And now for the latest episode of "Trying to improve our situation"

[vonfirmath]

Do people really make money on any of that?

 

My cousin is making money buying stuff on clearance and reselling on ebay. But it takes a LOT of work, keeping his pulse on what is selling currently, keeping track of what are "to buy prices", putting items up, etc.  He started doing it in spare time and ended up quitting his job at the bank to do it full time. But he HATED that job and his wife works too. So its a much different situation. (However, he had some income coming in before he quit.)

Edited June 23, 2016 by vonfirmath

[vonfirmath]

Does your husband like working with his hands?

 

We've recently looked into pipe-fitting or welding as possible career options for a relative who just has a high school degree.  They're interesting careers in that you can often learn and be paid at the same time, and the salary is very decent. 

 

Pipe fitting, ductwork. Welding. CAD.  All jobs we are actively looking for good workers in and have problems finding people who will just come to work everyday, be on time, etc. And you sign up with the union, go to their school (around work) and they teach you the classroom side of the trade while you learn the hands on stuff on the job.

[pinkmint]

So here is a question OP.  If you had a part time job, say on the weekend, what would your husband do at home while you went out and did that job?

 

He is required to work weekends probably half the year. And we never know ahead of time what and when so we can't plan anything. But if it were possible for me to work weekends, and he reliably had the weekends off (he doesn't) he'd take care of the kids/ do things with them. 

[pinkmint]

Pipe fitting, ductwork. Welding. CAD.  All jobs we are actively looking for good workers in and have problems finding people who will just come to work everyday, be on time, etc. And you sign up with the union, go to their school (around work) and they teach you the classroom side of the trade while you learn the hands on stuff on the job.

 

This is definitely interesting. I'm not clear how he'd go about it though. He does like working with his hands, is quiet (not a good candidate for talking to people type jobs) and his strengths are all about being reliable, dependable etc. 

[lauraw4321]

Are the new overtime rules going to help him?

 

What is your degree in?

[vonfirmath]

This is definitely interesting. I'm not clear how he'd go about it though. He does like working with his hands, is quiet (not a good candidate for talking to people type jobs) and his strengths are all about being reliable, dependable etc. 

 

http://www.ua.org/apprenticeship

 

Find and contact your local union. They might be able to help direct you.

 

Here's the web page for the Sheetmetal Union. https://smart-union.org/sheet-metal/

Edited June 23, 2016 by vonfirmath

[FaithManor]

He can learn beginning JAVA script through Kahn Academy online, and then take the first certification exam without ever paying that kind of money. Oracle DBA professional may also be available. I haven't check in a while. DH self studied for his first Oracle certification and passed easily. He then took a one week class through Oracle and it cost maybe $1500.00. He passed that exam, and though he programs at the architect level, has never bothered to take the classes and exam because he hasn't needed it since his company promoted him to Oracle architect without it.

 

If he signed up for a couple of courses - six credits - in programming at a local U, it might be possible to defer those student loan payments which could help in the short term and allow him to then get a certification or two and get a different job potentially before payments resume again.

[SparklyUnicorn]

He is required to work weekends probably half the year. And we never know ahead of time what and when so we can't plan anything. But if it were possible for me to work weekends, and he reliably had the weekends off (he doesn't) he'd take care of the kids/ do things with them. 

 

Ah ok.

 

Well with that kind of unpredictable schedule that's tough going.

[pinkmint]

New overtime rules don't affect him. He has always got paid for his overtime (it's just not a lot). 

 

My degree is in graphic design. I'm extremely out of practice and ill-equipped technology wise. Plus I don't think I'm even very good at it. 

 

We don't make any student loan payments. We're on an income based repayment, and our income is so low that the payment has been zero for years. It's good and bad. Good because we don't have that expense. Bad because the debt not only sits there unpaid, but grows with interest. 

[meena]

My husband works a job with a constantly varying schedule. When our kids were about the age of yours, I worked at the Kidzone at the YMCA because they could come with me. It didn't pay much, especially since it was only part time, but it gave us grocery money when money was tight.

