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Help Tom Keep His Apartment
Several years ago, I had a roommate. For the sake of anonymity, I will call him Joe. Joe soon lost his job but promised to be able to pay his share of the rent while looking for another job. I had not gotten a deposit from him. I had never asked for a deposit from past roommates. This went on for about a year. A few times Joe got behind, but then he would get caught up. Joe seemed to be a nice guy and I trusted him. But then things changed. Joe was getting more and more behind and still did not have a steady job. I was using my savings to pay for his share. After 8 months of this, I strongly told Joe to move out. He did. I got another roommate; he was great, paid his rent share on time. But then he moved out and shorted me ½ month rent share. I had still not gotten caught up with Joe’s back rent for a few months and not able to add anything to my savings. The third roommate stayed for 3 months and then left without notice. I might have gotten caught up with the back rent if this 3rd roommate had stayed.
I am now looking for a new roommate. This time I am asking for a deposit. So far no luck. Not asking for a deposit always got me several responses from Craig’s List. This time, asking for a deposit has gotten me no responses. Not a single one.
I have type 1 diabetes. I have had it for over 50 years, I am 63 years old, single with no family. I work full time in retail that gives me catastrophic health insurance. This leaves me living from pay check to pay check. I can make anywhere from $350 to $400 a week. I live in NYC. I need to purchase 2 types of insulin every month. If I purchased them in the US it would cost me $695 for short acting Humalog and $295 for Lantus. Every year I go with a friend to Canada to get both types of insulins. In Canada, it is not a prescription and costs from $60 to 70 dollars per bottle. The same thing. I buy the insulin in bulk, enough to last a year since I cannot afford to travel to Canada every few months.
Because of the diabetes I make all my food for my meals. I do not go out to restaurants or use take outs or deliveries. People ask me to suggest a restaurant and I have to laugh since I do not have much personal experience eating at restaurants.
Since December 2015, I have had 3 ambulatory surgical eye procedure. Initially, I had a cataract removed. And this lead to a detached retina on the same eye a few months later. And then a few months later the eye doctor discovered an epi-retinal membrane. All on the same eye. My insurance paid for some of it but I had not met all of my deductibles. I still owe money on these procedures.
The cataract removal was paid for since I came down with shingles on my right forehead and the outside of my right eye in March 2015 and spent 5 days in the hospital with intravenous anti-virals. The hospital stay, etc., helped me meet all deductibles for that year.
Detached retina
Room $3424.51
Doctor 2 of them $1022.67
Anesthesiologist $179.22
The costs of the detached retina procedure brought up my deductible requirements so my costs for the epi-retinal procedure was much lower.
Epi-retinal membrane
Doctor & Room $297.97
Anesthesiologist $108.16
So total for medical is $5032.53
Trying to save money for rent, insulin, medical costs, etc. there is not much left over to save.
My rental lease expires at the end of February 2017. Rent is just under $900 for a small 5th floor walkup one bedroom apartment. My neighborhood, like most others in NYC is being gentrified. So my rent may seem a lot but it is quite low for NYC rates.
I do not own a car. I rely solely on public transportation, primarily the subway.
So far, I have no or minimal complications from the diabetes except minor circulation and skin problems on the lower legs. And this is after 50 years. Many people with type 1 diabetes are dead after 30 years or are severely disabled due to complications. I exercise, eat according to diet and take my insulin. In fact I tend to be the healthiest employee at my store where most are young people in their 20s and 30s.
I can try to postpone the medical costs (sooner or later, the collection agencies will be on my back) but the back rents are imminent with nonpayment leading to eviction
Several years ago, I had a roommate. For the sake of anonymity, I will call him Joe. Joe soon lost his job but promised to be able to pay his share of the rent while looking for another job. I had not gotten a deposit from him. I had never asked for a deposit from past roommates. This went on for about a year. A few times Joe got behind, but then he would get caught up. Joe seemed to be a nice guy and I trusted him. But then things changed. Joe was getting more and more behind and still did not have a steady job. I was using my savings to pay for his share. After 8 months of this, I strongly told Joe to move out. He did. I got another roommate; he was great, paid his rent share on time. But then he moved out and shorted me ½ month rent share. I had still not gotten caught up with Joe’s back rent for a few months and not able to add anything to my savings. The third roommate stayed for 3 months and then left without notice. I might have gotten caught up with the back rent if this 3rd roommate had stayed.
I am now looking for a new roommate. This time I am asking for a deposit. So far no luck. Not asking for a deposit always got me several responses from Craig’s List. This time, asking for a deposit has gotten me no responses. Not a single one.
I have type 1 diabetes. I have had it for over 50 years, I am 63 years old, single with no family. I work full time in retail that gives me catastrophic health insurance. This leaves me living from pay check to pay check. I can make anywhere from $350 to $400 a week. I live in NYC. I need to purchase 2 types of insulin every month. If I purchased them in the US it would cost me $695 for short acting Humalog and $295 for Lantus. Every year I go with a friend to Canada to get both types of insulins. In Canada, it is not a prescription and costs from $60 to 70 dollars per bottle. The same thing. I buy the insulin in bulk, enough to last a year since I cannot afford to travel to Canada every few months.
Because of the diabetes I make all my food for my meals. I do not go out to restaurants or use take outs or deliveries. People ask me to suggest a restaurant and I have to laugh since I do not have much personal experience eating at restaurants.
Since December 2015, I have had 3 ambulatory surgical eye procedure. Initially, I had a cataract removed. And this lead to a detached retina on the same eye a few months later. And then a few months later the eye doctor discovered an epi-retinal membrane. All on the same eye. My insurance paid for some of it but I had not met all of my deductibles. I still owe money on these procedures.
The cataract removal was paid for since I came down with shingles on my right forehead and the outside of my right eye in March 2015 and spent 5 days in the hospital with intravenous anti-virals. The hospital stay, etc., helped me meet all deductibles for that year.
Detached retina
Room $3424.51
Doctor 2 of them $1022.67
Anesthesiologist $179.22
The costs of the detached retina procedure brought up my deductible requirements so my costs for the epi-retinal procedure was much lower.
Epi-retinal membrane
Doctor & Room $297.97
Anesthesiologist $108.16
So total for medical is $5032.53
Trying to save money for rent, insulin, medical costs, etc. there is not much left over to save.
My rental lease expires at the end of February 2017. Rent is just under $900 for a small 5th floor walkup one bedroom apartment. My neighborhood, like most others in NYC is being gentrified. So my rent may seem a lot but it is quite low for NYC rates.
I do not own a car. I rely solely on public transportation, primarily the subway.
So far, I have no or minimal complications from the diabetes except minor circulation and skin problems on the lower legs. And this is after 50 years. Many people with type 1 diabetes are dead after 30 years or are severely disabled due to complications. I exercise, eat according to diet and take my insulin. In fact I tend to be the healthiest employee at my store where most are young people in their 20s and 30s.
I can try to postpone the medical costs (sooner or later, the collection agencies will be on my back) but the back rents are imminent with nonpayment leading to eviction