im in desperate need of help

[cravenab00]

im tired of the same old "dont have money" routine. Im exhausted. I dont deal with our banking because I dont want to know. I dont want to know, how much money we dont have.

My DD's birthday is tomorrow. And I cant buy her a gift We are overdrawn again, and I am depressed.

My car insurance is due june 3rd, and i havent the slightest clue how I will pay it.

Let me say I am above and beyond frustrated that DH has TWO college degrees, and last year, our gross income was just over $20K. He is a nurse. And has a psychology degree, but cant use it without going back for the masters. Which would mean more loans, we just got rid of the ones we had.
DH has applied for 64 jobs in the last 12 months. NOTHING.

I wouldn't be opposed to getting a part time job in a couple days a week, when DH is here with the kids, but then with that additional income, would mean our food stamps would decrease, and I would be working just for that.

We dont have credit cards anymore. Just finalized our bankruptcy. I have about $600 in very small bills that werent included in the bankruptcy, that I need to get paid off, but I dont know how. At the end of the month, I may have $25 left over, but that is it. Now with gas prices skyrocketing, i am scared. I have no idea what we are going to do.

Im tired of being broke. Im tired of not being able to do the smallest of things, like buying a b-day present, or getting take out once a month.

I read dave ramseys "total money makeover" which makes total sense. But our problem is not spending. It is income. And I dont know how to increase that, without making more problems for us.

Any kind of advice at all, is welcome, and appreciated.

[Radish4ever]

I've just started looking through all the "get paid to" threads on the WAHM forum here and it looks like I'll be making some extra money that way........ and what about writing for associated content? I wrote a product review and submitted it and was paid for it less than a week later!

(((hugs))) I know it's so hard to have no money all the time. Being broke constantly is such a horrible weight to carry around. That really stinks about your DH's job hunt - keep your chin up, girl, something will open up for you guys!!!

[papschmitty]

Did I understand correctly that your DH is a nurse? Is he applying for jobs as an RN or something else? I was very surprised to hear your income was so low with his profession. I'm not judging, just trying to understand your situation better. I don't know where you live, I'm an RN in the Seattle area. We don't have as big of a nursing shortage as most areas in the country but there's still TONS of jobs out there. They might not be dream jobs, but they are at places that pay a decent wage. It sounds like you guys are in a pretty desperate situation. Is it possible that he's being too choosy about what jobs he's applying for? Would it make more financial sense for you to look for full time work and have him stay home with the kids? Have you thought about trying to babysit for some extra money? I agree with the PP about trying to come up with some creative ways that you can make some money from home.

For DD's Bday tomorrow...can you brainstorm any free gift ideas? I don't know how old she is but, if she's old enough, what about something like being Queen for a Day? Let her pick anything she wants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the cupboards/fridge, even if it's complete junk or totally disgusting (that's what makes it fun, right?). Maybe you could have a spa day, you could give her massage, paint her nails, do a fancy hair do. Just make it up with whatever you have around the house. Get her all gussied up and then go for a walk around the neighborhood to show off her new look. Have you tried freecycle for gently used toys or a bike or something? This might be totally not age appropriate. Let me know how old she is and I'll try to come up with something else.

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

[BetsyS]

Does your dh work as a nurse? Is he working full time?

If so, ya'll need to move to an area of the country where he can make more money. I live in the southeast, and we do not have the highest paid nurses (or anything) in the country. I was reading the paper this weekend, and starting pay for a new grad is over $20/hr here.

[cravenab00]

thanks ladies

DH is an LPN has been so for 5 years, and makes $13.20 an hour. He works full time. We found out AFTER his licensing, that Nebraska and Iowa, (right next to the border, more jobs in Iowa) are the lowest paid states for nurses in the country. Nice.
He wants out of the nursing profession NOW. He is responsible for 45 patients, every night he works. Him alone. he is the only night nurse, and nearly every nursing job he has had was the same way. This is the higest paying job he has ever had.

dont know if I could do daycare. I live in a tiny town. Not sure I could do it right now anyway, this morning sickness is kicking my butt. I dont have any type of degree, i wouldnt be able to make enough if it was just me working. I wont put my kids in daycare.

I've done minimal GPTs, i would do more, but it will screw up our foodstamps, and then we are going backwards.

[gargirl]

Oh gods and goddesses, Sweetie. I have been where you are. *HUGS*

It so so sucks feeling always behind, always stressed out, never able to afford the small "luxuries" it seems everyone else can afford. There have been years when we have just about had no Christmas or birthdays. We still struggle every year but it has gotten a little easier as our income has gone up some.

