Thank you all for taking the time to read this. I’m a 46-year-old single mom to a wonderful 12-year-old girl and a sweet 5-year-old niece. I’m also proud to serve as a veteran of the USAF/USAFR, continuing my civilian career as a geriatric nurse for veterans. I often feel overwhelmed and sometimes ashamed of my current financial situation. My biggest challenge is my student loans—I went to school with the hope of returning right back to active duty and having my loans paid off through that service. After two loans—one unsubsidized for $56,000 and a subsidized one for $29,000—things changed. I got married and pregnant, but eventually, I divorced from my spouse. I chose not risk deployments away from my daughter because my own mom left me for drugs. The changes I’m navigating, especially with the new student loan repayment plans, make me anxious—I worry the monthly payments might become more than I can handle. I recognize I have until now struggled with money, and I really want to understand why I feel this way. I try to help my family whenever I can, even when I’m facing my own debts. I owe about $5,000 to a sibling and roughly $50,000 in total—including loans and credit cards. My monthly payments for rent and my car lease are around $2,040, and buying my car outright would cost $45,000. My rental home needs some repairs, which I need to cover. When my brother was released from prison after 11 years, I didn’t want him to be homeless, so I helped where I could and allowed him to live in my basement. My children’s rooms have experienced normal wear and tear, like needing repainting, but unfortunately, they also broke two panels in a door, which the rental company says must be replaced at a cost of $820. My brother damaged items in my basement but hasn’t helped with the costs and gets upset when I bring it up that estimate was $700. I’m hoping to start fresh with my daughters, leaving behind some of the debt that’s partly due to my guilt of working long hours away from them and the things I buy for them to compensate. My daughter is also dealing with anxiety and depression, partly because of the costs of therapy and counseling, and my niece is with me because her mother is in and out of jail. Her biological father struggles with drug addiction too. I’ve had to take many days off work to care for her because she has conduct disorder and impulse control issues. Both of my parents have passed away, and my life has been full of challenges. Growing up, I had to step into a mother role because my mom was addicted to drugs but continued to have children. Sometimes I feel unappreciated by my family,Sherica Halland I realize I really want to focus more on my daughters’ happiness and well-being. They both want to join extracurricular activities, but I haven’t been able to afford it. For example, my 12-year-old was accepted into the Model UN program, which costs $2,500. I’m reaching out because I hope to get some help to get my finances back on track. Every day feels like a weight I carry, worried that one unexpected expense might cause everything to fall apart. If anyone is willing to help me learn how to budget better, I would be truly grateful— I’d love to develop healthier financial habits..