Originally Posted by finz

I think one part of the issue is recognizing what is enough "for basic survival"

Luckily, my SSDI amount is above the $698 amount OP gets for SSI.

I would like to have enough for a small house, owning a car (with insurance), food, utilities, medical bills, and a few 'extras' My SSDI amount won't cover that.

It WILL cover a shared apartment, food, and utilities, and medical. I don't want 'only' that.

I don't think that's the governments fault though. When I was working, I SHOULD have saved more. I SHOULD have gotten disability insurance on my own if I wanted to ensure a certain lifestyle on my own.

I prefer to live in my own house and fantasize about the improvements I could make.

I don't want to live in housing for the disabled/low income where I can't even repaint the walls to my taste. I don't want to live without cable tv. I don't want to not have internet service (and a working computer),,,,I don't want to share a regular apartment with multiple other people..... but if we all did that, we WOULD have enough for basic survival.