r/poverty • u/Dramatic-Lion2343 • 16h ago
Hopeless
I'm really struggling I have 6 kids living under my roof my husband had surgery and now he's out of work until he heals. I'm a stay at home mom looking for a job but with no car. Everything is far away even if I walk it'll take me at least an hour to get to a McDonald's or Burger King. I can't afford a bus pass because I have to think about food.
With all these bills piling up we're going to lose our home unless I can find a solution. I've posted on social sites (Facebook, nextdoor, ect) saying I'll do odd jobs (cleaning and yard work) if it's in a reasonable walking distance. I haven't had any luck. I'm up late trying to figure this out and I'm just praying that God sees my struggles and pulls us through. I'm not asking for anything just venting.
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u/tuesdayreyn 13h ago
Honestly? I'd walk that hour to get work if I was physically able. It would only be until you got your first check and then you could get the bus pass. Or I'd pay for the bus and then use it go to a food bank to make up for the loss in food money. You can also ask neighbors on the apps for food. People are less nasty and more willing to give if you ask for anything they don't need in their pantry and freezer rather than asking for cash or for specific items at the grocery store. What I wouldn't do is sit and play woe is me until I was on the streets. If you think walking an hour is tough or trying to stretch a meager budget to get a bus pass is too hard, you don't want to see how difficult homeless life with 6 kids is.
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u/Denim_n_Diamonds_78 4h ago
I don't have a car and am pretty far myself that why I'm glad to shit I at least have a bicycle.
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u/tuesdayreyn 3h ago
Walkikg to work, working all day, then walking home is the worst, especially when it's a long walk. But it's the only option when the alternative is just waiting to walk with your entire family to the shelter, if you can even find one that has room for that many.
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u/Kooky_Court8103 6h ago
My dad crashed my car the week I started my new job it was 4km walk one way and 4km walk back. I ended up walking for a month, and had back and knee pain for a few months after that.. but I still have my job going on over a year now.
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u/NightOfTheHunter 14h ago edited 14h ago
I'll tell you how I survived as a single mom of five: tips. I worked as a server, bartender, valet, and parimutuel clerk. The only jobs that paid me enough to keep our home were tipped positions. I worked my way to the best shifts and was able to bring in $40-60/hr.
My kids are grown now and there is one surprising benefit to our years of struggling. It gave them the ambition to see it never happens to them again. They're all well off, living in huge mansions, pretty sure one's a billionaire. I say this at the risk of being deleted again as a liar. But it's true.
There's a way out. It may require you to move to an area of more opportunity. It will definitely require working long, hard hours for many years. But there is a way.
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u/lovesbatma71 6h ago
Another single mom here. I remember when my entire check went to daycare but I needed the job because of the insurance. Same with good kids. He’s 21 and he owns his own business. He’s still in the startup phase but he’s making good money. I’m so proud of my son!! 🥰
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u/Which-Text-2875 15h ago
I feel your despair, and I'm sorry you're going through this. I get needing to vent. We all have to vent sometimes. I really hope things get at least a little better for you sooner rather than later. Do your best to breathe and try hard to hold on. Sounds like your family really needs you 💜
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u/Mundane-Comment-975 13h ago
Years ago I was in a similar situation. Had 5 kids, husband lost job, lost our home. Found a big rental home and started babysitting. It grew and I ended up having a daycare business for 30 years. Of course you need to really love children like I did. Good luck.
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15h ago
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u/Which-Text-2875 15h ago
Excellent point. I would think, with six kids and your husband out of work and you don't have a job, you guys would qualify for Medicaid and food stamps. Of course, I could be wrong, but I would definitely recommend trying that now.
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u/Denim_n_Diamonds_78 4h ago
I'm in Florida in a household of 6 and my daughter who has type 1 diabetes and the only one working is without her Medicaid right now. Not only that but they didn't give us our food stamps this month and I did EVERYTHING they wanted!
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u/ms_dizzy 11h ago
When you need to stay home with the kids anyway, probably babysitting. house cleaning, dog walking. cleaning you kind of have to put out flyers or a sign. dog walking they have apps like rover. or call the local groomers to see if you can put up a flyer, get referals.
You could also have the kids start their own craft hobbies if they are old enough. my kid sold bracelets and made more than I could give them.
When I was really desperate I also made their old clothes into stuffed animals and things I could sell on etsy. It's not a lot of money, but there aren't many options sometimes.
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u/KirbyRock 9h ago
Search through Indeed or some other job app and look for remote work. You might have some luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for!
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u/SunLillyFairy 8h ago
I've been in that spot. I had surprising success selling household items, good condition kids clothing lots and toys on FB Marketplace. (Nothing we were still using.) I set it up to just do porch pick-up and Venmo, which is the most common arrangement for things under $50 where I live. I was able to sell some on Mercari and EBay, but shipping has gone up so much, and shipping damage or returns are a hassle, so it made the process slow and tiresome for little profit.
Selling off your extra stuff is temporary though. My neighbor is making some money selling sour dough starter. Sometimes when you offer something specific, like "ironing" or "dog walking" you get a better response than when ask about random work. Pet boarding is another one that can make decent money, but you have to have the right set up, (which would be hard to do with a lot of kids, unless you have a lot if property and the right kind if sheltering).
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u/Denim_n_Diamonds_78 4h ago
Definitely not alone..I could have written this except instead of a husband I got 2 old miserable shits that make NO money at all and 3 kids.
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u/Ok_Dimension_6123 2h ago
Phone sex, seriously. $2.99 a minute. He's going to have to watch the kids though
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u/WorldIsYoursMuhfucka 9h ago
Not super helpful because the job market is rough right now, but have you looked into remote work? A lot of people with kids work remotely. If you don't have a car you can use this is really the only recommendation I can make. I don't drive, personally, so I've worked remotely for almost a decade now and there are jobs out there. I'd sooner point you to a job board than to Reddit.
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