I’ve been a single mom most of my kids lives until I met my now ex husband. My youngest is 16 and oldest is 22 (he works full time but the economy is too costly for him to live in his own and lived back in when COVID shut everything down) and both live with me, and then my middle one is 20 and lives with her boyfriends family. My ex-husband came into the relationship with nothing, but left with everything. Our house (rented), home furnishings, bank accounts, retirement, 5th wheel, motorcycle, and even my kids clothes, toys, furniture, and childhood memories. All gone. He convinced me to quit my career (Staffing and sales specialist) and stay home. I decided to use that time to go back to college and try to finish my Sociology degree. The divorce came at the beginning of fall quarter of my university time working in my bachelor’s. I had to stop and go back to work. I was working 3 jobs just to try to make enough to sustain us 4 until I could find something more permanent.
I’ve spent the last 5 years don’t everything I can to increase my credit and fix what the divorce did to me. I’m above 640 (I know, not the best… but the divorce left me at 504). I have $20k in student loan debt, my car loan, and other divorce related debt totalling $26k on my credit.
After the divorce I had to borrow $6500 to move into a new place so my daughter and I had a place to go.
Last October I had a bad accident causing me to have to have surgery to repair a cut tendon after having both my eye muscles repaired in January due to a tumor pressing on my optic 2 nerve. The medical expenses after insurance left me owing $5k out of pocket.
Most recently, my daughter was in a car accident (she was T-boned by a car that ran a stop sign) and now he car is totaled. So, we have to share a vehicle so she can still get to her college classes 2 towns over, to work, and to her softball practices and games. This is going increase our gas bill in an area where gas is $5.29/gallon and increases .10-.30 a gallon 2-3x weekly.
All I want is to rebuild my retirement, pay off my debt, and finally buy my first home so I can work on security and start saving. But mounting medical expenses, including the current inflation rates, and Washington States radical taxation….I don’t see any relief or a light at the end of the tunnel.
My current rent has been raised 8x in the last 14 months plus if you want out of your lease it costs $3500 plus you don’t get your deposit back. If you don’t sign a 1 year lease your rent increases. Monthly costs you $400 extra a month. 3 months costs you $300 extra a month. 6 months is $200 extra a month. You have to sign a 12 month lease to keep your current rates.
Any help would be appreciated. I’ve never thought about doing something like this and I’m a bit embarrassed that I’m asking for help. I just don’t know what else to do.