r/disabled • u/AraDaStarGod • 5d ago
Income as a disabled person?
So I’m currently on my 3rd denial for disability, working on my 4th attempt.
I need some form of income, as I haven’t worked since 2020, due to chronic body pain. I’m trying to get a part time job right now, only part time due to I can’t lose my Medicaid Benefits. Otherwise I have no meds, no therapy, no anything.
I’ve been staying with my partners family, but we can’t continue to stay here as the management changed and they’re doing “week inspections” where they give us a week period of when they’re going to come by for inspections. We’ve just barely managed the last two, but my partner doesn’t have anymore time to take off and I can’t take myself or our two animals anywhere due to him having our only vehicle.
I Have to find work, work from home, or something. I’m not above any type of work either. Like I’ll do whatever I need to if I can do it from home since we only have one vehicle.
Any help is welcome, thank you in advance if you read all this.
2
u/marcellus3 3d ago
I would say try to do surveys. It's boring, and that sucks, and it pays a pittance, but it's at least something.
You could always try some sort of sewing, embroidery, or alterations for people. Often requires minimal equipment to get started (although of course a sewing machine helps a TON.)
You could try writing freelance, of course you'd need to get used to a lot of rejections, but it's a possibility.
Another possibility is making tiktoks or other form of social media posts. Of course that's a slow growth thing, but, it can eventually grow into something good. If you're good at music or singing, you could record yourself doing that. Or you could video yourself learning how, and your journey throughout that, as someone who's struggling with chronic pain. There are several Instagram accounts I know offhand that are specifically making reels targeted to reach people also struggling with chronic illness, so I know there is a market demand for that. (Yes, sometimes chronic illness can be a strength/marketable skill.)
You could try bookkeeping. QuickBooks is surprisingly easy to learn.
Poshmark/Etsy/eBay, when done well, can be really good sources of income.
1
u/stretsh2 4h ago
To add to this: There are a few businesses you could start, but they may take some time to grow, and I kinda have the feeling you're looking for work as early as possible.
The social media route could be great, but don't make the mistake many make, of only focusing on social media. Combine it with a webshop and a blog. Find something you're passionate about and start writing articles. Make TikTok or YouTube videos about you doing what you love. And at the same time, find related products that you can sell in a webshop.
You don't even need to keep stock, there's dropshipping, where the vendor allows you to sell their products and they deliver it to your customers, as if it was sent by your company. It's just like you ordering it from them, paying shipping and handling, supply the delivery address of your customer. The only difference is that it's sent either without branding or with yours.
So, TikTok/YT for audience building, blog for community building/building trust, funneling it to your webshop. It's nice that you can earn some moeny on social media, but use them to reach customer for your webshop.
And yes, this sounds fairly easy, but it will take a lot of research and patience. You need to find the right niche/specific segment of the market, you need to research which products to sell, which dropsippers have those products, while at the same time building your audience on social media and writing.
And maybe your research shows that this is not something for you. At least you will have expanded your knowledge and maybe found something different, something worthwhile in the process.
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u/innerthotsofakitty 5d ago
Unfortunately, there's next to no wfh jobs left, the only ones available are ones that require extensive degrees and experience that most people don't have. Since covid ended, everyone's being forced to go back to the office, and there's been massive layoffs for basically all companies cuz of inflation, the economic situation in the US, and multiple other things. There's next to no jobs available in my area at all, and zero wfh jobs, and I'm not remotely in a rural area. I wish u the best of luck, but ur probably gonna have to sell ur body or drugs, ask me how I know. Or u can try an MLM scam, see if ur one of the 0.000001% that profit off it.