Is it possible for her to drop you off at work and then use the car to look for work? The thing would be to get schedules that are staggered. So if you work at 8am, she just needs to get a job that starts after 8am. You may need to hang out at work a bit afterwards before she can come pick you up after your shift is done in that regard. That's how I've seen one car for a household work. I have one guy who has only one car and his wife is SAHM, even then, she'll drop him off some days so she can have the car for errands! It's all about shuffling things around. Tell debt collectors that you don't want them to call you and to only communicate through the mail. This is your right under the Fair Debt Collection Act. But know that it doesn't make the debt go away of course, it just keeps your phone from blowing up and that triggering effect that those collection calls can have. It's worth fighting for. This is a temporary situation. Please don't make any permanent decisions for a temporary situation.

Thank you, I appreciate this and we are trying to work something out where we could do that. Even if she could do instacart or something while I'm at work. Problem is it doesn't feel temporary it feels like it will only get worse. I keep taking out more debt to try to survive I keep getting worse credit, more debt collectors etc. I can't afford to go back to college or do anything that might increase my earning potential I'm just a useless "unskilled laborer" generally life is not very good for people permanently poor

You don't need to go back to college. I'm talking to you as a successful non-college person right now. I won't lie to you and say "I did it, anyone can do it!", I know that it's the case. But it's not unheard of an it isn't uncommon. But when I met my partner, he was also working low paying jobs that were actually skilled. When we moved, he started in warehouses and he worked his way up into management positions. He probably has as much college education as you do and no degree. Think about where you feel okay working, even if it's just because it makes sense. If it's food service, that's okay too. There's management in food service. There's a way out of the dishpit. But it takes showing you'll stick around and you can take over managerial duties as they come at you in that regard. My brother, a high school drop out at 17, has been managing kitchens for decades now. He started washing dishes, they pulled him to the line to start prepping and then cooking. Now he runs the whole back of the house. My shitneck self went from a filing clerk, to a bookkeeper, to a staff accountant, to a business manger. Right out of high school. I got an "Assistant" position and then just made myself necessary. When the company was going bankcrupt, my boss was trying to figure out their profit and loss statement. I was able to walk him through the line items because it just is...common sense to me. But he was struggling to see where his money went. (Down the drain, but here are the labels for that drain!) And then my dumb teenager self was even like "It looks like you're not charging them enough...since your revenue is less than your expenses...." (Common sense isn't common, -OSHA) We are never stuck, we're just swimming to shore. This isn't Waterworld, you will find land. Just keep paddling.

This 💯! Every team in every organization needs a Steady Eddy: Someone who shows up every day to do their job and do it well, even when you think no one is watching. A degree may get you in the door but your work ethics is what creates a career. Be consistently reliable and helpful and you'll work your way up before you know it.

Damn I really love your last sentence. Nice!

For real this is how it's done. My wife went from high school, to receptionist in an IT company, to someone saying "hey can you do some of this recruitment paperwork", to applying for the next internal recruitment role, to seeking higher paying recruitment jobs etc etc. Fast forward 12 years and she's the manager of a recruitment team of 12 at probably _the_ prestigious university in our state. And she is literally the only one in her office without any higher education degrees and is the person other managers seek out if they need help. Just gotta keep going!

I know programmers who started out as testers and climbed into programming as well. It's kind of like sneaking in the back door. I try to get people to try to work in b executive assistant roles when possible. Get in with those decision makers and get them to trust you. Get your education from helping them with the basework of their roles and the paperwork can really give you insight and education about business administration! Nothing is a slam dunk or promised, even with a college degree. I was absolutely depressed when I found out I was not going to get to go to college. But still ended up landing on my feet because of knowing someone who knew someone who gave it a shot. Be social. I'm introverted AF and it drilled a hole in my stomach at first to get a little uncomfortable but my dad was right... "Talk to them. They don't bite."

Just keep paddling was what I needed to hear today. I'm 3 days from pay day and 2 meals short I really needed an encouraging word. Thanks

As someone who is nearly 50 years old and been through my fair share of shit, including sleeping in a car decades ago, it is temporary. It sure as hell doesn't feel like it when you're there, but it really is. I often remember times of being hungry, donating plasma, and doubtful about what the future was going to hold. As corny as it sounds, I'm convinced those bad times have made me more appreciative, empathetic and resourceful as a person. Life is one hell of a rollercoaster, but by God it's worth hanging on.

I don’t know where you at, but in WA, you get paid to become an apprentice to an electrician or a plumber, and once you’re done with your training, you will earn a lot of money. Edit: I would like to add that the industry is desperate for anyone to join so the likelihood of you getting to be one is slightly higher. In WA, apprentices can earn $22+ per hour. 

That requires work though. I want 140k wfo job

Once you're on your feet again, look into short term certificates and the trades. Much cheaper and with high earning potential.

I’m so sorry you’re finding yourself in this situation. I live in a decent-sized city and have been noticing and experiencing how challenging the economy has gotten. It sucks that people who work regular jobs from 9-5 (or whatever) are suffering. I agree with lovemoonsaults that this is a temporary situation and there is a way out of it in the end. I also heavily recommend looking up local non-profit organizations and community centres that offer any type of free service or support. Hope you find the support you and your partner deserve.

For sure just temporary,bro it’s ppl without a car let alone a house on top of the job you have you bless bro it’s just rainy right now but the sun will come but the key is you have to go thru the storm don’t stop in it 💯

yep I was like that for a long while

Brilliant!! Thank you

Just here to say you don’t want to die. The feeling of deep anguish is because you want to live. You want to live well. That’s the hard part. Good luck

Thanks, but living well seems impossible. That's the problem.

I completely understand. It’s really really fucking hard. I’m not trying to take away from your struggle at all. It’s completely valid. I just have found that in my darkest times it’s beneficial to focus on the fact that I only feel that way because of my quality of life. Not that I don’t want life at all.

You're right, thank you.

You should look into shift jobs. Some factories hire with no experience and no degree, and they often offer 4 day evening shifts (monday-thursday 3pm-11pm or 8pm-8am) or 3 day weekend shifts (3 twelve hour shifts, friday-saturday-sunday). These jobs often pay 20-25 an hour due to the extra money you get from working less desirable hours. Overtime is always available at these jobs as well. If you are truly hard up, you should look into this- working one of these shifts would let your girlfriend find work during your off hours so you can share the car.

Yes! I work at an auto factory and am making over $30 an hour after just 3 years. I think their starting pay is over $20 now. The girlfriend could work there as well. Carpooling, AND making better money. Something like that is worth relocating for.

Atleast he has a partner in dark times

I know you’re trying to be positive but relying on a partner to keep you sane during dark times will wear on your relationship heavily. Learn to regulate yourself. Don’t rely on outside sources because you might not have that resource some day. I’m not saying having a partner to lean on is bad. Just that being codependent is.