 

More than advice, I want to give you a big ole hug. I've been in a similar situation with a less than ideal budget and less than ideal house, wondering how in the world it was ever going to get better. Since then things have gotten a little better, then much better, then worse, then much worse, and now it's back to being better. Sometimes I've been able to help by working, sometimes by being at home not working and just making our budget as tight as possible. Your commitment to your family and being home with your kids is very valuable. Not just intrinsically but also unless you are going to make a pretty decent salary it often doesn't make sense financially to work. As your kids get older they'll be more independent and you'll have more opportunities to try to fit in income production. Until then, hang in there. It's tough but it sounds like you have your mind and heart in the right place.

[SparklyUnicorn]

New overtime rules don't affect him. He has always got paid for his overtime (it's just not a lot). 

 

My degree is in graphic design. I'm extremely out of practice and ill-equipped technology wise. Plus I don't think I'm even very good at it. 

 

We don't make any student loan payments. We're on an income based repayment, and our income is so low that the payment has been zero for years. It's good and bad. Good because we don't have that expense. Bad because the debt not only sits there unpaid, but grows with interest. 

 

There is a type that is forgiven after some years.  Is it that one?  The thing to watch for on that is you have to claim the amount on your taxes. 

[pinkmint]

Your commitment to your family and being home with your kids is very valuable.

 

Just this means a lot to me! People may or may not realize it but this is not a message I get very often. I spend quite a lot of time wondering if being home with my kids is worth it. I know it is but it's so hard at times I can't help but wonder. 

[FaithManor]

The Stafford loans are forgiven after 30 years. Private loans are not forgiven.

[pinkmint]

I dream about getting a financial windfall and paying off my student loans in full and then having a party. 

[Anacharsis]

Has he checked out MIT OpenCourseWare? Some of the more prestigious tech universities now have endowments large enough that they are willing to provide some very positive public services, like OpenCourseWare.

 

The thing to remember with learning computer languages is that the career path for them is distinct from normal languages. For a normal language, you'd maybe learn French, and then spend your time deepening your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary while keeping an eye on the latest slang and jargon. With computer languages that will likely lead to career stagnation -- there is limited demand for even the most expert Pascal developer.

 

The way careers with computer languages work is more by the family -- sort of like if instead of learning everything about French, you studied the principles of Romance Languages, and hopped between a working but non-exhaustive knowledge of French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese depending on which country happened to have the most political power at the time; then when Esperanto unexpectedly bursts on the scene, you can be the Esperanto "expert" too without much difficulty, using that as a stepping-stone into Slavic languages.

[Katy]

New overtime rules don't affect him. He has always got paid for his overtime (it's just not a lot). 

 

My degree is in graphic design. I'm extremely out of practice and ill-equipped technology wise. Plus I don't think I'm even very good at it. 

 

We don't make any student loan payments. We're on an income based repayment, and our income is so low that the payment has been zero for years. It's good and bad. Good because we don't have that expense. Bad because the debt not only sits there unpaid, but grows with interest. 

 

Frankly with a graphic design background, it might be better for YOU to learn to code.  Anyone can learn programming, but an eye for design is more talent than skill.

 

Have you looked at the tech jobs hiring in your area?

 

Would you be willing to relocate as a family for a tech job? 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I dream about getting a financial windfall and paying off my student loans in full and then having a party. 

 

You and me both.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Just this means a lot to me! People may or may not realize it but this is not a message I get very often. I spend quite a lot of time wondering if being home with my kids is worth it. I know it is but it's so hard at times I can't help but wonder. 

 

I think it's valuable too.

[mommyoffive]

things that I find worth my time

 

Daily poll

 

daily noso offers

 

ads (I'm drawing a blank on what the picture looks which is sad because I just used it this morning), it's a  video that runs for 30 seconds and you have to click anywhere to "interact with it".  It's 2 SB but most the time you can run them many times.  I earned 58 from that today.  But I don't actually watch the ads, I always have the sound off and just click when I'm nearby.  My computer is in the main room and everyone knows if they see the page up, they are welcome to click. 

