Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 15:26     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:Get a job. Any job. My husband works at Trader Joe’s and makes good money.


How much can you make at Trader Joe’s? Do you need to paint your hair to work there?
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 14:57     Subject: We are broke
I make $154/day before tax as a daily site sub at my children's elementary school. Its not great money, but it covers my car expenses and the kids extracurriculars and adds to our vacation fund. I'm off every day they are and don't need to pay for aftercare.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 14:56     Subject: We are broke
Wait, why are you paying for childcare when you have no job? What do you do all day?
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 14:54     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here - my kids are in different schools bc I have preschool and elementary aged kids. 2 more years until they’re all in elementary. Pre kids I was a public school teacher in a different city. I have a masters degree. I have no interest in returning to teaching. I will do anything work wise but I’m reluctant to take a job with strict hours. My husband has zero leave left after our year from h3ll. Happy to do some household repairs myself (like painting) but can’t replace the two broken windows on my own.



We don’t always get what we want. You have the ability to teach, plenty of people do jobs they don’t like out of necessity. Get a teaching job and put the kids in after school care. In the meantime, sub.


This. You don't like your job? There's a club for that. Its called "Everybody" and they meet at the bar. Or be broke and in debt. Your call.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 14:32     Subject: Re:We are broke
You've got a lot of excuses for not working. I was a single Mom, no excuses. Taking on more debt is not the answer to your problems.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 14:29     Subject: We are broke
Do you guys like dogs? What about watching or walking dogs through Rover?
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 13:40     Subject: We are broke
Get a job. Any job. My husband works at Trader Joe’s and makes good money.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 13:29     Subject: Re:We are broke
I think you should reconsider tutoring. You can get a babysitter for your kids and still net a decent amount of money. We used to have a tutor who would come to our house in the evenings, she charged 80-90 per hour and I know she often had a babysitter for her own kids. If you’re not comfortable going to someone’s house, there’s always the library or some other public place where you can meet your students.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 12:12     Subject: Re:We are broke
We’re a single income family too and money is tight with a third on the way. Is your preschooler the one with autism (and therefore in the PAC program)? I know the PAC hours are a little irregular, which may make it difficult working a real part time job. Uber eats or being an Instacart shopper may work since the hours are flexible.

If I didn’t have money to fix a broken window in my house, I would pull my kids out of any afterschool activities that weren’t free or super cheap. I would also join your local Buy Nothing group and get all your kids clothes/toys/Christmas presents from there. You can probably get some food/kitchen ware/clothes for you too on the Buy Nothing Group.

If you have expensive cell phone and cable, those are things you can cut. Get a Roku instead and use flip phones or prepaid phones.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 12:08     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Get an adjunct job for evenings at a local college. It’s not a great salary, but it’s very flexible and you can do it after your partner returns from work or while the kids are in preschool. Do that until they are all in school and then move to full time work.


That pays next to nothing, and OP probably isn’t qualified anyway.


Not a great salary, but the adjuncts i know make anywhere from $35-50/ hour with part time evening hours. Establishing a tutoring business takes time. Plus people want hours from 3-6 for tutoring snd she’ll have to hire a babysitter. She either needs to go back to work full time though, prob as a teacher.


Even if she can get $35 (since she doesn’t appear to have any adjunct teaching experience), if she gets two course sections that’s likely 6 hours a week, so about $210 a week pre-tax.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 12:08     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:Agree you'd save a lot of money pulling child/children from daycare. Bizarre waste of money given your qualifications.


+1. Either get a job or do the job of childcare. Duh.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 12:06     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We’re on one income. We have little kids, including one with special needs. No local family. No help. Money has always been tight. But this year wrecked us. Unexpected home repairs (in addition to the expected home repairs), medical bills, and a family emergency depleted our savings and left us with credit card debt and a heloc. I’ve been reading Dave Ramsey’s book and it’s hard not to feel completely hopeless. There are more home repairs that need to be done. I’d love to work but I need good, reliable childcare which is $$$. All the kids are in school but not all at the same school. There are therapies to get to and after-school activities. It feels like somebody is always sick too. I just feel so stuck.

I’m considering selling my engagement ring and using the $ to get an au pair so I can go back to work while still having somebody around the house all the time. Also considering selling the house and moving somewhere else. Last thought was to pull money from somewhere - $401k?






Even if you just work retail/bank teller from 9-3 while the kids are in school, that would be more money than you have now. Start there.

I think you overestimate the reliability of having a part time job that fill all the kids' in-school hours. I have only been able to do spotty freelance. Especially when you are starting out because you can't take off when anyone (including yourself) is sick.



Freelance is different bc you are trying to build a name for yourself or a client base. Retail you just don’t go and if you get fired, you move to the next store and start there. Even if she only works two weeks before she gets fired for having a sick kid, that is $200 extra. It won’t change her life but, done a few times when she is able, it could be enough to draw the worst of the sting.



Yeah but you can't just show up to a retail job and say "hey I can only be on the schedule 10-2." They give you the schedule. You are not in charge.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 11:57     Subject: We are broke
My advice is to move out of the DMV. Sell your place, and get the hell out. Use the money from your house sale to pay off debts. Your stress will go down, your financial picture will improve, your kids will be happier and well-adjusted. You can work remotely from anywhere now, so why not? Think beyond the Beltway, imagine a better life.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 11:27     Subject: We are broke
Anonymous wrote:We’re on one income. We have little kids, including one with special needs. No local family. No help. Money has always been tight. But this year wrecked us. Unexpected home repairs (in addition to the expected home repairs), medical bills, and a family emergency depleted our savings and left us with credit card debt and a heloc. I’ve been reading Dave Ramsey’s book and it’s hard not to feel completely hopeless. There are more home repairs that need to be done. I’d love to work but I need good, reliable childcare which is $$$. All the kids are in school but not all at the same school. There are therapies to get to and after-school activities. It feels like somebody is always sick too. I just feel so stuck.

I’m considering selling my engagement ring and using the $ to get an au pair so I can go back to work while still having somebody around the house all the time. Also considering selling the house and moving somewhere else. Last thought was to pull money from somewhere - $401k?





I understand you want the best for your kids, but this is not in your budget. Your kids ALL need to be in the local public school. There are free services there. After school activities are also not a luxury you can afford. Your only priority should be getting your kids in the local public school and finding a job.

This is why I have drilled into my kids since day one to NEVER marry a spouse who doesn’t want to work after kids. Love does not pay the bills.
Anonymous
Post 12/10/2022 10:07     Subject: We are broke
Agree you'd save a lot of money pulling child/children from daycare. Bizarre waste of money given your qualifications.