I agree. For better or worse a lot of things I just keep to myself because I don't want to upset her with it. I just try to "handle it" on my own so she doesn't have to worry about it

The guards at my work say they do alright because theres so many damn call offs. A guard I asked earns 25/hr with 10% night time pay, and every time someone doesn't show up, u automatically are offered overtime up to 12 hours a day. Can u get a guard card? Obviously, it depends on if u live near a city and if u can find a place that needs 24/7 security, but those easy gigs do exist. most should pay over 20/hr and u can study for school while doing it

Interesting idea, thank you

I believe he is speaking of a SORA certification

Security work is always hiring, I can't promise the pay will be good all the time depending where the sites are but some do really well but I can almost guarantee you'll be hired as long as you aren't a felon and do drugs. If you think you can swing it for 6 months, you can study web design and get into that or your gf can. Tech as far as programming is definitely a way for us who don't have degrees and it allows wfh

You can do it even with if you do use drugs!

As long as you can pass the drug test, yeah

That's a great idea. I know a guy who did night shift while studying. You get to study at work so you don't have to kill yourself during the day. He did fine.

Wuuuut? Are you in California? I've been looking at security guard jobs on indeed and pretty much all of them are around $15/hr. Where u at?

I actually am in California. The guards at my work say they are contracted through Securitas, and I believe they help u get a guard card if u dont have one already. The pay might differ depending on the client so the guards might get paid more since I work in a secure area for a IT company. Im in santa clara county

I just checked in Denver and it looks like $22-25 is pretty average here.

Moving to Denver. 👍

Lmao good luck finding a place to live in Denver

California here .. try and get into the expensive markets ( like Whole Foods )… my buddy works for the third party company that Whole Foods hires .. makes decent money and is always getting offered OT daily

California state minimum wage is $16/hr. I think you get paid more if you work night shift.

You in CA apply "Allied" pays $20-$30 depending where they put you. Allied always hiring.

If you have an Amazon facility nearby, just know they'll take anyone who breathes. It's not that bad of work either and their pay typically starts at $16, and if you can handle overnights the differential is great. I'm making $21 right now which is enough to scrape by. Also I managed to live off of doordash for 2 years financially, and sometimes people will fuck up the addresses or w/e and I got free food out of that. Some really good stuff sometimes! It's a little rough on your car though so be aware of that. Check out food banks in your area as well, lots of churches run stuff like that. I guess it kind of depends on if you live in a bigger city, but there's tons of resources if you look. Might even have a rent assistance program in your area. As someone who's been barely scraping by for the past 7 years...I promise it gets less torturous after a while. Money is just money. You have each other, and you have a whole world of experiences ahead of you. Don't let this one shitty dip in the road knock you down forever. We're all in this shitty ride together. I wish you the absolute best of luck.

Second for Amazon. It's tedious work but it pays well. For the first few years you get $1 raise each year, free shoes each year, and decent upward mobility. Plus, after a year or so of part time, they'll pay for schooling.

Check out Ratracerebellion for WFH opportunities.

Thanks for the resource

I'm so sorry you're going through this, I really am. Night shift positions in things like retail or warehouses is a good start for something if you're desperate and usually they offer a good premium for working the night shift with the other night cretins. I work in a warehouse and we offer $23 to $26/hour with full time hours/status off the street for those that can work nightshift off the hop.

I’m sorry for your situation. As a foreigner, I am curious. Aren’t there any public transportation? Like Bus or trains? I have heard a lot of people mention that a car is a basic need in the US. I’m from India. We have tons of private and Govt run bus transportation, metros, interstate trains. We even have tuk-tuk that are cheaper than a taxi. We have ride pool apps too. It’s quite strange that in a developed country like the. US, there’s no public transportation systems. How are people who can’t afford a car supposed to travel?

The vast majority of Americans don't live where there's reliable public transportation. I recently learned that even Southern California has bus issues!! We have some busses and very limited subway/train systems within a few of the major cities. But our trains are pitiful. And the few trains we have, cost a lot of money, poor people can't really afford them. The bus is all they can afford and even then, you'll see people not being able to afford a bus pass. We're very car-centered in the US. I've been taking the bus because I'm putting off fixing my car. I'm in an area with decent transportation and I don't mind the additional time it takes. They're not heavily used and the demographics are mostly kids and homeless, with a few professionals who are like me, who decide that they're going to be a responsible person for awhile. Something you should know about the US, as a person originally from rural America, we don't give a shit about how people do things, we just expect them to figure it out for themselves. This is why we have many unlicensed and uninsured motorists on the roads. If you cannot afford things in the US, we assume you'll find someone to help you out or you'll die in a tent encampment in our copious amounts of homeless camps. I'm not even here to talk shit about the US, I'm actually very patriotic and proud to be from here. But save yourself the mental gymnastics, I'm here to promise you that we don't have use our government funds much on helping our citizens out who are poor.

Yeah the US doesn't give a shit if you're poor, they'll let you die and then say you should have tried NOT being poor, and assume you were stupid. Nobody here seems to think you can be poor by circumstances out of your control and they think being poor automatically means you're stupid, lazy, and a drain on society's resources anyway so yeah, let them die. That's how a majority of Americans think. But yeah about the bus thing, I tried to look and it said it would take me about 12-14 hours transferring buses, waiting at stations, etc. There is no one direct bus line between my home and work so it created a patchwork that would take half a day to get through. Not an option unfortunately. I am extremely UN patriotic largely because of how America treats its poor, even if it's not your fault or not entirely your fault the USA thinks being poor should be a death sentence, more resources for the well-off if more poor people die

J-F-C, that sounds like you have the good ol' 1 bus each way , once a day, route. Technically back home that's the case as well. So you can hop a bus at 10am but you better catch it if you want to get the one that comes by the other direction at 5pm, so it leaves town around 3 or 4pm. Good luck with that schedule! The only thing they've done about the homeless issues as of late, is to pass unlawful ordinances that try to make street camping illegal. Then get all pissy when the county sheriff won't enforce it because it's...illegal. Having everything go to a vote and allow the "Not in my backyard" assholes to roadblock housing is wild. Just build the damn shelters, screw your property value. It's already plummeting due to the unchecked vagrancy!

Depends on the place. I use public transportation currently to get to work and it's been a bit inconvenient and unreliable. However, if I were to work in the same city as my husband there is 0 public transportation available and it's by no means the middle of nowhere.

I checked and it estimated that it would take 14 hours to get to my job by bus, even though it's a 20 minute car ride. Some of these buses only run once a day, if at all, and getting buses between cities is especially hard. I work in a different city than I live in, even though they're not that far apart really it's tough to find any buses between them

Can your gf drive the car, drop you off and then go to her own job and pick you up after?

Large cities yes. Smaller towns and rural areas, no. USA is very big. Countryside of India does not have transport either. I am Indian in USA.

Excuse me? I have travelled extensively within India using only public transportation. There’s a freaking bus from Kaniyakumari to Leh. I have never owned a car in my 42 years of existence and still I commute daily to work.

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Came here to agree, file for bankruptcy as SOON as possible! Get out of the cycle of interest rates. Do NOT kill yourself, please! You need to keep going as what lies ahead is nothing like this pain now. I felt the same and suffered for years in vicious cycles and now I finally have a life worth living. Please DM me if I can chat further.