 

Laptop guy (video again but you have to watch 10 things for 10-30 seconds but there is a countdown screen so you know when you can advance).  I don't do this often but will when I'm trying to reach a daily goal.  Again this works well for me because I do it while I'm doing something else.  Especially during school where I have to be present for any work to get done but I'm not always helping someone.  I just sit at my desk and click while keeping order with the kids.

 

Because we are a tv free house my kids get enthralled with anything on the screen, so if I need a few minutes of quiet, I put on the animal videos and they earn by watching them.  The payout is low enough that it's not worth my time but getting paid for my kids entertainment is worth it to me at times.

 

Surveys, I go in spurts on these.  In the winter I tend to do a lot of them but in warm weather hardly at since since I have other things I want to do.

 

Team Challenges,  you have to sing up for them (happen every month or two), but each team has it's own forum and other members will post really good ideas about how to earn things quickly.  I learned much by reading these comments during a few challenges.

 

Play games, most of them cost money but they have 2-3 that are free.  Basically they are run and jump games except I never jump.  I fall off the first cliff so I earn my SB sooner.

 

Swag codes.  Every day they post a special code and when you enter it you get 2-5 sb bucks (just depends on the day).  I use sbcodez.com and it emails me when there is a new code available.  About one a month they have bonus days where they issue 6 that usually add up to 30+ for the day.

 

Install the swag button bar.  Then all the searches go through it.  Randomly you will get free SB for using there search engine Depending on how much searching I am doing I would say I get 4-5 a week.

 

Shopping.  Many of the stores I shop at (except Amazon) will give you so many SB per $1 if you like through swagbucks.  Right now Walmart is 7 SB per dollar.  It takes a while to credit (usually a couple of months) but hey if you are shopping online anyways every little bit helps.  The biggest drawback with this is it' doesn't always credit.  Their customer service is great but you have to send in proof and it can take a little time.

 

Referals.  My son has an account that her opened from my referal and then I get 10% of whatever he earns.  It's only a few per month but again it all adds up.

 

So none of them are really big but the majority of the time it's stuff I can run in the background (as long as I don't forget to periodically switch to that screen) and earn a few cents.  It does add up over time.  When I really spend a lot of time on the surveys I can usually get several a day. 

 

Hopefully that will give you a few pointers.

 

Wow, thanks for that. 

 

I will have to look into trying that stuff when I have some free time.  It all adds up.  

 

 

I want to show you this in case you haven't seen it.  I saw it on SD

 

 

Earn 1000 SB ($10 value) for Dollar Shave Club Signup.

The cheapest subscription starts at $3 ($1 razor + $2 shipping) which makes it MM.

 

You can cancel the subscription after the first delivery to avoid extra charge, or keep the subscription for 3 month and get another 1500 SB.

 

Edited June 24, 2016 by mommyoffive

[livetoread]

Put up YouTube videos? My son has earned over $100 just from one tutorial he put up about how to do a parkour move. It rarely makes anyone rich, but the time outlay isn't much and it costs little to nothing to do.

 

Think of what you like/are good at/can talk about/ and make a video or two. Who knows, it might be ignored, but it might bring in some money eventually. Maybe start a channel on homeschooling on a very tight budget with some inspirational stuff thrown in.

[SarahW]

New overtime rules don't affect him. He has always got paid for his overtime (it's just not a lot). 

 

My degree is in graphic design. I'm extremely out of practice and ill-equipped technology wise. Plus I don't think I'm even very good at it. 

 

We don't make any student loan payments. We're on an income based repayment, and our income is so low that the payment has been zero for years. It's good and bad. Good because we don't have that expense. Bad because the debt not only sits there unpaid, but grows with interest. 

 

 

With graphic design I think you can do freelance online work. https://www.fiverr.com is an interesting site, I'm sure there's others like it. You can pick jobs you feel comfortable doing and when you have time. Have you worked with GIMP? If you can do your stuff with that you'll save $$$, obviously.