I know it seems better not to know how bad your finances are, so much easier NOT to look at it, but in the long run it will be so much better if you can look at them closely and find a way to get on top of them. I use the Flylady system in my house, it helps me keep on top of the housework, and she also has a financial system: FACE; Financial Awareness Continually Empowers and that has worked for me as well. When things get really tight, I reccomend the hillbilly housewife site. I am not sure if we are allowed to post direct links... but is basically hillbillyhousewife.com. She has a $45/week emergency menu for 4-6 that is amazing. I don't know if either of those things will help you but I thought it wouldn't hurt to suggest them.

It seems like your hubby needs a better job, and I scatch my head with the other posters as to why his pay is so low or why he can't find a better job. Nurses are in high demand. What exactly is he looking for?

Best Luck and Brightest Blessings to you. Try to remember that it isn't the gifts your little ones will remember, it is the good times, the times spent with mom and dad and the homemade cake and the laughter. *HUGS*

[ColoradoMama]

Wanted to send a and one quick suggestion. See if your library has the book "The complete Cheapskate" by Mary Hunt. It is an awesome read. She has fabulous suggestions in there.

[Aeress]

My Mom worked as a LPN doing in home care and made at least 15-16 and hour. I don't know if that is a possibility but she liked it better than the hospital.

*hugs*

[Staceyy]

Has your dh looked into contract nursing? He can make much more contracting than working as a regular LPN. He'll need to contact an agency that specializes in contracting. Also, have you tried everything to lower your expenses? If you post your budget, maybe we could offer suggestions as to what you could do. Best of luck to you.

[kijip]

Could not read without posting.

Any luck on free birthday presents?

In the long term an RN or BSN might be more lucrative than a Masters in Psych. I know a BSN who uses her BA in Psych on her job so the fields can be combined.

[krisnic]

I would still recommend going for a masters, especially in psych. Psychologists around here make 95-110 an hour. Taking out loans for that would be totally worth it in my opinion.

Contract work for nurses is great too. A friend of mine does it and they pay her housing and moving expenses. She travels for her jobs.

[KnockedUpButtercup]

I would also like to recommend going back to school...either getting that master's in psychology or turning that LVN into an RN. The RN might actually be better paying, in the long run. Don't worry about the student loans...once he has the appropriate degree, his salary will double/triple, and you'll be able to pay them off.

Even if his schooling required you to move...most larger universities have "married student housing." I lived in it for a while at LSU...they were cinder block apartments, but dirt cheap. And we were able to get insurance through the university, as well.

Hugs to you...I have been THAT broke, handwashing clothes in the tub, "donating" plasma for gas money. Oh, and I used to do ironing...50 cents each piece, although that was a long time ago...prices may have gone up. That wouldn't mess up your foodstamps, since it's "under the table." It was never enough money to make me feel guilty about cheating the government, but it DID make a difference when I was squeaking by. And maybe you could babysit for the odd evening here and there. That wouldn't be like having kids in your house when you're pregnant, it's just once in a while.

Holly

[Autumn Breeze]

I just wanted to give you my support.

We have the same problem. It's not the spending, it's the income. My dh makes a little more than yours, but what little more he makes is spent on gas because he has a 2 hour round trip drive every day.

[Panserbjorne]

I totally get it. We are there now. Our insurance was just cancelled, we have had to borrow $ for food, we owe thousands in back utilities, and have debt from the business we had to close. We spend nothing more than gas and food. We have no luxuries and haven't in years. It isn't about what is going out, it's about what isn't coming in.

I have no real words of wisdom, or I wouldn't be able to commiserate. However, I would love (though it would be a bit late) to know if there is anything I (or we) could do to help out with your dd's birthday. How old is she? Is there anything in particular she likes?

[Autumn Breeze]

Yeah, how old is your dd, maybe some gently used items would help brighten her birthday for both of you.

[papschmitty]

I would love to help in any way that I can with your DD's birthday. Please let us know her age, needs, and wants.

[xmysticprincessx]

move. seriously, look into places that have a nursing shortage and a low cost of living. and see if any of the hospitals would pay all or part of dh's tuition to get his RN. his psych degree may also help if he wanted to be a psych (sp) nurse. i had considered nursing (but then remembered i hate needles) and my grandmother (who used to teach nursing) said that some colleges have special programs for people who already have a bachelor's degree. the program is somehow set up so that you can earn a BSN in a year or 2.

[happyhippimama]

Originally Posted by cravenab00

thanks ladies

DH is an LPN has been so for 5 years, and makes $13.20 an hour. .

My jaw dropped when I saw this!! I live in VA and the nurses here make more than double that! Not only that, but me and my hubby are both nurses aids and we make $15/hr. (i'm not working at the time tho)

I am in nursing school myself, and I am in shock of those payrates. That really should be criminal. Any possibility of moving?

Good luck to you.

[krisnic]

From what I hear in Michigan, the going pay for nurses is around $25/hr.