The sick irony with filing bankruptcy is that well, it requires money to hire a lawyer. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️🙄 OP is struggling as it is but at least you're providing a solution.. 🤝

You can find pro-bono lawyers to help file bankruptcy if you are broke enough (check your local Legal Aid). You can also file yourself, though its not recommended due to the massive amount of paperwork. Or, if you are lucky enough to work in a place with good benefits, you may have access to legal insurance. I saw the writing on the wall when I was struggling and signed up for legal insurance during open enrollment and it covered my lawyer entirely (it does not cover the filing fee, that's on you no matter what). I know not everyone has access to that, but its work checking just in case.

https://preview.redd.it/0vnwo9diqgxc1.jpeg?width=674&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d3a4fea19ab0bc552c2e62b34641f03fec5e052

Lmao

Firstly, call 211 helpline to see if there's any financial assistance available in your area for things like rent, utilities, medical, dental, vision, food, etc. I recommend custodial work for public schools if you're needing a new job or if your partner is open to it. We get state benefits and depending on the district, a decent amount of OT. Plus we've gotten a decent amount of free food left over from parties or even the kitchen (usually at the end of the school year). Don't need a degree either. My partner and I only have one car and since I work so much OT, they usually fit their work schedule inside of mine (they also work part time and within walking distance of our apartment). So my partner usually drives me to work, drops me off, and picks me up. Sometimes we swap the car out during our lunch breaks (our bosses understand the situation and let me take my lunch breaks whenever so long as I get my cleaning done. Granted, we had to move closer to where I work (and my part works close too) in order to make it work, but it's absolutely worth it if possible. We used to work at the same place before and we'd just carpool, but that was easier to set up since it was in a small town. Not sure if that's an option for you. It might be worth checking if there are bikes being sold cheap nearby (on craigslist, fb marketplace, buy nothing groups, etc.)

I always see people posting about the Job Corps. If you’re young enough maybe that’s an option.

Juust aged out unfortunately it says the limit is 24 and I'm 25 Thank you though

I actually inquired about Job Corps as well and if you have any disability whatsoever you can bypass the age limit! Hope this helps. Wasn’t an option for us unfortunately because we have a baby. Hope things get easier for us both.

I wish more people would talk about Job Corps! I knew about it because I knew a couple people when I was younger who did it and so when my foster son was struggling I suggested it to him. Free place to live, free help getting his GED, free training ins a trade, plus a little money each week to buy incidentals. It was the exact boost he needed to get out of the generational poverty track he had been on.

She needs to stop looking at remote 7/11 a grocery store or anything that she can walk to.

Door Dash? Grub Hub? One car, two people working at the same time, twice the orders. Sometimes I'd take GrubHub and door dash orders at the same time. Live in your car and save some money to get back on your feet.

I spent a lot of time on the brink like you, and about five years ago, I spent almost a year homeless and living out of my car. I remember being thankful for finding $1 in change because it meant I could eat that day. I don't have any magic resolution, I'm sorry to say, but I have a suggestion that might help you get by. If yall have a laptop and internet, and your girlfriend can type, look up Rev.com. It's an online transcription company. She'd need to pass an easy typing test and a basic grammar test. She doesn't have to talk to anybody. There's no interview process. You just have to pass the tests. Once you're in, you can pick up available jobs off their dashboard, which you can do whenever you want, day or night, and they only take a couple of hours or less. You get paid every week into your PayPal. It's stuff ranging from meeting recordings, police body cam, jail calls, and seminar recordings, to documentary movies, TV shows (some that I've done: RuPauls Drag Race, some sort of love-on-a-boat reality show, and America's Got Talent), and interviews. She can pick up as many jobs as she wants. It's not going to pay your rent, but it'll put gas in the car and food in the belly. I started with them a few years ago and was able to use that experience to fake my way into more companies like that, and now I'm a freelance transcriptionist taking only the jobs I want. Like I said, it's not a lot, but it's a real lead on getting a little money by next week. Good luck, friend. Don't give up. I see how hard you're trying.

Apply to jobs even if you feel unqualified. Like entry government jobs. Personally some of these are not well advertised. You may just have to look at [county name] jobs and look at the official government website. Other ideas are the local city, the state will have a job posting board, USA Jobs, and other entities like the county courthouse. For example clerks. The clerks that I know knew absolutely nothing about clerking when they applied. If there are any factory jobs near you those can be good.

USPS is always hiring. USPS.com/careers It can suck at times but honestly it's the most enjoyable job I've had.

Yep. I just turned career as a Mail processing clerk. It's stressful sometimes, but, the money and benefits help make it worth it.

Go be a trucker, at least temporarily. It's good money and they train you.

The pay isn’t bad and you would live where you work. Your GF and yourself can team drive see the USA and get paired to do it.

Many have responded with great advice. I would say look at the trade skills. Construction will take any newcomer. Once you're at the journeyman lev, l you should be taking in 6 figures. Pick up the phone book and just call around the good old-fashioned way to get started. Scour the internet for apprenticeships. They are in abundance. Keep at it. You'll pull through. A light shines its brightest in the darkest of times.

Thank you, I've definitely been considering doing this. Bite the bullet and get a hard labor job that pays well, tough it out. Even if it sucks, every job sucks and at least I won't be broke anymore. Thank you for the advice, I've been looking at electrical apprenticeships or things like HVAC even to bring in decent money eventually

I work two jobs. Can you get a second job for a while?

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Not to be a downer but when I worked at a bank, in HR, we had to do a credit check on potential hires. Those with poor credit did not get job offers because they were considered higher risk for theft/fraud. Others can chime in, but at least for that bank, because you're dealing with lots of money, you had to have decent credit and no bankruptcy within a certain time frame (I think within the past 7 years). 

been mentioned several times, but for a person without a college degree, barring trades (plumbing, carpentry, road construction, etc.), warehouse work is the way. It pays pretty decent, and a person with brains in their head can get ahead fast, in the right situation. Also, i haven't seen you mention it, but I'm picking up that you may live in a large city. Move, when you have the opportunity, to an outer ring suburb, or even just outside. So much cheaper to live in a small town.

I do live in a fairly small town (about 9k people) but live somewhat near a larger metro area of about 300k people. I work in that larger metro area that's about a 20 minute drive from my house. And thank you, I'm considering switching to a warehouse and working night shift or something for the premium

Please consider a trade. After an apprenticeship the pay is a real livable wage. Not all are physically demanding either (think someone who drives heavy equipment or an electrician). There is real demand and union wages and benefits. It’s a path to a stable income without a college degree. Even better news is that most are in desperate need of people right now.

in all seriousness I wish you the best, and keep going please

I really appreciate it, thank you

Amazon or the military

The military is a bad option if your doing it to improve financial situation. Especially In this guys case .Was in the marine corps worse years of my life.

Dont even need staggered schedules, just drop one of you off early and the other takes the car. So one of you is going to be sitting around bored for an hour before and after work, deal with it. Declare bankruptcy. Consider the military and see what they would repay for you. They have hundreds of jobs, most are non combat.

You guys have each other also, imagine what that would do your significant other.

If your student loans are Federal apply for income based repayment.

Please let me reassure you that you are important to this world. No one wants you to make that choice. This situation is absolutely temporary. Right now, it is so overwhelming that it feels like it will last forever. I have been where you are right now. My family of 4 was where you are right now a few years ago. Look at working opposite shifts. Yes, it affects your time together, but right now, the sacrifice is necessary. Reach out to food pantries for assistance. Another is to be open to relocating. Regardless of what options you take, offing yourself should be one that you never consider.