 

I hear you about the student loans and feeling stuck. My DH lost his job recently and I sent out a bunch of job applications. No bites.  :glare: My resume is beyond stale right now.

 

And, yeah, my own children are only children once. Being with them is worth more than money.

 

But money would be nice to have, too, oh so nice.

[eternalsummer]

You can make money online with graphic design.  It is almost the most useful degree I can think of for a stay at home mom who can't manage regular hours or an out-of-the home job.  The only other thing would be teaching experience (so you could qualify to tutor online and grade papers for Pearson).

 

Are you halfway decent at it?  The degree may not be hugely important in a technical sort of way, but if you acquired skills there are definitely ways to make money with it.  Getting caught up to the field should not be that hard if you have the basic skills in place.

 

Do you know anything about Etsy?    What kind of graphic design work do you do or have you done?  I am willing to spare a bit of time to give you some specific Etsy advice if you're interested, feel free to PM me.  There are a lot of graphic designers on Etsy trying to make a buck but if you're decent then you're better than half of them, and I know enough about how Etsy works to make that end functional for you (it is half the battle).

 

For your DH, I'd say this: there is no reason for him to choose a new trade or career that he doesn't have natural aptitude for or interest in.  At this point he can probably self-learn a wide variety of trades, as suggested by PP.  Alternatively I'd consider this: since you said his best job skills are reliability and dependability, I'd look for a job with a small business.  Many of them (us) don't care about degrees or whatever, the way a larger company filters by degree, and are more concerned with "will this employee show up and work?" - because with a small business, there is much less margin for the error of an unreliable employee.

 

 

[mommyoffive]

Put up YouTube videos? My son has earned over $100 just from one tutorial he put up about how to do a parkour move. It rarely makes anyone rich, but the time outlay isn't much and it costs little to nothing to do.

 

Think of what you like/are good at/can talk about/ and make a video or two. Who knows, it might be ignored, but it might bring in some money eventually. Maybe start a channel on homeschooling on a very tight budget with some inspirational stuff thrown in.

 

 

Can you explain more on this?  

 

How does he earn money from it?  How long did it take for him to do that?    

[mommyoffive]

With graphic design I think you can do freelance online work. https://www.fiverr.com is an interesting site, I'm sure there's others like it. You can pick jobs you feel comfortable doing and when you have time. Have you worked with GIMP? If you can do your stuff with that you'll save $$$, obviously.

 

I hear you about the student loans and feeling stuck. My DH lost his job recently and I sent out a bunch of job applications. No bites.  :glare: My resume is beyond stale right now.

 

And, yeah, my own children are only children once. Being with them is worth more than money.

 

But money would be nice to have, too, oh so nice.

 

 

Good Idea with fiverr.com

 

I haven't ever used it.  But it made me think MT.

 

Here is a great article on it.

http://www.budgetsaresexy.com/2016/03/make-money-amazon-mechanical-turk/

 

And tons of other ideas for side hustles

 

http://www.budgetsaresexy.com/ways-to-make-money/

[ThursdayNext]

I think you've already decided against coding camp. My husband works in IT and they interviewed some candidates fresh out of coding camp. They were considered, but with that little experience it would be very entry level pay, $35k to $40k. But raises would follow if they continued to learn more and did well.

 

I have family who have done short plumbing courses, electrical work courses, home inspection courses and make good $$ at it. Maybe that's a possibility.

Freelance graphic design and coding does sound like a great option for you. Maybe start with just 1 hour (with movie for kids) in afternoon, and 2 hrs after kids are in bed. But I get that you're already feeling overwhelmed, and this might feel like too much.

 

I love reading all your posts, pinkmint, because so often I'm sitting here going, "That is just how I feel! She knows what it's like."

[pinkmint]

Thanks, Thursday!

 

I am glad someone is getting something out of my posts. 

