So I live with my single mother and my 3 year old brother. My mum hasn’t had a stable job since I was 11. Correction, no job, or even looked for one since I was 11. I’m 18, 19 in 4 months. I work a shitty job that pays me under the legal wage and I get shitty hours. So not enough to live off of. I apply my fucking ass off to countless jobs of all sorts to get a better job. But not even an interview has came around all year.

So because I live at home and don’t have a great paying job. I get assistance from the government. To which is meant to help me save and keep me afloat. That’s the whole point of it.

Anyway when I first applied for that they messed me around for a few months when I was entitled to that money. So only now have I recently gotten back paid for that amount. Which came to $2,300 roughly.

I pay rent. I have been since I’ve been receiving this allowance from the government. I pay $100 a week and only get paid $290 every two weeks. So I’m left $90 every two weeks to put towards my phone bill, my rego, and generally saving to move out. Here’s the thing though I’ve been saving since March this year and have about a grand saved.

If I got to keep that money from back pay I could have enough to move out. I’d just be waiting on a more stable job to afford bills and rent at a new place on my own.

Now my mum wants me to pay her back for rent for those months I just got back paid on. Which takes $1,200 out of my back pay. And then wants to take money that was used to get me my driving’s licence before I was even 18 and that takes $900. Leaving me maybe $100 out of all that back pay left.

Let’s consider this, neither of my older sisters had to pay rent at home. One of my older sisters didn’t get her licence until mid twenties so did it herself. But my other sister was a lazy and my mum paid for her car, her licence, driving lessons and all that. When she was 22 and living out of home and could work but refused. That same sister still “borrows” money from my mum and never pays it back.

So I’m doing my best. I pay for all my own stuff, clothes, medicine, car, phone bills. I work, I apply for more jobs to work more. And save as much as I can while having most of my money go towards other stuff.

So do you think it’s fair for her to take all that money. Which is given to me by the government to help me get myself into a better situation so that I won’t need the government anymore.

All while she’s lived off the government assistance her whole life. Like she’s never gotten herself into a position where she hasn’t needed it or not been eligible for it.