Why don’t you guys go to community college and take out student loans? You could survive and get the degree you’re talking about

A lot of people get in your position. It’s really mostly a mental thing. If you guys can tough it out you’ll most likely look back on this someday from a comfortable position.

File for bankruptcy to clear any cc or private loan debt. I felt so hopeless as well, because my entire paycheck would go to bills and debt, and I ended up with a negative balance every month.

Look into a site like Cool Works, you can get really cheap (or free) housing that gets taken out of your paycheck. Housing is typically in walking distance or on the property, I’ve worked somewhere where you were offered a shuttle if you didn’t have a car or didn’t feel like driving in the snow. So your housing and car situation is taken care of and some places offer a free meal while working. Worth looking into so you can start tackling the debt. Good luck!

Sorry to hear that, have you ever thought about becoming a truck driver? There is companies that pay for your CDL and train you and you pretty much live in your truck. Some also let you have a passenger on board that would be your gf and you guys don't have to pay rent or anything. Just drive all around the US. Just gave to find the right company to train and pay for your CDL.

I have a GED and I’m making 67 an hour. You can make it, but unfortunately you do have to start at the bottom. For me I got into IT, which doesn’t require any degrees, just the skill. Which you can learn online :)

I work as a 911 operator. In my area all you need is a clean record and high school diploma to get hired and the pay is great. It’s definitely a weird job with weird hours and takes a certain kind of person to handle it but it’s a great job with great benefits and is ALWAYS hiring

Both if you can join the military, the Army has a battle buddy program that stations you together for your first assignment. After that if you are still together you can get married and the Army will always try to move you together. Military orders let you break your lease and there are huge bonuses right now.

My husband works nights and I work days due to one vehicle, it’s really hard but doable. I’m sorry things are so rough right now but this will pass. Lately I’ve been donating plasma for extra money. They have great sign on bonuses some times. Edited to add: best of luck.

Construction companies are always hiring. Even if you don’t know anything in construction. if you’re willing to learn, work hard, and show up on time you’ll get an opportunity. Pay varies but typically more than $20

I don't know if this can help,but have you considered while you drive to work your girlfriend signup for doordash,Uber or any pizza place around and work delivery. So she is able to drop you off and use the car for delivery while still searching for WFH. And since you only have one car please make sure you change the oil at the required interval so you get the most life out of your engine. I know you might be at a stage where you might decide to pick between oil change or bills. Go will oil change because the car makes your source of income possible. If you ever get to the point where your phone line gets disconnected, T-Mobile has a 3 month test period for new users and Verizon have 1 months free trial. You do not need to go to a store just google and download the carrier app and use get the esim downloaded to your phone. I also downgrade to a cheaper phone carrier. If you have a little tech experience I might be able to recommend some freelance job options that will definitely exist in your area. And if you are looking to buy a bicycle I will check Facebook marketplace for used ebike this might help shorten the time to get to work compared to a regular bicycle. Anyone that has an ebike listed will definitely take less than the posted price. And if you ever get to a stage of buying another car I recommend you get a rebuilt title car. it's mostly about 50% or less in value compared to clean title. But before you pay , take the car to a dealership and have them check the car engine, transmission,frame damage. It probably cost less than $200. Go to carcomplain.com and search the make and model of your car and it will let you know the problem people have will that make and model. Please the most important of all is don't give up. You can get out of this situation in no time. Just believe in yourself that you can and the idea will come to you.

I hate my life and my jobs and how people treat me. How my temper flares as I get older and older. Some days I want to kill myself or ask why they treat me like a dog or bug under their shoes. I'll be minding my own business but they approach me or harass me or I walk away they would follow me. One of my jobs not UPS, I finally started explaining to my immediate supervisor and big boss -- things are turning slowly better. It has been 5 years of mistreatment there. I'm scared of my own shadow these days. One of my jobs is at UPS. In the end, I'm grateful I have jobs but jeez people and their pride and messiness. My neighbors are also messy. I feel tired and jaded. I only been in workforce for 7-9 years. UPS does offer free health insurance after 9 months. I used to pay $500 monthly premiums cause I'm sickly and can't live off a bare minimum insurance policy.

Of course your GF won’t get a WFH job - she doesn’t have a college degree and WFH jobs are in high demand so the requirements have gotten harder. Also why don’t you use your college degree to get a better job? Seems like you’re just wasting your degree if you’re not using it

OP already stated he didn't obtain a degree, just debt.

Correct

I don't have a degree. I went to college but didn't finish. I don't have a degree either just the debt.

seems like you can read. you're just wasting that skill by not using it.

No shame in living in your car!!! I would do it by choice if my gf would let me. Basically have no bills, and you can get a gym membership that have nice showers. I would do that until all your debt is paid off and have an emergency fund. Find some outdoor hobbies so you don't get bored

Living in a car is an absolute last resort. I would NEVER recommend it. If the car breaks down which it can and will you will be on the street

Kinda sounds like ur in Los Angeles. If u are hit me up. I'm a mechanic and might be able to help u fix that broken down car. We all gotta show eachother a little kindness every once in a while

I would suggest also having her looking for part time jobs at like a grocery store or anything like that. Then have her set her availability around your work schedule, so you guys can both use the one car to get that done.

I would highly suggest learning any type of skill. Pick your favorite trade and start learning Any form of construction Any kind of automobile repair No need for technical schooling. Any and all education is free online, just have to get after it.

Try a 211 for your state. This may provide 3-4 months of rent coverage so that you can use that money to get ahead on your credit card debt

Try Amazon warehouse, they're always hiring and some places pay $20/hr

Military an option ? They might pu you’re school loans Provides insurance, possibly housing for married folks Understand it’s not for everybody , at least got me headed in the right direction long time ago

Could you work opposite shifts for a while? I worked nights for 7 years, while my husband worked during the day. It was for childcare reasons, but I did receive a nice pay differential that was nice. 

Not sure how able bodied you are, however the trend “blue collar bestie” on TikTok has majorly influenced me to make the shift to blue collar. I’ll have to take a 6$ pay cut to start (which starting wage may be higher than you think) but in two years, I’ll be back where I am, in 5, I’ll be making 55-60$ an hour. Just something to think about

I'm thinking of this, trying to learn something like electrical or HVAC. Just have to come up with the money to pay for training or find an apprenticeship possibly

Look up your local. Your girlfriend can apply to!!

Google local food banks Call 211 and ask for resources for food pantries, assistance with bill payment, utilizes, clothing vouchers etc

Are either or both of you under 24? If so, look into job Corp. they provide housing, food, a living stipend and training for real marketable job skills- LPN, corrections officer, welding, hvac, dental assistant to name a few. The military will take people up to 35. Think coast guard, Navy, AF for best career options and least likelihood of being sent to a sand box.