 

DH actually is persuing the coding. Not the bootcamp per se but some online classes. If he started out with $30k a year that's fine, we're used to living on that. The difference would hopefully be that it would not be a dead-end scenario like he's in currently. He gets cost of living raises of a few cents an hour one a year. He's never got a significant raise ever, and there's nowhere for him to go at his job or in his field. 

 

With IT stuff it sounds like there is actually significant growth that can happen over time. 

 

I wish I was somehow in a position to earn money but it's obvious that I am not handling what's in front of me well at all. I don't want to go into it here but suffice it to say I have no margin in my life. Full time parenting and trying to homeschool takes 110% of what I have and I'm not doing it well. We're all different. I am not someone with the ability to do this and anything else well. 

[gardenmom5]

1dd has a degree in classics . . . (what'cha gonna' do with that honey? "mother, don't bother me with details".  the logic does transfer to computers) . . . . she didn't have the health to do grad school. (finally getting it under control. it was challenging figuring out "what". naturopaths . . . ) 

 

about 9 years ago, she did a "bootcamp" type program for database admin, but they did the course work online from home before the one (or two?) week intense go-there class. it went through a bunch of different certifications, and they did have to have equipment as part of their training.  I think the whole thing was three or four months.  she then quickly got a job as a dba, and things have only gotten better since.  the only thing she'd probably do differently is not worry about a working wardrobe (which they also addressed . . . and required for the bootcamp.).  

she does like hardware better (what she's currently doing.), as she prefers the 'hands-on'.  but, she could easily support a family of five by herself  (if she was married and had kids . . . )  she purchased a family home in a very good location in our highcol area.  she occasionally works from home (she had her house wired for cat-6 ethernet before she moved-in.  wireless doesn't cut it. - I had to explain that to a flipper.  don't market to computer nerds and only provide wireless.)

 

dh's nephew was a high school drop-out, with nothing but a GED.  he's also a nerd.  he probably makes more than his two musician siblings with advanced degrees.

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

1dd has a degree in classics . . . (what'cha gonna' do with that honey? "mother, don't bother me with details".  the logic does transfer to computers) . . . . she didn't have the health to do grad school. (finally getting it under control. it was challenging figuring out "what". naturopaths . . . ) 

 

about 9 years ago, she did a "bootcamp" type program for database admin, but they did the course work online from home before the one (or two?) week intense go-there class. it went through a bunch of different certifications, and they did have to have equipment as part of their training.  I think the whole thing was three or four months.  she then quickly got a job as a dba, and things have only gotten better since.  the only thing she'd probably do differently is not worry about a working wardrobe (which they also addressed . . . and required for the bootcamp.).  

she does like hardware better (what she's currently doing.), as she prefers the 'hands-on'.  but, she could easily support a family of five by herself  (if she was married and had kids . . . )  she purchased a family home in a very good location in our highcol area.  she occasionally works from home (she had her house wired for cat-6 ethernet before she moved-in.  wireless doesn't cut it. - I had to explain that to a flipper.  don't market to computer nerds and only provide wireless.)

 

dh's nephew was a high school drop-out, with nothing but a GED.  he's also a nerd.  he probably makes more than his two musician siblings with advanced degrees.

 

What does a database admin do? 

[monstermama]

I wish I was somehow in a position to earn money but it's obvious that I am not handling what's in front of me well at all. I don't want to go into it here but suffice it to say I have no margin in my life. Full time parenting and trying to homeschool takes 110% of what I have and I'm not doing it well. We're all different. I am not someone with the ability to do this and anything else well. 

 

 

I'm just going to throw this out here.  Most days I feel very much like you do - and I only have 2 kids who aren't even old enough for hs-ing, so I must really be doing something wrong ;)  I've wanted to learn graphic design for a long time, so a few weeks ago I finally sat down with DH and carved out 1.5 hours on a weekend.  I walked to the library with my laptop, popped on my headphones, and messed around in Photoshop for a while.  Even though I came back to a house even messier than I left it (every. single. duplo. on the floor?  really?), I felt better mentally.  It was nice to switch gears and focus on something that didn't involve cleaning up various body fluids or meal planning.  We've tried to do it every week since, and I am definitely more stressed the weeks after I don't get that break.  Just something to think about if you are looking to get back into  working a bit.

