January 2011 Low Income Support Thread - Page 5

[MamitaM]

I think I might just pay the whole thing off then and be done with it!

[vannienicole]

Subbing tomorrow for second grade.    Hoping to pick up a couple days next week.  I am spending today and this evening in the geology lab.  Hoping to put in at least 12 hours worth of work.  I've been off for a few days for being sick.

[MamitaM]

Master Card is totally paid in FULL! I can't wait until my next bill arrives so I can see the new owing balance of $0000.00!!!

I also paid off my old internet/phone bill that was with a company I don't go with anymore.

In the next few days, when I get paid again I'm putting about $200 on my Visa and will hopefully have that paid off in the next few months!

[zebra15]

My thursday//friday subbing job fizzled out  only ended up with ONE day of pay this week.... this is NOT good...

I am having some horrible back/neck pain as well.  Right now I am sitting here with a heating pad on my neck and its not really helping.  UGH...

[GirlBoyGirl]

Zebra, sorry about the subbing job. I hope this week is better! And that stinks about the neck pain. My chiropractor says heat is not good and you should only use ice (20 min on, 20 min off). That being said, I still use heat but I try to use ice more. Hope it goes away soon!


Mamita, yay!!!! Congrats, what a good feeling!!!!!!!


Me- I start my new job this week! It is only 3:30pm-7:30pm 5 days a week but I wouldn't want to work more than that. I will miss my kids and I am worried about my nursling but she will have to learn to be okay with daddy because we need the money! the job should equate to about $800 extra a month, after taxes, which puts us just over what we need to pay our bills. Such a relief! I'm excited to start, but kinda nervous!

[vannienicole]

Snow day happened on Thursday.  Well, rather make that thin layer of snow and some ice day.  Blessings of living in OK.  No one is prepared for even a handful of winter weather.  So no subbing job on thursday, but have a half day already lined up for this week.  Hoping to pick up one for Wed and one for Thursday. 

It looks like I owe my lawyer about 1500 from the divorce.  I am hoping for a good amount to come back from taxes, but as I only get to claim one of my kids as per the divorce, it'll be lots less than I used to get. 

On top of this, I have to go away for 5 weeks to CO for field camp (my capstone...no choice) and have no idea how to pay for it.  I won't be working during that time, and won't have a job after graduating.  I might be able to work the couple months left of the summer session when I return from field camp, but that awesome $10/hour flexible job will be gone.  It'll be the summer, so no subbing.  I am going to apply for aid for field camp as soon as they release the forms in April.  Aside from that.....I am stressing.  I need to somehow save ~1200 to cover expenses while I am gone. 

I am applying for grad school here, but scared that I won't get it.  I need it bad, not just for income, but for my career (geologist). 

[grisandole]

Joining in! I am so tired and stressed...sick of my paycheck being spent before I even get it and simply not having enough. I am definitely going to stop all spending aside from absolute basics until DP is bringing in some money. I am praying that my tax return will go through as scheduled, if so then we can pay bills, eat, and fix the cars (important since I have a long commute). I will be much less stressed when that happens, and when my FA comes in. Like others, I get it about two months into the semester.

On the plus side, rent is paid, most utilities are paid, and we have food for the week. And I have a house full of loved ones :)

[Jyotsna]

Child support  comes on a debit card each month and this month I needed to pay rent from both that and what was in my account.  I had to do an automatic transfer just outside the bank and needed all the $520, but ended up having to withdrawl only $400 at a time, so that was first the $400, then they took a fee of $3.00 and then $100, and then another fee for $3.00 and I needed the $20 but by then only had $14 left, but could not take out anything lower than a $20.    It was crazy while I was pulling the money together, and I didn't like having that cash right there outside of the bank.  How can I transfer that amount on my state child support card, to my bank account.  I need to do this very soon again.  I don't want to lose the $6.00 in fees either.

Help!

[GirlBoyGirl]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna 

Child support  comes on a debit card each month and this month I needed to pay rent from both that and what was in my account.  I had to do an automatic transfer just outside the bank and needed all the $520, but ended up having to withdrawl only $400 at a time, so that was first the $400, then they took a fee of $3.00 and then $100, and then another fee for $3.00 and I needed the $20 but by then only had $14 left, but could not take out anything lower than a $20.    It was crazy while I was pulling the money together, and I didn't like having that cash right there outside of the bank.  How can I transfer that amount on my state child support card, to my bank account.  I need to do this very soon again.  I don't want to lose the $6.00 in fees either.

Help!