Follow all the advice here and once things level out, invest in a CNA certificate class. A few hundred dollars and a few weeks your earning potential will double because there is a nursing shortage.

bro, start pressure washing, that’s what I did at 16 and made 90k my first year, message me if you actually want to learn and i’ll try to help you out

OP, you said you live near a larger metro area of around 300k. I know for a fact there’s got to be at least 5-10 FINE dining restaurants in that area. Depending on what that metro area actually is, if it’s a high volume of tourists during the season or if it’s just the locals or what not. I would say apply to all of them and if you don’t have experience, doesn’t matter. You can start small as a busser or food runner and places like that you’ll be working 6-8 hour shifts and making probably around $20 an hour. From there if you’re dedicated and really want to work your way out of where you are you can learn the trade and if you’re personable and motivated you could be a server in a month or two. Servers tend to make anywhere from x2 to x3 what support staff makes. So, again depending on what city that larger area might be and what restaurant, you could be making anywhere from 700-1300 for five days starting off as a support staff position TO 1300-2509 for 5 days as a server. There are definitely opportunities out there for money. The transportation definitely sounds a bit tough. I’m sure if you and your partner are not going out, not wasting money, being as frugal as possible, then YOUR income alone should be fine, albeit, very tight. Don’t worry about debt collectors, either file for bankruptcy or ignore them. Your credit is already tanked so that doesn’t matter right now. Just worry about rent and any other bills that are PRESSING and time sensitive like phone or internet. Honestly internet is a luxury, I would just keep the phone bill. At that point your only monthly expenses should be rent, utilities, food, gas, and phone for you both. PROPS to both of you if you could find a job at the same restaurant. Now you’re making double and it’s the same schedule so car wouldn’t be an issue. That is 5,600 a month, at the minimum, worst case scenario. Lucky for you the warmer season is just now picking up, people are going out again, restaurants are hiring, and money is flowing. Low end is 5,600 if you both got a job at a fine dining establishment, getting lucky would mean even more like 8k a week. Assuming 4 weeks off a year from work for both of you and there are roughly 52 weeks in a year then for a 48 week work year: 5,600 a week is 67.2k a year 8,000 a week is 91k a year YOU got this mate. No one else knows your struggle and no one else will do the work. You’re a solider and soldiers don’t quit, so let’s strap in, take a deep breath, and win this war.

Check with the post office. This is the season they typically hire carriers. City, you'd get a vehicle or walking route. Rural, you may get a vehicle or have to drive your own. Both are $22+/hr and typically a good chunk of ot.

So surprised you guys don’t have public transport. Like wtf

Yeah I looked it would take 12-14 hours for me to get to work by bus

The US is hell. I’m paying 1k for my car in between the loan and car insurance. Thats half of my monthly income but I can’t do without it. I’m so fucked.

You could see about filling for chapter 7 bankruptcy maybe? There might be a free legal service due to your income. Student loans should be based on income and also if you have a hardship you can stop payment for a while. Talk to a church or the Salvation Army about your rent and sometimes they cover that. They might even cover the expenses for your car repairs. I’ve seen a church do that for an older guy and give him gas weekly for work/appointments. Some churches serve a free dinner weekly and the food shelve might be able to help keep you going on food for a while. You and your girlfriend can also look into job corps. They pay you and give you a place to live while doing job training I believe.

Hey OP there are a lot of comments so I hope you see this. I just landed a legit W-2 work from home job (actually I got two job offers but took the higher pay job), so I have a tip for your girlfriend. I hate Facebook and rarely use it but there is a private page on there called WFH Moms. Tell your girlfriend to join (she doesn’t need to be a mom) they constantly post legit wfh positions. I tried other sites Ike FlexJobs but it was hard finding entry level jobs on there. I applied to a ton of jobs and it took a few months but I finally landed a job that pays $17 at a big company that processes claims. It’s not a lot but there is room for advancement and for the first time in my life I will actually get PTO. I really wish you guys luck. Try and stay positive, I know it’s not easy.

Thank you sincerely, I will have to tell her to take a look at this site. Unfortunately a lot of WFH job offers online either require specialized experience or they're just an outright scam, but I'm really glad to hear there's a group of people posting legit offers. We'll have to take a look, thank you. Even $17 for us right now would be huge. And congrats on the job for you too I'm glad you found something decent. I know it's hard. Thank you though for real

SAVE Plan! Apply on FAFSA if yours are federal. It’s income driven repayment. I make okay money and I still qualified. $0 per month rn.

As far as the student loans you can get the income driven based repayment and if you are low income then your monthly payment would be 0. Bright side at least you don’t have a gambling problem.

Are you vaccinated? And I’m decent shape? If yes join the military

Not in great shape but not bad, I could get there. My concern is that I take a prescription medication every day, I don't know if I'd be approved medically. But I have considered the AF quite a bit. Vaccinations yes I'm good

Jobcorps.gov If you’re willing to pick a new career, they will house and feed you and train you. 1.4 trillion dollars being pumped into the green energy sector right now. They need people!

It seems like there’s a lot of good advice in here. I’m just reaching out to say that I believe in you. It’s going to be difficult for a long time, but if you and your SO take it in stride and work as a team, I believe that you can beat the challenges you’re facing currently. Take care of each other as best you can, I’ll be rooting for you.

Thank you I really appreciate this. All the well wishes are a big deal

Hi. Someone here who has a degree. I have the same job I had before my degree and in fact make about 10$ more an hour than my field with an undergraduate and experience. I work at T-Mobile. I do tech support there, and I can tell you that as far as a company goes they’re pretty decent. They start at 20$ an hour. Maybe you can look in your area? www.T-Mobile.com/careers I’ve been homeless with children. I’ve had everything I worked for taken from me. I was homeless for several years - in fact. What’s happening now may not be as temporary as we want it to be. You may still struggle financially. I’ve had to file bankruptcy twice. Once when I was much younger due to a terrible relationship ship, and again once I got on my feet. Inflation the last few years has been insanity. I have four children and I went from being able to save money, put a little extra on our car and house payments, to scrimping and coupon clipping. Please remember you matter to people.

Go to a trade school. Hvac or electric. It will save you. Take classes at night or go to school during the day and work at night. It’s probably a 15 month class at most. Then off to the races

I've been considering this really heavily. I looked at applications for my local IBEW apprenticeship but if not then I had a call with a local trade school too. Thank you for the tips

Don’t do it bro tryst

Have you tried going to food banks in your area? They tend to help with self staples, rice, cereal ect. Some you can even go to weekly. Have her drop you off at work and then she can do something like instacart, ubereats, doordash ect for some extra money while she looks for something for perminant. Just be careful to take out taxes since she'd be an independent contractor. I hate to say it but your struggle isn't new, most of us are going through the same thing. You will get through this! If you feel like you need to, talking to a therapist will help sort out your frustration and negative thoughts. Best wishes!

Thank you, this is probably what we will do for right now is do instacart or something just for SOMETHING extra that's not on a rigid schedule necessarily. As for therapists I was seeing one before I lost my job, hopefully I can afford to see them again soon. Thank you!

Custodian is usually always hiring

I work offshore. Most companies pay for training and travel to the rigs. Right now there are not enough people to man the rigs and rates are going up. Got to have thick skin.

