I'm not advocating welfare at all. Just saying I can certainly understand why some folks choose to go on it when working for a living often pays considerably less and provides a much less extravagant lifestyle. Look, things have changed a bunch here since I got out of school. My very first job {factory} after graduating HS in 1979 paid me 134.00 per wk. take home. My rent at the time was 125.00 per month. I had no problem paying rent, utilities, food, etc.. on that and keeping a dependable vehicle on the road. Fast forward 36 years and you won't find an entry level job anywhere around here that pays anywhere near enough to live off. Rent for a 2 bedroom apartment now runs 6-700.00 per month and entry level factory jobs {if you can find one and that's a big IF} are paying 4-500.00 per week GROSS. No way in hell anybody's gonna LIVE on that without gov't help or just going without a bunch of things they need. Like lunch, new tires, a good vehicle, heating oil, health care etc etc.. Things have gone down the shytter economically and it needs to change or more and more people are going to just give up and go on welfare..
If you can't afford a place on your own, get a roommate.
While they are at it, get an education. Our current economy is bifurcated. For those with an college education we are near full employment, however for those with out, it's a much tougher market.