[gardenmom5]

What does a database admin do? 

 

um. . . manages the database?  she uses sql a lot.  Iooked this up:

 

​Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and are secure from unauthorized access.

 

dd has made many a complaint about how sloppy "coders" are . . . she's even been known to have to clean up their messes. (she had to take screen shots to show them  how carpy their code was.  her last boss was extremely misogynistic - she was the only woman doing actual computer stuff in her dept - and thought coding was the be-all and end-all.)  she's currently working in a lab where they do a lot of beta testing and mirroring of other systems. her last job (with the misogynist) required a security clearance as her employer was managing the databases for major corporations as well as gov't agencies.

 

My niece has a degree in microbiology, and got a job in the genome  lab at the university right out of college.  they sent her for some classes on how to manage the database . . she fell in love with the control.  (especially when it would crash and all she'd hear was "__save us".)  she eventually went elsewhere, more advanced from dba, and  said she was "making an obscene amount of money".

 

you can also do well very with cysco certifications for networking.  good for someone who likes hands-on.  

 

Edited July 20, 2016 by gardenmom5

[Guest]

If he hasn't already, please look into Treehouse:

https://teamtreehouse.com

 

It's $25 dollars a month for fantastic instruction in marketable and innovative programming areas, and it gets rave reviews from picky online entrepreneurs. Their staff is top notch. It wouldn't get him a degree, but a skill set. In out corner of the world that is actually more valuable for the price by far. He can also go at his own pace to work with your lives, but with the benefit of online support and a teaching staff. I think the price and time table is so much more sensible for a guy who is already working and trying to raise a family as he is.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Arctic Mama

[SparklyUnicorn]

Sounds like stuff my husband complains about.  He is a software tester.

 

I always think about doing something in IT.  I don't want to do coding though.  So I'm always on the lookout for what is out there.  I'm not so much into hands on either though. 

 

If someone could pay me to post here that would be awesome huh?!  LOL 

 

 

um. . . manages the database?  she uses sql a lot.  Iooked this up:

 

​Database administrators (DBAs) use specialized software to store and organize data, such as financial information and customer shipping records. They make sure that data are available to users and are secure from unauthorized access.

 

dd has made many a complaint about how sloppy "coders" are . . . she's even been known to have to clean up their messes. (she had to take screen shots to show them  how carpy their code was.  her last boss was extremely misogynistic - she was the only woman doing actual computer stuff in her dept - and thought coding was the be-all and end-all.)  she's currently working in a lab where they do a lot of beta testing and mirroring of other systems. her last job (with the misogynist) required a security clearance as her employer was managing the databases for major corporations as well as gov't agencies.

 

My niece has a degree in microbiology, and got a job in the genome  lab at the university right out of college.  they sent her for some classes on how to manage the database . . she fell in love with the control.  (especially when it would crash and all she'd hear was "__save us".)  she eventually went elsewhere, more advanced from dba, and  said she was "making an obscene amount of money".

 

you can also do well very with cysco certifications for networking.  good for someone who likes hands-on.  
 

 

Edited July 20, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[vonfirmath]

Sounds like stuff my husband complains about.  He is a software tester.

 

I always think about doing something in IT.  I don't want to do coding though.  So I'm always on the lookout for what is out there.  I'm not so much into hands on either though. 

 

If someone could pay me to post here that would be awesome huh?!  LOL 

 

My favorite job was as an Access database programmer.  Visual Basic for Applications  to create front ends that my users actually used regularly, documenting the code so I remembered why I wrote every piece -- and intelligble error messages so when the users did something unexpected I could figure out where they were and how to fix the database so they could keep working.  Intricate SQL queries and reports to pull the data back out of the database in a manner that helped them make sense of what they were collecting.  I know I just skimmed the surface of what was possible. I started to learn SQL Server but was never given a chance to go in-depth on that. But even the knowledge of how databases work, store data, etc. has been valuable in other jobs I have had.