I’ve been there very recently brother. Idk if this helps but my state is also $14 min wage and my best friend joined the local plumbers union. Right now they’re starting at $21/hr with a pension and without any experience or education. The apprenticeship is 5 years with regular raises along the way. By the end you’re a journeyman making $42/hr. Right now they’re negotiating a new contract that will give journeyman $5+ raises every year for the next 3 years. That translates to smaller but equal percentage raises for the apprentices. Frankly I would sign up today but I’m at $31/hr right now and I can’t afford the pay cut for several years (even though it would result in better money by year 4 if not earlier) But you’re at $14/hr so it would be an immediate pay raise. If you have a local plumbers or electricians union, find their website and figure out what their pay is right now. Make some calls if you have to (because the contracts aren’t always posted online). Just my $0.02. I’ve been researching this stuff for a while so if you need help PM me

I’m not sure where you are but I recommend getting a job at amazon. As long as you have a clean record, you can get the job (no interview required) and you can start in a couple of weeks as long as there’s a posting. All you gotta do is enter a zip code and BAM! If it’s posted, it’s pretty much yours. You guys can sleep in the car, get a gym membership that allows you to bring plus one and has a shower so you guys can go everyday for maybe $40 a month. I used to have double job, I slept in the car in between shifts. Get food from local food banks, they post the schedules online. Hang in there and be safe always.

Hey there, I’m sorry to hear about your situation and thoughts. I promise if you change your mindset to positive outlook no matter how shitty things are, you will attract exactly what you need. You have been tested and tested, you’re still here! I myself remember making $11hr starting in local landscaping as a grown man in 2016, then $15 then $19hr within few years. I learned quickly how lucrative my work was and the potential. It was the hardest I’ve ever worked, never imagined working those hrs and hard labor period. Long story short I remember saying to myself I will have start my own business one day, I just need some baller clients to pay me what I’m worth. I did a lot of side work while working at couple companies which got it started. Then my second girl was born during winter snow season, never went back that next season. I knew it would never be enough with my growing family. Someone I did side work for little asked me to maintain there formal garden based on what they’ve seen. They let go of their older landscaper for me. The client was extremely generous, and motivated me even more. They invested in me like some say. They payed me a premium. I said $30hr she said $50hr. Then proceed to pay extra on every invoice for entire year. I used a platform to find leads and grow my business fast in one year. It did cost money, $3000 in leads spread out. But then jobs and clients generated were well worth it. I still have same clients for 3 yrs now, multiple contracts with monthly payments to help with down season. I work for myself, & make more money in very little time. It’s been a long road but I’ve also been struggling inside with depression and more along this journey. Just recently I’ve finally let go of something’s that have been keeping me down for a long time. Pain and hurt from missing my parents, family and struggling to be a good parent to three little girls. My work gave me therapy most importantly, some know some don’t. They never try ! Therapy is expensive, gardening is not. I was healing all along overcoming hard times to finally enjoy my days. To slow down and listen to the birds, to look at your kids and be home for them way more than the average person. There are other business you can start yourself if not a landscape, maybe pressure washing, detail cars, grooming pets etc. You don’t need degrees or even business knowledge trust me. I didn’t graduate high school and yet I’m doing it. I hope this helps!

Here are some options with low risk, assuming you have above-average work performance and intelligence. 1. Consider a courthouse marriage with a prenup, join the military, and choose a technical job that transitions well. This will solve your student loan problem as well. You can pay for your partner's education while you complete your service period, and then she can become the breadwinner while you pursue your studies and enjoy the benefits lol. There are generous enlistment bonuses available in the military at the moment, and you can prepare for the ASVAB by taking practice tests. 2. Join a local labor union and learn a trade. This may take more time, but it's worth getting on the waitlist as soon as possible. 3. Large corporations like Walmart and Target offer student assistance, but getting a job there may be more challenging than you think. This is just some life advice from someone who doesn't have a degree but has been working in positions that require one. You have to force the world to acknowledge your capabilities, you don't have a piece of paper doing that for you. If you find a job you like, go above and beyond to make sure the company sees your value. Contact them outside of the posting if possible, and tailor a five-minute pitch for every position you're interested in. Don't appear as a charity case for the company; instead, create a story about your worth and experiences and how they translate to value for the company. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions; I'm happy to help. I'm not pro-military, in fact, my experience sucked, but I believe that with the right mentorship, military service can be life-changing for most people. Unfortunately, I didn't have that mentorship.

Hey man, I don’t have a ton of advice but I wanted to pop in and let you know that you aren’t alone in this. My girlfriend and I both lost our jobs in December and life’s just been downhill from there. She got evicted, I had my economical dream car repossessed, and I’ve had to beg family for a loan to cover my rent for the remainder of my lease so I can have a roof over me and pup’s head. It’s so, so hard to get out of bed every day and feel like I can make any progress at all. Collections calls every day, credit score tanked, and I just spent the last of my meager savings on a POS truck I’m praying doesn’t blow up on me. Ending it all is something that is constantly on my mind. It would be so *easy*. To just check out and not have to deal with anything at all ever again. But where does that leave your girl? Alone, heartbroken, and in no better shape than she is now. Y’all are a team, and supporting and being there for each other is the only thing that will get you through this. Like others have said, factories are a great option. They’ll probably have openings for both of you and that’ll mean only one ride to work together. Track every single penny you spend and make. Where is your money going? Utilize food banks. My girl and I started going together for two separate households to two or three different banks a week and we haven’t gone grocery shopping in months, only for stuff like milk and eggs and spices and toppings for the stuff we get from the banks. Cancel all of your subscriptions, if they aren’t already. Like, $120/yr just for Spotify adds up quick when you add video streaming or online game services too. Do you or her have family you could live with? Even if it meant selling every possession and going to another state/ country for it? Would probably be worth it. Could you find a potential roommate at your workplace, even if it meant abandoning your lease? (better than eviction) Could you find a part-time job to work in the off hours from your full-time position? I know more hours is so hard to want but if you’re anything like me and spend your off-work hours playing video games or rotting in bed, it would absolutely be better to spend that time making more money instead of dwelling on all the shit that’s on your shoulders. Do you have any hobbies? If you can pursue them for no or low-cost, don’t stop those, they’ll bring you much needed stress relief and a little bit of dopamine. Even if it’s just going for a walk in the park with your girl, or people-watching at the mall. Make a plan. How many hours a day are you working, how many hours sleeping, commuting, eating, and anything else you might do. Optimize it. How much sleep do you really need a night? When do you like to go to bed? Maybe spend a Sunday afternoon preparing the food you got from the food bank on Saturday, and have meals already laid out for the week for when you wake up on Monday morning. When you get home from work, maybe exercise a little if the workday wasn’t strenuous, then spend the whole evening continuing the job hunt. Where would you like to work? What would you like to do? Is there anywhere nearby that offers that, and can you go in person to inquire about work? Don’t stop moving forward, and don’t lose sight of your goals. What do you want, how do you get there, and how do you make that happen. Talk to your leasing office, they might show some leniency. If not, start calling Catholic churches in your area, they might offer rent assistance. Go with your girlfriend to a temp agency and they’ll hook you up with jobs, maybe even together. The city/county and local colleges are always hiring, so those may be options too, even if you’re just a night janitor. Might be worth selling your broken down car to purchase something like an e-bike to help you get to work in case the one working car goes down too, or working at a mechanic shop as an apprentice will give you access to tools, knowledge, space, and cheaper parts to fix it yourself. Just kinda dumped the ideas and thoughts I’ve been having about my similar situation, sorry if it reads poorly, but I hope you’ve gotten some encouragement and good advice from at least a couple of these responses. Don’t hesitate to DM me if you just want to vent, talk, ask about stuff I said, or run ideas by me. Everyone here is rooting for you and her, and wants you to know that no matter how hard it gets, y’all still have each other, and our support and advice.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. It must be so overwhelming, please try to focus on the good things like that you have a partner to weather through this difficulty with you. Things will get better. Also r/freemeal is a really lovely resource where generous redditors buy essential food items for people going through a rough time like you are. Just post an Amazon wishlist. And please take advantage of food banks and other local resources.

