Financial Challenges Support Group
This community is for people who are struggling to meet financial obligations of any kind. Financial challenges include everything from the day-to-day challenges of making ends meet to managing credit card debt to bankruptcy. Get support from others who are going through similar obstacles on the road back to financial stability.
Well I am new to this group and I am having a really hard time finacially. I am a single mother trying to make it. Right now I am in so much debt its not even funny . I live with my mom who is trying to take care of two boys 17 and 10 and help me out at the same time. I only make 430 a week but now that they have cut my hours I am only making like 350 a week.
My mom and I moved into a nice house back in Feb and asked my uncle to come stay with us he makes good money. He brings home close to 1000 a week if he has overtime if not he brings home like 650. Well since he moved in he has not helped us with anything. We have to tell him this bill is due or that bill is due. My mom makes good money but when you are trying to take care of a household by yourself that is not easy at all. She is behind on the rent which is 1550 a month so she is behind like 3100.00 plus she has a 1300.00 light bill right now WHICH IS RIDICOLOUS. We think it may be the A/C unit AAAARRGGHH. Plus her car note is two months behind and my car note is a month behind. Cell phone bill is high as hell we dont have a house phone so we rely on the cell. Gas,cable,water/trash all are behind and we have a grown ASS man living in the house thinking he dont have to do shit. Whenever we say " Can you please help with this bill" he acts like he is doing us a favor. Like he is not obligated to do anything in this house. I am so sick of him I dont know what to do!!!!! My grandparents well no my grandfather told my mom to put him out but she dosent want to do that. At first I didnt want to either but now I am sick of this bullshit and cant take it anymore. I have been looking for a job for MONTHS and have been unsucessful in finding a job. My mom who has never had blood pressure problems now has high blood pressure she is having nose bleeds and its all because of the stress of keeping up with the bills in this house. I am only 25 yrs old and sometimes I wish I had gone to college right out of high school like I was supposed to and maybe I would be a little better off. I am going to go ahead and sign up for some classes because I dont want to live the rest of my life struggling this hole situation has opened my eyes. I am just really depressed at this moment and Im tired of it ALL. Thanks for listening !
My mom and I moved into a nice house back in Feb and asked my uncle to come stay with us he makes good money. He brings home close to 1000 a week if he has overtime if not he brings home like 650. Well since he moved in he has not helped us with anything. We have to tell him this bill is due or that bill is due. My mom makes good money but when you are trying to take care of a household by yourself that is not easy at all. She is behind on the rent which is 1550 a month so she is behind like 3100.00 plus she has a 1300.00 light bill right now WHICH IS RIDICOLOUS. We think it may be the A/C unit AAAARRGGHH. Plus her car note is two months behind and my car note is a month behind. Cell phone bill is high as hell we dont have a house phone so we rely on the cell. Gas,cable,water/trash all are behind and we have a grown ASS man living in the house thinking he dont have to do shit. Whenever we say " Can you please help with this bill" he acts like he is doing us a favor. Like he is not obligated to do anything in this house. I am so sick of him I dont know what to do!!!!! My grandparents well no my grandfather told my mom to put him out but she dosent want to do that. At first I didnt want to either but now I am sick of this bullshit and cant take it anymore. I have been looking for a job for MONTHS and have been unsucessful in finding a job. My mom who has never had blood pressure problems now has high blood pressure she is having nose bleeds and its all because of the stress of keeping up with the bills in this house. I am only 25 yrs old and sometimes I wish I had gone to college right out of high school like I was supposed to and maybe I would be a little better off. I am going to go ahead and sign up for some classes because I dont want to live the rest of my life struggling this hole situation has opened my eyes. I am just really depressed at this moment and Im tired of it ALL. Thanks for listening !
Isn't there someway you and your mom can work out some kind of agreement with your uncle? Or tell him to hit the road. It isn't fair that he is getting a free ride in your house if he isn't contributing to the bills. Hopefully things will look up for you soon. How many hours are you working? Is it possible to get a second job or find a new one that will offer more pay and better benefits? (I know that its nearly impossible with the job market the way it is though...) I hope things look up for you soon.
In terms of bill payment/rent assistance/etc: Check local churches, the Salvation Army, etc. to see if anyone can help with utility bill assistance or rent assistance. You might also want to check to see if the electric company has any payment plans available - where I'm from, there's something called PIPP (Percentage of Income Plan) where you pay a certain amount based on your income.
Good luck!
JaguarShadow- At this time I am only getting 32.5 hrs a week. Yes if someone would call me back for a job I would work both just to make ends meet.
Also, as for inviting family to stay with you I feel for, I've been there and done that too. My only suggestion would be that if your mom decides to put him out depending on whose name the house is in she might have to go down to the police station and formally file an eviction notice.
In my state, simply kicking someone out b/c there is a disagreement over unpaid bills isn't easy. legally or financially. They HAVE to be legally evicted w/ a certified written notice to vacate the premises w/ in 60 days. Which according to the law gives the person a full 2 months to get their belongings together and find somewhere else to go, After 60 days your considered trespassing. Not sure where you live but out here an eviction notice is close to $200 and I think is more once the sheriff comes to put you, or takes you in for trespassing after 60 days and when the police put you out it isn't pretty either.
Also, in some states once a person establishes residency such as collecting the mail at residence it can be just as hard to evict them just as well even if they aren't paying bills. Therefore if he does happened to be kicked out or evicted be sure to take his name off the lease once its official to keep problems from occurring later.
Lastly, since you mentioned that you are a single mother and are considering going to school please know that there a lot options depending on your state for helping people go back to school or for going to school for the first time. If you do decide to go to school be sure to contact the financial aid office at the school(s) your interested in to see what financial aid is available for you. Also, if your child is under school age like 5 or younger some school also offer or award tuition assistance for daycare or pre-school depending on where you live and what school you go to. Just be sure to ask when talking to your school's financial aid office.
Well, I hope things w/ your family work out soon. GOOD LUCK :D
P.S. I forgot to mention is there a way that you can green your home i.e. using energy efficient products, cutting down the number of days you do the laundry etc to help cut down on the utilities? In addition, would your utility company be willing to workout a payment plan to keep your utilities on? If not, you could try to look to see if your state offers a HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) program which might be able to help If there isn't a HEAP Program your local United Way or 211 might be able to help. :D
As to your uncle,remind him that nobody asked him to come live there so he could live rent free. You are not a homeless shelter and he does have a decent income.You asked him to come so he could help out. If after this reminder he refuses to pony up any money, kick his lying, lazy, cheap butt to the curb.
If you apply to various programs as a single person, not as a dependent of your mom, there is a good chance you can get some help.
Check around for lower cost cell phone plans. At this time, don't use the phone just to chat. Use it only for business or other such needs.
When you sign up for classes, see if you can get a work-study position that will bring in a little income.