your whole body going in, so to speak.