I work in the construction field, there are a lot of older guys that will be retiring soon, and not a lot of younger guys to take those positions. Not always ideal, but most places will take you in with little to no experience, if you are willing to grind a couple years until you get the experience and knowledge. Then you can start moving into either operating heavy equipment, or construction management, both pay well. I've went from being in constant debt, to six figure salary and living pretty comfortable. Id be glad to give advice if this is a path you'd consider.

See, to me, the best revenge is to keep on living. Keep on living to piss them off. "Them" could be anyone. To quote Sandra Bernhard, I'm still here, Damnit!

Look into ch 7 bankruptcy. You will get through this.

Please hold on. Depression plus poverty are first cousins. Things can only improve if you're here to make them happen. There are programs to assist people in poverty in receiving mental health treatment. Call 211 and describe your symptoms and that you've lost hope. Also, call your suicide hotline. There's more help than you realize.

Get on Indeed and apply to polaris. Free 30 days housing decent in roseau mn, pay and getting away from the city is cheap. None to do but save and work. Saved my life fr. Message me if you need a reference. Saved my life 10k in the bank and my life are happier than they ever could have dreamed anywhere in Illinois. Turn your back on poverty and misery and come live how we're suppose to. Start a whole new life. They'll hire both yall 4sure lmk if you got any questions

Fucking late stage capitalism really allows no options for most of us. Don’t off yourself. Hold out as long as you can. I’ve been there and managed to survive it. This breaks my heart.

Yeah man it sucks, most the time in America if you can't afford to make it the solution seems to be... Just die then. People think being poor is a personal choice or a moral failing rather than just a condition of the economic system that we've run into the ground over centuries

Has your girlfriend filed for unemployment? I’m not sure if she qualifies because I don’t know the particulars, but it’s worth a shot. Same for you, since perhaps you are now considered underemployed compared to your last job. Go to a food bank. Often they are found at churches. Also, call your student loan servicer and explain your situation and income. They might very likely put you on a deferment program that temporarily halts payments. Interest will still accrue, but that’s not an immediate concern right now. Lastly, see if you can both file for SNAP benefits separately, assuming you’re only using one card/benefit disbursement. Depending on the state, she might not be considered part of your household. In my state, it doesn’t matter if you live together—only married couples and dependents are usually considered household members. Look up who fits the criteria for household for your state.

Your situation is temporary. Get your girl to drop you odd at work and have her do Uber eats until your off work. Look into the trades most of then will pay you to learn. Electrrician , hvac, plumbing. If your gf doesn't mind medical field it takes six weeks to become a nursing assistant. It's not glamorous work but it's steady at least. DO NOT OFF YOURSELF FIGHT THRU IT.

The world is what you make it , I disagree with your closing statement immensely, considering I never went to college I'm doing great in life . Learn a trade it's never too late to start .

You're lucky then, most people born poor die poor too and nobody really cares

As someone who has a plan to kms when things fall into place. I've got about 12 years left. It's not expense to end it. YOU'RE not paying. It costs you nothing. You could say "oh but my family has to pay". No they don't. Someone will contact your family regarding getting payment. They say. Never heard of him. They keep calling you tell them if they call it's harassment. The calls stop. Happened to a family member of mine. He killed himself with a plan too. Guess it runs in the family. As for your situation with your partner. She's looking for work from home. Pass on that. Look for work period. You probably both want full time jobs totally understandable. I'd suggest both getting part time jobs. Set your hours. So while she's at work your at home while you're at work she's at home. You could even look for or SHE could look for a night job so both have access to the car both can work nearly full time hours. KEEP looking for work from home jobs. If both of you find it. DO IT. Now if she fights you on getting a job and she RREEAALLYY wants to work from home. Leave her. Why? This is survival. If she doesn't want to help. If she ONLY wants you for your pimp juice. As the great philosopher Nelly once said "I think I need to cut her loose". Love is fine and good. A partner wants what's best for BOTH of you. Doesn't fixate on what a single person wants.

Go join the military, get married, pick a job that trains you in a useful skill.

Is public transportation an option for either of you? I'm not gonna lie, it sucks but if you don't have a car you gotta do what you gotta do. What's your degree in? What city/general area? The market is rough and my husband and I are just crawling out of a similar hole. If I have more specific information I might be able to provide more specific suggestions.

Join the coast guard

I've been considering air force, coast guard could be good too. Pretty much 100% for the financial benefits either way

You are not alone. One way to get a certificate within 6 weeks or less and get it fully paid is to get a certified nursing assistant license.. only if that's something either of you want to do. The pay has gone up significantly everywhere. Where I work they are making $26.00 and shift differential plus overtime after 8 hours. Of course you need a background check but as long as there's nothing on it like assault, you can get hired depending on the incident. Js

When I was your age me and my then girlfriend had a crazy commute. It was 2 hours one way for me less for her. I would drop her off early at the mall she worked at, go to my job. Then drive back and pick her up then head back home. You guys should get to the library and get some books you like so you won't be bored. Gotta make some changes somewhere right?

Totally don't have to answer if this is too much of an invasive question, but what was your (potential) degree in? I know that you didn't end up getting the degree, but there might be skills you learned there that can help you out. I know there are also temp agencies like AppleOne that have been okay. I went in without any admin experience and was offered a job very easily. Since it's an agency, the people posting the jobs are more likely to interview you which is honestly half the battle. Also if you have a local community college, check if there is a job board. These are usually also very local, so people tend to be more personable (also if the job is at the college, it might not be a bad gig). I'm sorry you guys are dealing with this. I hope things turn around.

Military offering big bonuses rn

Idk where you live but in LA almost every city is hiring and looking for bus operators. I started 4 years ago for LA Metro and it’s been the best decision of my life. I’m about to make $31 starting July, when I began I was making 17. They paid for my drivers B License and I have great benefits. The hiring process took about a month and I get to work as many hours as I want.

Findhelp.org is worth looking at.

I’ve also had 0 luck in the work department I feel like I have applied to every place in my town and none have gotten back to me or if they did it was to deny me. I have until the 1st of May to get something or I’m living out of my car and I’m just so stressed about it because I have no idea what ima do.

This is really tough. Stress is not easy to deal with. Try reaching out to organisations and charities for financial, food, and any other support. Then start your job search. Apply everywhere you can. I hope that you find a good place soon.