[IfIOnly]

I haven't been following your situation or read all the replies, pinkmint, but what about joining the military? I know that's an intense thought, but it's been a a good path for others I've known in similar circumstances.

 

ETA: Not sure of the age cutoff though.

Edited July 20, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[gardenmom5]

Sounds like stuff my husband complains about.  He is a software tester.

 

I always think about doing something in IT.  I don't want to do coding though.  So I'm always on the lookout for what is out there.  I'm not so much into hands on either though. 

 

If someone could pay me to post here that would be awesome huh?!  LOL 

 

webpage design?  you can do it online - and work at home in your pjs.

[SparklyUnicorn]

webpage design?  you can do it online - and work at home in your pjs.

 

maybe

 

I like the idea of working from home.

 

My husband could work from home, but he doesn't like doing it so he only does it if I need to be gone all day or something.

[KungFuPanda]

Could you work part time so your DH could scale back to a 40 hour work week? He could retrain in another field with those extra hours he usually puts into overtime. It would suck for a while, but you can do anything for a couple years. Everything (kids, rent, medical, food, gas, utilities) is only going to get more expensive. If you're barely treading water now it's only a matter of time before your heads go under unless something changes. Change is HARD and often means things getting a bit worse before they get better. There's never a good, comfortable time to change.

 

Are you willing to relocate? My sister is a nurse. She tried living near us for a while but the HCOL was too much. She moved to Florida and now has loads of available work and a much lower COL. She went from an appt in a bad neighborhood to a 4 bedroom house and more financial wiggle room. She hated moving her kids again, but it was for the best.

[Colleen in NS]

pinkmint,

 

I don't get on the forums very much anymore, but when I do, your posts never fail to catch my attention.  I have no advice to offer; I just want to say that I understand where you are.  I loved what meena wrote in post #60, too.  What always stands out to me in your posts is that no matter what struggles you are dealing with, your underlying motivation in life right now is to keep your family together and thriving.  I would bet you are doing better at this than you give yourself credit for.  Are your kids covered, sheltered, fed, and watered today?  If those basics are covered, then your mind is freed up TODAY to think about what you can do TODAY to further their education, to live within your family income, to bring a spark of joy into your family, TODAY. 

 

As for the dead-end job - well, it may be a dead-end job, but your dh is a live person who may be able to find a way out of that at some point.  And at some point your kids will be older and you will be able to figure out some ways to bring some income to your family.  We spent many years in the holding pattern you are in right now, and it was hard.  Hard watching other homeschoolers doing "cool activities," hard watching other families do seemingly "normal" things that we couldn't afford to do, hard making ends meet every month, hard managing life with just one vehicle that was always gone during times it would have been better for me to run out to do errands and not disrupt my kids' schooltime, hard being at home most of the time.

 

Don't give up or get discouraged about where you are at right now.  Keep on working as the team that you seem to have built up.  I totally agree that what you are doing with your kids right now is very valuable.  And of course, you are always free to change your mind about how you educate your kids, but if homeschooling is what you feel is best right now, then that's your decision to make.  Own it and be confident in that decision.  Sometimes just remembering that freedom you have can help you cope with the daily worries and wonderings.  Despite how things might look to you on these forums sometimes, there are many of us who have homeschooled in similar circumstances as you are.  It's not a thing I pride myself on; it's just a fact.  We made this decision; we remake this decision every year; and we plow on doing whatever it takes to get it done within our own personal circumstances.  Same as others do with other types of life decisions.

 

Anyway :grouphug:

[Ausmumof3]

Thanks, Thursday!

 

I am glad someone is getting something out of my posts.

 

DH actually is persuing the coding. Not the bootcamp per se but some online classes. If he started out with $30k a year that's fine, we're used to living on that. The difference would hopefully be that it would not be a dead-end scenario like he's in currently. He gets cost of living raises of a few cents an hour one a year. He's never got a significant raise ever, and there's nowhere for him to go at his job or in his field.