Gee, that doesn't seem fair!!! I never heard of it being on a debit card. My sister's child support is direct deposited into her bank. Can you call the office and ask this question?

[zebra15]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna 

Child support  comes on a debit card each month and this month I needed to pay rent from both that and what was in my account.  I had to do an automatic transfer just outside the bank and needed all the $520, but ended up having to withdrawl only $400 at a time, so that was first the $400, then they took a fee of $3.00 and then $100, and then another fee for $3.00 and I needed the $20 but by then only had $14 left, but could not take out anything lower than a $20.    It was crazy while I was pulling the money together, and I didn't like having that cash right there outside of the bank.  How can I transfer that amount on my state child support card, to my bank account.  I need to do this very soon again.  I don't want to lose the $6.00 in fees either.

Help!

Here you can either get it on a debit card OR direct deposit into a bank account.  If you choose the debit card you need to use the bank the card is issued from to avoid fees.  There are terms with the card (you can either get them on the child support website or ask your case worker for them) and those terms were sent to you with the card.  This debit card works just like any other bank card and the fees apply.  Not fair, I know, which is why you have the option of the direct deposit.  When you take the debit card your agreement is with the bank who issues the debit card, not the child support agency.  The child support agency releases your money to the bank- the bank who has the debit card.

I hope that made sense.
 

[zebra15]

Today su*ks.  Last night I had a subbing job, this am the system calls me to cancel that same job.... LOVELY...I can not keep doing this... I need jobs, I need money. Anyway I took my depressed self to the library for the open career lab and actually got some help with my resume.  The resume now fits on one page and the lady running the lab gave me several hand outs on how to do a cover letter!  She also gave me some websites that I didnt know about so that was really good, and one of those led to a possible 'job open house' tomorrow.  So here I sit pondering if I should even try to sub tomorrow or if I should go to the job thingy since they are hiring immediately?  Its call center work, which I hate but I know I can probably get hired for.  Its full time work, benefits to follow shortly and ya know what?? I bet they dont cancel jobs on me.

IDK what to do... I need to work but this subbing gig just isnt working anymore.  My gut is telling me to put all my effort into looking for a job, a real full time job.  What do you mama's think I should do?  

Again the full time job would hopefully allow DS and I to move out of the current living situation and get our own apt (something I've been aiming at for over a year and it just has not happened)

I hate being low income... I dont know how much longer I can do this.. mentally, I have a bachelors, masters and now a teaching certificate, I should be able to get a job  RIGHT??

[Stayseeliz]

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time. When DH lost his job almost three years ago he had a bachelors and masters and couldn't find ANYTHING. He ended up going into a completely different field and it took him awhile to build up to what he was making before. This past year he made within a few thousand of what he was making the last year at his old job. It was rough but we're glad we made the switch or he would've been driving a forklift or flipping burgers forever. But I will say that we had unemployment to fall back on while he was building up his income. We weren't making nothing. As long as his income didn't exceed his unemployment check we got the difference between the two if that makes sense. That was the only thing that allowed him to change fields.

So thinking long term what is best for your family? Do you want to teach full time? Is that realistic soon? Is there another full time job in the concentration of your degrees? Is there something you can do from home and continue to look for a job?

Sorry I'm not familiar with your situation. It's hard to know what to do when money is tight and there seems no way out. But there is an answer mama. Just keep looking and hang in there. :hug
 

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Today su*ks.  Last night I had a subbing job, this am the system calls me to cancel that same job.... LOVELY...I can not keep doing this... I need jobs, I need money. Anyway I took my depressed self to the library for the open career lab and actually got some help with my resume.  The resume now fits on one page and the lady running the lab gave me several hand outs on how to do a cover letter!  She also gave me some websites that I didnt know about so that was really good, and one of those led to a possible 'job open house' tomorrow.  So here I sit pondering if I should even try to sub tomorrow or if I should go to the job thingy since they are hiring immediately?  Its call center work, which I hate but I know I can probably get hired for.  Its full time work, benefits to follow shortly and ya know what?? I bet they dont cancel jobs on me.

IDK what to do... I need to work but this subbing gig just isnt working anymore.  My gut is telling me to put all my effort into looking for a job, a real full time job.  What do you mama's think I should do?  

Again the full time job would hopefully allow DS and I to move out of the current living situation and get our own apt (something I've been aiming at for over a year and it just has not happened)

I hate being low income... I dont know how much longer I can do this.. mentally, I have a bachelors, masters and now a teaching certificate, I should be able to get a job  RIGHT??

