Root Problem - NO or crappy "career"

[OhioFiler]

Even though Obama wants to take our individual freedoms away he hasn't been successful. In America you have the right and the opportunity to succeed. Success is often defined by one's willingness to work hard and maintain the correct attitude.

Your husband is an experienced tradesman who has developed skills over the years he doesn't recognize he has. Most obvious to me is his sales skill set. No one who has been successful in the trades is a poor salesman. Having a strong understanding of some construction trade makes him knowledgeable about most of the process, enough so he could sell with confidence anything in the home remodeling business.

Having managed his own business for some time he has developed cash flow, personnel and time management skills. I'll bet he'd make a fine retail manager.

Lots of opportunities. Best of luck to you!

[Inthestorm]

Already on lots of meds; not doing much good. At least the Dr. gives an office visit discount due to inadequate insurance, but does not counsel. That would be about $180 per hour. Maybe that would be do-able once we file...IF my spouse would agree to let go of the house, our most massive debt!

Again, personal strengths are creativitiy and artistic inclination. (Not exactly necessities in an economic crisis.) Also, if you know the temperament, we do tend to take things rather hard.

Happy, successful people...hmmmm...that certainly was NOT family of origin...(they're all dead now anyway)...It will require some thought to seek these folk out and figure out how to hang out with them! Not sure I know anyone with a contagious positive attitude at this time.

You are not wrong. There are issues...many. Awareness is not lacking. However, what to do, how to solve is NOT something that hasn't been contemplated to excess. Some things just seem easier to fix from another's perspective.

"Career counseling" is a special interest, however, I had all that in Jr. college in a class called "psychology of career adjustment." We did test after test of aptitude and interest inventory. Always the same answers. Artistic, creative.

[Iwantmyname]

I really understand. I too am afraid of student loans. After this agonizing unemployment, I decided to buckle under and get another degree. Something Real-- and, I am going to the most epensive school I can find-- not like me at all. Now, why am I going to an expensive school and not a cheap school like a community college?

1) because the school I am going to is the top at training people in the field I am studying.

2) because even though I am "nearly 50" and will be over 50 when I graduate, I will get a lot of placement help. And they have something like 98% sucess in placeing a graduate after graduation because they have sort of a monopoly in this area.

Sorry but student loans are just part of the landscape. Plenty of people change their carreers at the midway mark. You still have 15-20 years of work in you. There are lots of mid-carreer people changing their jobs and going to school right now. If you don't like office work, you can learn to weld. You may be happiest doing non-office work, working with animals, or children, or being a chef. Obviously you should take your age and past experiences into consideration. Perhaps you should go and speak with an admissions counsellor. There are lots of good schools where you can get an AA for 5000 to 10000 dollars. (That is cheap compared to what I am paying).

As far as "computer" skills-- I may be nearly 50 but I have been using computers since about 95. Earlier if you count the programming class I took in the 80's. I always saw computers as important and so I learned anything I could learn. (I even buy and put in my own ram).

[debtprison]

It's possible to live on under $1,000 a month. I've done it for years. However it isn't fun and you do miss some things. Live as cheaply as possible. Save all you can. Having money saved opens doors. Not having money closes them.

After living as I have for the last five years if I were to win millions in the lottery my budget would still probably never be over $3,000 a month for the rest of my life. I'm like the people who lived through the Great Depression now.