 

With IT stuff it sounds like there is actually significant growth that can happen over time.

 

I wish I was somehow in a position to earn money but it's obvious that I am not handling what's in front of me well at all. I don't want to go into it here but suffice it to say I have no margin in my life. Full time parenting and trying to homeschool takes 110% of what I have and I'm not doing it well. We're all different. I am not someone with the ability to do this and anything else well.

Just want to say you are not alone in this.

[Ausmumof3]

I'm not from us but if he is reliable and would be willing to do an adult apprenticeship it can be a good road out, at least here in Aus. Especially if he's good with his hands.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'm not from us but if he is reliable and would be willing to do an adult apprenticeship it can be a good road out, at least here in Aus. Especially if he's good with his hands.

 

We don't really have a similar system of apprenticeships here in the US.  They aren't unheard of, but geesh the only ones I know of around here are for stuff like roofing.  Not everyone is cut out for roofing though.

[Ausmumof3]

We don't really have a similar system of apprenticeships here in the US. They aren't unheard of, but geesh the only ones I know of around here are for stuff like roofing. Not everyone is cut out for roofing though.

Oh that's a shame. It has been a good road for a number of dh's colleagues, who ended up well paid electricians not poorly paid labourers. Also good for the companies as they tend to be more reliable than younger apprentices and stick around.

[zoobie]

We don't really have a similar system of apprenticeships here in the US.  They aren't unheard of, but geesh the only ones I know of around here are for stuff like roofing.  Not everyone is cut out for roofing though.

 

Plumbing and electrical have apprenticeship options. Those can be lucrative!

[pinkmint]

If he hasn't already, please look into Treehouse:

https://teamtreehouse.com

 

It's $25 dollars a month for fantastic instruction in marketable and innovative programming areas, and it gets rave reviews from picky online entrepreneurs. Their staff is top notch. It wouldn't get him a degree, but a skill set. In out corner of the world that is actually more valuable for the price by far. He can also go at his own pace to work with your lives, but with the benefit of online support and a teaching staff. I think the price and time table is so much more sensible for a guy who is already working and trying to raise a family as he is.

 

AM, I'm looking at this site and it shows that every option is $199/ month. Is there a $25 that I'm not seeing? It does seem like a good program.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh that's a shame. It has been a good road for a number of dh's colleagues, who ended up well paid electricians not poorly paid labourers. Also good for the companies as they tend to be more reliable than younger apprentices and stick around.

 

Electrical might be another one here that has apprenticeships. 

 

I just know in Germany there are apprenticeships for a huge variety of things.  Here, not so much.

[SparklyUnicorn]

AM, I'm looking at this site and it shows that every option is $199/ month. Is there a $25 that I'm not seeing? It does seem like a good program.

 

That's weird.  If I click on pricing one option is clearly $25 a month.  It's a bit less if you pay up front for a year.

[pinkmint]

That's weird.  If I click on pricing one option is clearly $25 a month.  It's a bit less if you pay up front for a year.

 

I'm looking at this https://teamtreehouse.com/techdegree/pricing

 

Did I just not have enough coffee yet? I see $199 for every option. 

[elegantlion]

I'm looking at this https://teamtreehouse.com/techdegree/pricing

 

Did I just not have enough coffee yet? I see $199 for every option. 

 

I see 199 for every option at that link, but if you go to pricing I see a basic for 25/month. 

 

https://teamtreehouse.com/subscribe/plans?trial=yes

[elegantlion]

I've been reading through this and wanted to give you a hug.  :grouphug:  I understand first hand so much of what you wrote. I wish solutions and peace for you and your family. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'm looking at this https://teamtreehouse.com/techdegree/pricing

 

Did I just not have enough coffee yet? I see $199 for every option. 

 

https://teamtreehouse.com/subscribe/new?plan=1272&trial=yes

 

I think the techdegree thing is if you want a piece of paper, proctored exam, etc.  Which might be what you want.  I think the other thing is to use their training materials.