I know this sounds goofy, but maybe she can start selling Avon or something. Just trying to help. I'm looking for work also. Thank goodness my husband has a pretty good paying job, but still, it's tough!!! Good luck!!
About time to "Batten Down the Hatches"
by AK - Jeff 22 Replies latest jw experiences
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nelly136
is there any way of your wife utilising any of her skills and starting some sort of cottage industry at home, theres probably many things shes good at, if shes tied to home through kids then maybe theres a way of incorporating school after or pre service for someone else and charging?
you have a van, any chance of doing light driving jobs (wife drives they load/unload), can you burn someone elses rubbish cheaper than they can pay to have theirs removed, everyones trying to cut back is there any area your missus can provide a money saving service for someone else that can make her money while she does it?
the above are just examples cos i'm pulling stuff out the air, you and your missus would have a better idea of whats possible and whats not.
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chickpea
if you have legal custody of your
grandlings, then go to your county
health and human services department
to see what kind of programs you qualify
for in terms of their housing, medical care, etc....you have paid into the system
now see what it affords you
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AK - Jeff
Good suggestions. Most of the above we have long ago worked through, of course, but it pays to keep turning it over for fresh ideas. Thanx.
My wife had just suggested a possible before/after school service for working parents. She is thinking that one through right now in fact. As far as county support - we have found a few opportunities there - but not much. My income precludes most of the services - even though my income barely keeps the lights on and the mortgage paid.
Thanx.
Jeff
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nelly136
if theres one thing that screws up a working parent trying to hang on to their job by their fingernails is kids going sick, some of them dont have fall back childcare cos it happens after the kids have gone to school and a registered minder would probably baulk at taking on a sick older kid, if your wife has a strong stomach and strong constitution (not prone to bugs n lurgies) that might bring in some extra cash in between the school runs, if you can do it from their own homes it might save insurance costs (not sure how that works over there)
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sammielee24
We commiserate Jeff. Out of work for a year and unemployment is on it's final legs - there are lots of people in the same boat and moving isn't feasible for everyone. The woman next door lives with her son and she works at Toys R Us - her hours got cut from 40/wk to 8/wk...her son works 4 hrs/wk and is disabled. They use plastic lawn furniture in the living room and have nothing. We cut our satellite/cable off months ago, downgraded to basics for car insurance and use magic jack. Computer access is a necessity these days if you are looking for work and the cost of gas increases. Our car is second hand but paid for and we've managed to sell almost all the furniture because there's noplace to move it to and no money to move it with anyway. I swear the older you are the harder it is to compete - cripes even Burger King wouldn't touch us lol! It is what it is and I really believe that meeting the challenge with a positive attitude and someone who has your back, makes it all that much easier. C'est la vie...we will ultimately prevail - hang in there! sammieswife.
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sammielee24
Snakes...that's the one thing that ticks me off. Filtering out the undesirables....and then the undesirables that are really trying not to be undesirable aka on welfare, get kicked in the ass day in and day out when people assume they are undesirable because they don't have a job. sammieswife.
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AK - Jeff
Yes - SammieLee, we have done pretty much the same [well, we haven't cut cable entirely, but it is first on the cut list - already down to basic]. The MJ phone is a good value, since we consider as you do that internet is very nearly an absolute. Both our cars are older [one much older], and we have one payment. But we can let that one go if push gets to shove.
Regarding the kids - they are insured - and that is a big worry off our minds at least. I have a half dozen 'projects' around the house, all on hold until later, maybe much later.
Age discrimination is alive and well we have found out, as far as the job market is concerned.
Again, thanx all for the suggestions.
Jeff
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sammielee24
One good thing about it all Jeff - kids learn by example. The way you handle it will be the way they remember it and aren't we all a sum of our experiences good and bad? My father was homeless as a child during the depression, he lived in a tent city with nothing to eat during some harsh winters, he saw his family split up ..not once has he ever complained but his harshest experiences meant the smaller ones were just bumps in the road. Now, he still won't eat certain foods because of that experience but we just tease him about it. He taught us there are mountains and there are hills - and you can climb over them all. Your attitude is solid - your grandkids will bring that to the table in later years.....sammieswife.
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Quandry
My dad grew up in the sticks in Mississippi during the depression. His dad died when he was 9 years old. That was in 1928. His mom lost her house because they couldn't pay the taxes. They had some cows and had to drive them to the new house, which was a shack. The kids had to be split up. Two were married so they each had to take one child. His mom was left with four. They had to hoe cotton, milk cows, and eat whatever they could kill to survive.
My dad went to school in a wagon drawn by a mule. His coat in the winter was a man's old suit coat, cut down to fit him, but wasn't nearly warm enough.
None of us have lived through the times they did during the depression, and I hope it doesn't get that bad, but I hope also that during this recession people have learned a bit about what are nessecities and what aren't.