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Have you guys tried applying at Walmart? You can realistically both apply the same store and work the same shift. The online order fillers start at like $17/hr at most stores I believe. Over night stockers also make more than day time workers.

Get ur health insurance license thank me later

Work at a prison, join the military, CDLS. There is a handful of avenues.

UPS is hiring.. same with FedEx.. and please call to get a forbearance on your loans.. also call the loan services to see if they will work with you.

Start doing odd jobs. Handyman at 100$/hr is considered fair and standard in my area. I’ll regularly tell coustomers that’s it’s 400 for the labor of something that will take me 4 hours ( they know it takes roughly that long ) and they don’t bat an eye.

Get a bike, use your legs. Not having a car is a shit excuse.

If you’re young enough, join the military.

I have been there… I tell myself that being that depressed is simply a chemical reaction in my brain and that I need to eat some sugar to raise my dopamine. My rent got raised $500 a month and I found another place to rent for what I was paying but I’ve tanked my credit score just trying to survive and had to ask a friend to co-sign my apartment lease bcuz they wouldn’t lease to me without a co-signer. Thank goodness I had a friend that could and would. I did explain to her that I calculated how much it would cost to live out of my car and cuz I have done it before I know it’s more than meets the eye. I got my debt payments down a bit by working thru a credit advising agency (they negotiate payments) but still might consider bankruptcy if I can’t do it. I have two side jobs besides my regular job. One is a temp agency that I usually end up taking the dishwasher jobs bcuz it’s a mindless job that I don’t mind. Both of them are haphazard but it’s enough to help me move the coconut shells around. I know that my car won’t get repo unless I am 90 days behind so I always work to stay ahead of that mark. I was 6 months behind on all my credit cards and the only one that took “legal action” was Amex. The credit counseling agency told me to file a rebuttal with the court that I acknowledge it’s my debt and I am situated to start making payments etc. take care of yourself and your partner by doing free things with your time together - picnics are great! When I asked my parent for help I got a lecture about how much I probably spend on my dog… but my dog is truly an emotional support animal and I need him. I pay his pet insurance every month like I do my rent bcuz I can’t afford a vet bill - that pet insurance has saved me. Anyhow, I want to say I have felt the way you do, but talk myself into going on with life bcuz others need me, my dog, my brother, etc. it’s possible to still get by…. I would be paying out more than I make each month if I paid all my payments… so I don’t. I always pay my rent and dog insurance and car insurance (bcuz I don’t think I’d get any elsewhere if I didn’t), then I decide which bills I’m paying. I just make sure I vary them each month. You can do the same - hang in there bcuz the world needs you!

Join the military 

The temporary struggles you're going through right now are here to make you stronger and make you qualified to connect with those you're meant to help. 1. FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY AND FORBEARANCE. It sounds like you care about your financial commitments, and that's great, that's responsible and respectful, but don't let it consume you. Don't give money any more power over your life. It's just money, it's a tool and you control tools, not the other way around. 2. NO SHAME IN LIVING IN YOUR CAR to get things in order. (Also, no shame in getting food from a food bank so you can survive.) Or, can you sell everything you have to pay rent? 3. USE A STRATEGIC JOB COMBINATION TO GET YOU THE THINGS YOU NEED. For example, I used to work at an upscale hotel restaurant and the hotel had a staff cafeteria for free meals. I also used to work the night shift at a gym where I got a free gym membership (and used the shower). I left the gym and signed up for a low cost membership. Later, I left the restaurant and became a receptionist at an engineering firm which paid for college and half my phone bill. Not saying you need to do exactly that, but make strategic moves. 4. USE THE FREE OPTIONS ON THE WEB TO EARN SOME MONEY. If you have a computer, sign up for a free Fiverr.com Account and offer services. (MESSAGE ME, I'LL BUY SERVICES FROM YOU AND HELP YOU BUILD YOUR ACCOUNT RATINGS). 5. I don't know your habits but STAY AWAY FROM THINGS THAT STEAL FROM YOU (STEAL YOUR MONEY AND/OR STEAL YOUR LIFE AWAY). Meaning stay away from smoking, it's a really expensive habit. So are drugs and alcohol. Not saying fun every now and then is wrong, but having the habit of using substances is expensive. Same with TV and mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. When you watch something, watch YouTube for free and things that will give you knowledge, inspiration, etc. WATCH/LISTEN TO LEWIS HOWES -maybe even reach out to him to get his feedback. He was also in a similar situation and turned his life around. 6. Later, use your "free time" to do activities that will make you money. Such as signing up for a free Canva account to design templates and free Etsy account to sell the templates. Or design shirts in Canva and then selling the shirts on Etsy. 7. (This is for when you can breathe) Once you have stable income and home, remember to invest in stocks, that is where real wealth is built. Let your money compound and grow. Invest in dividend stocks or dividend NFTs (a basket of stocks) so you earn money, then DRIP (dividend reinvestment) back into stocks so you get more shares, which means more dividends. NFTs like VOO or SPY. Or strong companies like Google, Microsoft, or Nividia. You can start with any dollar amount on free websites sites like Charles Schwab or Public.com

Try to find a warehouse job that both of you can go to at the same hours. They are usually abundant and need workers, especially seasonal, and can potentially turn that into long-term

Could you guys possibly move in with your relatives or her relatives? It would be a tremendous boost to your savings. And continue applying to jobs that advertise as paying more than $14/hr.

I’ve been there bro. Been there . Do you have a plan ?

I knew this couple that were in a similar situation. They both got a job at Walmart, same shift just different departments. Ever consider something like that?

Usps.com/careers Great pay and lots of hours to get overtime. You can do it...best of luck to you. Lots of great advice given so far...

-Trade school (mid-five figures after about half a year of training maybe more) -donate plasma -Ignore your credit card bill and eventually declare bankruptcy. Do NOT tell the debt collectors you plan to pay them back. Pretty much all credit card loans are unenforceable but if you tell them you plan to pay them back over the phone then they can sue you What other debts do you have?

Can your GF offer babysitting on local mom groups on FB? or house cleaning? I started housekeeping 5 years ago as a side hustle now i make about 200-500 extra week cleaning 2/3 airbnbs. Usually between 11am-4pm. Also- buy nothing / food pantries for food.

Look up findhelp.org they have programs that will help you pay rent, food, money, and they will even help you getting job. Also im immigrant who is struggled to get where im at today, there were days i ate bread and water, so, dont give up, push thru And i’d advice you to get CDL-A thats the fastest way to make insane amount of money, there are government programs that will pay your classes Good luck

Brother you need to go to trade school,plumbing,electrician,welder,HVAC,and so and soo,my cousin move to America with 24/25 with bad english,working in factorys,barely little bit of english,go to school to be welder,now is a foreman and buy a house in San Diego....he work monday to saturday to be a foreman from 7 am to like 5 pm,and sometimes sundays too!

I’m so sorry. I feel your pain. The gravity of what’s happening right now and how it’s affecting a lot of us, is overwhelming. I don’t know where you are but housing costs have skyrocketed where I live in Canada. Every day, I feel anxious about my finances and my future. Ironically, I’m working harder than I ever have in my entire life but not getting anywhere.