Situation really bad - need some ideas for WAH

[sapphos]

So we're having a really tough time and when I say really tough I mean really tough.

My husband and I have a business that has ground to a halt. I have some pet sitting jobs but not much. He left last week to go to Europe to be with his terminally ill mom who has cancer.

I have a BA and most of my masters degree and can do some writing but so many writing jobs are farces or pay nothing. So whatever suggestions I can get would be soooooo welcomed!!!!

Thanks!

[slvsquared]

www.demandstudios.com

They're legit, pay twice weekly, and pay around $15 an article.

www.textbroker.com .02/word
www.ecopywriters.com .02/word

[sapphos]

Originally Posted by slvsquared

www.demandstudios.com

They're legit, pay twice weekly, and pay around $15 an article.

www.textbroker.com .02/word
www.ecopywriters.com .02/word

Thanks Sandi! Are they really tough to get in with ? I don't even have a current resume any longer but I do have some writing samples - press releases, my ebook, a couple of other articles.

[Quirky]

Can you try:

• rounding up more pet-sitting jobs (post on Craig's List, see if you can put up flyers at local vets)
• do housecleaning where you can bring your child along
• do babysitting in your home (but not so many kids you have to get licensed)
• advertise on Craig's List for jobs running errands for people
• see if you can get a paper-delivery route where you can drive with your dd
• cut all expenses to the bone (get rid of cable, any subscriptions, go to most basic cell phone and internet plans or do internet at library)
• apply for WIC and food stamps and anything else you're eligible for
• look into local food pantries
• contact churches/other religious organizations to look into aid programs they have

[georgia]

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about your husband (and his mother).

Something a friend of mine is doing (who is also in a desperate financial situation) is she's hosting babysitting parties at her house. I don't know anything about licensing though. I would imagine Red Cross babysitting CPR would be needed.

She does Friday nights, Saturdays and this week, she's doing a few "shopping" drop-ins. Parents come and drop off their children, and she has a whole bunch of activities lined up. They fingerpaint, take nature walks, make crafts (some with the goodies they find on the walks), do fun/cheap snacks (lots of popcorn), and during the last hour when parents are coming to pick up, she does a movie. I think she has those giant rolls of newsprint that she unrolls and has a big pack of markers that they use to sign their fingerpaintings. She cuts off their portion and they take it home. Pretty cheap stuff, and she makes pretty good money. It's exhausting, but it's only a few days a week.

I would love to have a fairly-priced weekly Parents' Night Out where I live where I could take my children to someone I trusted....so maybe you have a group of parents you could turn to to get something like this started?

[dogmom327]

That's a really cool idea Georgia!

[slvsquared]

Demand Studios is more difficult than the other two, but still worth giving it a try You could try using a writing sample from high school or college, or you could submit a few things to ehow or assoicated content to use as samples.

[lilyka]

my first stop would be social services.

this is not a bad situation. this is a terrible situation.

While at social services look into child care credit, food stamps, emergency aid, medicaid, WIC, anything and everything.

then once you have that settled I would start looking for a job. even a sad little part time job. your husband will need a lawyer, possibly a new plain ticket to get home, food and shelter in the mean time. you and your kids also need food and shelter and heat etc.

staying at home with your family is ideal but there is nothing ideal about this situation.
Working at home is a great idea to bring in extra income but I do not know many people who make a good or consistant salary working from home. if you can make it work great but you need a back up while getting established.

I recommend getting a job outside the home and continue to look at at home stuff to do in addition to that while you are not at your WOH job.

I used to be a stay at home homeschooling mom who never thought she could be seperated for her children. then things got a lot less than ideal around here. and we all have to make do with what we have. I work 20-40 hours each week outside the home, and 20-30 in the home.

[georgia]

I used to be a stay at home homeschooling mom who never thought she could be seperated for her children. then things got a lot less than ideal around here. and we all have to make do with what we have.

sapphos, please post when you can to let us know how y'all are doing. I'm thinking about you

[Michigan Mama]

I'm sorry that I don't have any ideas, but I'll pray for you.

[spunk]

I have some life experiences parallel to what you described that I swore could only be on an episode of Desperate Housewives ... freelance writing was what I did to start getting on my feet - a lot of great sources for work have been mentioned throughout this forum - if you type 60-70wpm, like I do, and you can write from the top of your head on topics you are comfortable with (ie. not having to put tons of thought into how to phrase this or that), you can produce about 1000 words a minute on average, and at .01/word, that comes to $10/hour - do that instead of finding a part time job because you need flexibility in your life right now most likely. Get assistance from the county, your city, charities, churches, food assistance, everything you can. Spend time and really understand your money - make a budget and stick to it.

Save up some money for a lawyer and keep calling lawyers until you find one willing to work with you based on the resources you have - you may have to call a LOT of lawyers but I would not give up until you exhausted all the listings in the phone book - even calling those that are not in your line of need, to ask if they know a lawyer that can help you based on your circumstances - than call that lawyer saying "so and so told me to call you" - you will usually get a much better response.

Lastly, keep a journal or a diary - you will likely want to write a book or a movie script or something along those lines once you get though this - all this freelance writing is practice for that!

Keep your head up - when things seem like that are as bad as they can possibly get, things can only get better! It took me nearly 9 years to recover from my mess, and I am still struggling more than I should be, so be patient, be positive and know you have a forum full of people here thinking of you and praying for you!

[sapphos]

thanks everyone for all the support!

[sapphos]

I realize I never posted an update for all the mamas who asked.

DH is home with us now as of March. It cost us a huge amount of money that we didn't have for his lawyer and has put us under even more stress to pay that off.

We left Miami in April for NC and things were getting a bit better but oddly I came back to the forum for the resources that were posted because now things are pretty bad again (hopefully only temporarily this time!)

Oh and yes my mother in law passed away on New Year's Eve which was really a loss for us all since she was the only grandparent dd really knew since DH and FIL have a very poor relationship.

So we're keeping our chin above water but barely and trying to keep spirits up. Thanks to everyone who offered help

"Spunk" thanks for teh comment about writing a book. I have been told several times by a friend that I need to write a book about all the experiences we both had during that time because she says it was our own parallel to the "Celestine Prophecy"

Laura