I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I learned from calling around today. In addition to what everyone else mentioned, check if your utility companies have any emergency assistance programs - PG&E, SoCal Edison, and water companies often have funds that can free up money in your budget for rent. Also, some food banks in California have emergency cash assistance programs (not just food) - I found out about this from a social worker. It might only be $200-500 but every bit helps when you're facing eviction. One more tip: if you have any credit cards with available credit, some allow cash advances that you can use for rent in emergencies. Not ideal because of fees and interest, but it might buy you time while waiting for the assistance programs to process. Pedro, make sure you're also looking into local food assistance so you can redirect any grocery money toward rent. CalFresh (food stamps) applications can sometimes be expedited too if you explain your emergency situation.

Pedro, I've been following this thread and wanted to add a few things that might help with your immediate situation: 1. **Emergency cash assistance**: Many counties have same-day emergency funds specifically for rent. In my county (Riverside), they have a "Crisis Intervention Program" that can provide up to $1,500 within 24-48 hours if you meet certain criteria. Call your county's Department of Public Social Services directly and ask about emergency/crisis assistance programs. 2. **Community action agencies**: These are federally funded programs in every county that often have faster processing times than larger state programs. Search "[your county] Community Action Agency" - they usually have emergency rental assistance with shorter wait times. 3. **Unemployment timing tip**: Since you mentioned your first payment won't cover rent, double-check when exactly it's being deposited. EDD payments sometimes hit accounts earlier than expected, especially if you're on direct deposit. You can check your payment status 24/7 on the EDD website. 4. **Immediate documentation**: Start gathering all your paperwork NOW while you're making calls. Having everything ready can literally cut days off processing time when you do get through to someone. The stress is real, but you're already doing the right things by reaching out early. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Hey McKenzie! I went through this exact same stress last year when I first got my Money Network card. The good news is this is totally normal - there's almost always a 1-3 day delay between when EDD marks it as "paid" and when it actually hits your card balance. Since you just activated today, I'd definitely give it until tomorrow evening before calling anyone. One thing that helped me was checking the Money Network website (not just the app) - sometimes pending deposits show up there first. Also make sure you activated the card completely - there are like 3 different steps including setting up a PIN. If nothing shows by tomorrow afternoon, call Money Network customer service at the number on your card. They can see pending deposits on their end even if you can't. Try not to stress too much - your money is probably just stuck in the processing pipeline!

I work for a credit union and see this kind of delay all the time with prepaid cards. The Money Network system does batch processing overnight, so payments that show as "issued" by EDD on one day typically don't appear until the next business day at the earliest. Since you just activated your card today, I'd expect to see the funds by tomorrow morning. The key thing is that EDD has already released the payment - it's just moving through the banking system now. If you don't see anything by Wednesday morning, that's when I'd call Money Network. They can trace the ACH transfer and tell you exactly when it will post. Hang in there!

I feel for everyone going through this - the EDD system is absolutely broken and it's infuriating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get our rightful benefits. I went through something similar earlier this year and wanted to share what finally worked for me. The key thing that helped was combining multiple strategies rather than relying on just one approach: 1. I used the 90-second rule religiously - set a timer and called back exactly at 90 seconds after getting the "too many callers" message 2. Alternated between the main number and that 1-833-978-2511 alternate number throughout the day 3. Called at off-peak times: 11:45am, 1:15pm, and 4:15pm were my sweet spots 4. When I finally got through to the automated system, the 1-2-1-1-4 sequence worked for disqualification issues The whole process took me about 8 days of persistent calling, but I eventually got through and got my benefits reinstated. The issue in my case was an unreported address change that flagged my account for review. One more tip: when you do get through to a rep, be super polite and patient even though you're frustrated. They deal with angry people all day and being kind can sometimes get them to go the extra mile to help resolve your issue quickly. Hang in there everyone - this system is awful but don't give up!

Just wanted to jump in and add my experience from last month - I was stuck in the same awful cycle for almost 3 weeks before finally breaking through. What ended up working for me was a combination of the strategies mentioned here: I followed @Nadia's insider tips religiously - especially that 90-second rule and the 11:45am timing. The key breakthrough came when I realized my issue wasn't actually a disqualification but a "pending eligibility review" that got triggered when I reported some freelance income incorrectly on my certification. For anyone dealing with sudden benefit stops, here's what I learned: - Check your EDD account daily for new messages or requests - If you see "disqualification" but no clear reason, it might be an automated hold pending manual review - Keep detailed records of every call attempt (time, number used, result) - it helped when I finally got through - The 1-2-1-1-4 sequence @Nadia mentioned worked perfectly for my situation The whole ordeal was incredibly stressful, especially with bills piling up, but persistence really does pay off. I probably made 200+ calls over those 3 weeks, but when I finally connected with a rep, they were able to resolve everything in about 20 minutes once they understood the issue. Don't give up! This system is designed terribly but your benefits are there waiting once you can get through to the right person.

Congrats Faith! That's such great news that it finally arrived. For anyone else still waiting - this is a perfect example of how the timeline really is about 10 business days like others mentioned. I know the waiting is stressful when you need the money, but the system does work. One tip for the automatic transfer setup: make sure to test it with a small amount first before setting up the full auto-transfer. I learned that the hard way when my first transfer got delayed due to a bank holiday and I was scrambling to figure out where my money went!

Wow, what a relief that your card finally arrived Faith! This thread is such a great resource for anyone going through the same stress. I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and I remember checking my mailbox obsessively every single day. The plain envelope thing is so true - I almost threw mine away thinking it was junk mail! For future reference for anyone reading this, I also want to mention that if you ever need to dispute a charge on the Money Network card or have issues with ATM fees, their customer service is actually pretty responsive compared to EDD. They have 24/7 support and I've never had trouble getting through to them. Just keep that number handy: 1-866-692-9374. The automatic transfer feature has been a lifesaver for me. Once you set it up, you basically forget about the whole EDD card system and just get your money deposited like a normal paycheck. Makes the whole unemployment process feel a little less degrading, if that makes sense.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got approved 3 days ago and my payment shows "paid" but no card yet. Reading everyone's experiences here is so reassuring - sounds like 7-10 business days is pretty normal. I'm in LA and really hoping it doesn't take the full 3 weeks some people mentioned. Already signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing that tip here. The anxiety is real when you're counting down to rent day! Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips about watching for that plain white envelope.

I just wanted to share my recent experience to give you some reassurance! I got my EDD claim approved 2 weeks ago and was in the exact same panic mode about when my Money Network card would arrive. Mine ended up taking exactly 8 business days from when my payment showed "paid" status. I'm in the Bay Area for reference. The envelope really is super plain looking - almost threw it away thinking it was some random bank marketing mail! Once I activated it online, all my back payments were available immediately. The worst part is definitely the waiting and not knowing, but based on everyone's experiences here, you should be getting yours any day now. Hang in there!