[zebra15]

Ive been pulling UE for about 18 mos while doing the subbing thing.  My timing stinks as soon as I got my teaching cert. the economy really tanked and our state cut funding, education got cut, hence no teaching jobs.  My cert is in highschool business so jobs were slim to begin with.

After much soul searching today and the career/job lab I may have a lead on a job. I do have an interview on Thursday for something that is similiar to what I was doing before.  Its B2B sales, so finance sorta, decent base salary, provided leads and about 4 miles from home.  Since its b2b its m-f office hours.

The base salary would be enough for me to qualify for a decent apartment and get the heck out of this roommate situation.

Keep your fingers crossed that I can 'sell myself' at the interview on Thursday and they offer something ASAP.

Honestly subbing is going to make me have another mental breakdown (why I left banking in the first place)

[Stayseeliz]

The teaching industry is crazy right now. DH almost went back to get a teaching certificate a few years ago and I'm so glad he didn't. Local school boards have been slashing budgets left and right so he would never have found a job. Hoping the interview on Thursday works out! I know that must be frustrating!

[Jyotsna]

Spoke to the cashier at the bank and she told me she would be able to extrapolate the money from my debit card and make a "check" of some type, but said some fee's may apply.  She doesn't know how much either.  It's too late to have a direct deposit for the cs this month, but hopefully next month I can have it done. 

Any advice on utilities?  When I moved out of the old house, my utilities were on the verge of being cut off. I haven't had the money to pay till now.   Is there an agency that can help with this?  I hope to move into my new rental house within two weeks or less.  My dhs worker told me if I could get a copy of the "cut off notice" she could get most of it paid off, enough for me to get the services on in my name.  Anyone have any other resources?  It will be so tight this month, I don't know what I will do.  I'm going to ask my worker for full fs.  I don't think I have been getting the largest amount alotted for my families situation, and it would really help right now to have that.  Any suggestions for doing so?

Thanks.

[vannienicole]

Subbed yesterday (1/2 day...$27 dollars made) and have a job for tomorrow.  Spending the day locked in my lab will definitely help. 

Crossing my fingers that the ex pays CS on time and maybe a bit towards the rest of his arrears.  W2s for my lab job should be posted by this weekend, so I will file this weekend.  I need to start paying off my divorce lawyer.  Finally got the last bill from her......$2K.  This thing cost me almost as much as I received in property settlement.

I'm out of FS and have $20 til the end of the month.  Now's time to make that pantry stretch!

[zebra15]

Vann- only $27 for subbing.. gosh makes me feel rich for what they are paying here... sorry.

today is resume day again... reaching out to every contact I may have... every person I could possibly know (and that circle is very small). 

IDK about sites like monster/careerbuilder etc in your places but over here they just have junk on them... no professional jobs at all... ugh... nothing that pays a livable wage   maybe im asking too much??

I can not keep subbing, I am going to have a mental breakdown and I just do not have the time nor the finances for one of those again...

[sonrisaa29]

I haven't been on here in a long time. I have a lovely six year old boy and I work full time . I live with his father since I can't really afford my own place . I feel so over whelmed lately . Working 40 hours , trying to do laundry clean and just spend time with my child. I Feel like I will never be caught up. I Mean I still have my christmas tree up.
So I have the chance to go get my Master's and i can't decide if its worth spending the money. I Would get the tuition at 60% discount rate . I'm just tired of working the same job at the same store ...
This thread really gave me the much needed and appreciated support years ago. I look forward to joining in with y'all again....

[vannienicole]

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Vann- only $27 for subbing.. gosh makes me feel rich for what they are paying here... sorry.

today is resume day again... reaching out to every contact I may have... every person I could possibly know (and that circle is very small). 

IDK about sites like monster/careerbuilder etc in your places but over here they just have junk on them... no professional jobs at all... ugh... nothing that pays a livable wage   maybe im asking too much??

I can not keep subbing, I am going to have a mental breakdown and I just do not have the time nor the finances for one of those again...

Yeah....It's $55 for uncertified teachers and $65 for certified here.  It blows and some days the money isn't worth what I go through.  However, I needneedneed the money, so I do what I can. 

Subbed today.  It was one of those "almost not worth it" days.  Just all over rough...1st grade class...mostly boys.  Hoping to catch a bit of a break after I graduate, but it's a long shot.  I wish sometimes that my family lived closer (they are all in Dallas) so I had a bit of help.

[averysmomma05]

My husbands FA check needs to come like now but it won't be here til Feb 14th. Also, my boss needs to have my W2 like NOW so I can file because we are having a rough month since we got a snow storm and hubby lost alot of money from not working. Sigh.