Have you ever seen an $800 gas bill? Michael Jones has. A year ago, this DC resident was having trouble getting his bills paid, and the gas and electricity in his apartment had been cut off. He came to our Representative Payee Program for help.
“I came to this program because I wasn’t managing my money correctly,” Jones said. “I had my electric cut off because I wasn’t paying that, my gas cut off because I wasn’t paying that. I was back on my portion of the rent that I had to pay. I just wasn’t showing responsibility.”
As Mr. Jones’s representative payee, Bread for the City now oversees his Supplemental Security Income check. Assistance from the DC government helped him get his utilities back on, and BFTC ensures that a full payment goes out every month.
That stability comes at a cost though: in exchange for peace of mind, Rep Payee clients trade away quite a bit of independence. To make sure the money is spent appropriately, BFTC holds clients’ benefits in a bank account, and all disbursements are meticulously regulated. Checks are written according to a client’s official budget, and any additional purchases require documentation.
Understandably, some of our clients chafe under the restrictions and yearn to leave the program. Our brand new “Budgeting for Independence” class is designed to help them get back in the driver’s seat. Last month, we completed our pilot round of the financial literacy series, and Jones was one of two inaugural graduates.
Over the course of seven weeks, we discussed setting financial goals, budgeting, expense tracking, and other topics. Most Rep Payee clients live on just $698 per month, so we focused on strategies to stretch that money as far as possible.
“I took the class just to refresh my memory,” Nicole Dixon said. She participated in a similar program at Green Door and joined our class to build on the skills she learned. “I wanted to work on getting a bank account and getting a debit card,” she said.
Dixon aspires to receive her SSI check directly. This month, as a graduated first step, she began using a PNC Bank debit card provided through BFTC. We’ll check in with her periodically and review her spending; when she feels she’s ready, she’ll open a bank account and set off on her own.
“I feel I’ll have more independence,” she said. “I won’t have to be coming here as much.”
In September, the next round of “Budgeting for Independence” classes will begin, and unlike the first go-round, they will be open to all Bread for the City clients. We hope it will be a complement to the support we already provide, and Jones is an example of what that support can accomplish.
During his time in the Rep Payee Program, Jones has stayed current on his utilities, and he is diligently chipping away at other debts on his credit report. Meanwhile, he is practicing tracking his spending and saving receipts.
“One day, hopefully, I will be my own payee again,” he said. “I know things are not gonna stay the same. I’m supposed to be looking for the better–a better day than yesterday, looking for a better tomorrow.”
How do you budget? Tell us your tips for managing your finances!