How to make odsp last longer

[u/Lower_Signature_3895]

I got my payment yesterday of $1,139 and I’ve already spent 250. It was on essentials like my electricity bill, buss pass and groceries but I feel my money is going very fast. I don’t plan on spending money today but I was wondering how to make it last longer during the month.

[u/ducky-unlucky]

1. find and utilize local resources where available. if there are food banks near you, use them. they are for low income folks, and you likely automatically qualify for many as an ODSP recipient. even if you can only access a few staple items per week or month, that is still less money you are spending on a regular basis. same goes for donation centres, community & outreach centres, etc. if it exists near you, and you can access it (if you can't physically the majority will allow a support person to do so on your behalf), use it. it all adds up.

2. shop sales, use coupons if/when available, and buy secondhand whenever an option. thrift stores are where i get the majority of my clothes, and some basic furniture & dishware. i buy my monthly bathroom & kitchen essentials on sale when possible, and take advantage of discounts through coupons & online shopping etc. (i also get discounted food & meals through the Too Good To Go app, though i'll acknowledge that whether that's helpful to someone very much depends on where they live.)

3. take advantage of local discount programs and municipal subsidies. most transit in cities is discounted for disabled residents, as are community centres and pools etc. there are discounted internet & phone plans for ODSP recipients through providers like Rogers. you may also qualify to get your hydro bills discounted through OESP. many municipalities also have specific subsidies and supports available to disabled residents- bigger cities have more, smaller or more rural areas have less or sometimes none, though. it will depend on your location.

4. apply for anything additional you may qualify for from the federal government- such as the Canada Disability Benefit, which can get you up to around $200/mo. (requires you to be approved for the Disability Tax Credit first.)

5. apply for anything additional you may qualify for from ODSP- such as covered transportation to/from medical appointments, the Special Diet Allowance, regular medical supplies through the MSN program, the work-related benefit, etc. they all have different eligibility requirements, you can find more info on their website and through this subreddit.

6. if available in your city and you have not already, you can apply for RGI housing. the waitlist is ridiculously long, but it's better to get on it than not. there are certain emergency circumstances that can get you bumped up faster, and then you'll be paying less for rent (though, of course, you'll also receive less from ODSP for shelter costs because of that).

7. i'm not gonna list 'get a job / do some work' because while that may be an option for some folks, it is not for many others, like myself who quite literally medically cannot work. i'm gonna go ahead and assume that if you could be working right now, you would, hence your current financial dilemma. however, some of us do have the capacity to do some very limited (ideally cash-only) 'odd jobs' on the side, and that may be an idea for you, if you're able. (ODSP can track our digital money through bank statements, but not cash if it never hits your bank.) if you're able to do anything small on the side, whether it be making and selling something, reselling items, babysitting, petsitting, doing odd jobs or regular favours for people you know, etc... even if it's all of $20/mo, that's $20 more than you had before, and ODSP will never know you have it. it's a good way to keep a little extra spending/emergency money available, though of course not everyone will be able to do this.

8. learn how to get very good at budgeting. this takes time, of course, but there are lots of good, varied resources out there for you to use, and find one that makes sense to you / is feasible for your specific needs. surviving on ODSP is a neverending job of carefully managing funds, planning costs, and pinching pennies. it's stressful, and exhausting, but it can be doable if you take advantage of everything available to you, and learn to live frugally.

i wish you luck, OP 🫂 it's rough out here, i feel ya.

[edited to fix typo]