Money Woes

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I'm copying my situation from a recent blog post of mine:

Firstly, before I give these tips, let me say that I am coming from the perspective of someone with no social support. I broke contact with my family before I even left medical practice, but I wouldn't ask them for financial help anyway because they see money as a means to control people. I'm not married, nor am I in a relationship (mostly due to my autistic spectrum disorder) and there is no hope of me getting into one any time soon. I don't have a network of friends either - although I did manage to borrow money from two people during this time whom I used to work with (very small amounts, and just to cover my phone bill, because without internet I cannot work). The bank will not loan me any money because I am working freelance, and although I managed to apply for an overdraft, it has already been rejected and I will probably be handed over to the bank's legal department because they are concerned about whether I will be able to pay it back. I also had to eat my way through all my savings just when the crisis started, so there were no additional reserves. On the other hand, I'm also a big risk taker, and I have damn strong self-belief, so I rarely believe there is anything that I cannot do (don't ask my why - that didn't come from my parents, family or old friends). I have no additional sources of income - I made some beaded jewellery last year and made some money from that, but this year, when I tried, most of it was stolen, and the person I handed over to do the sales got into trouble for trying to sell them, so nothing has come of that.

The financial situation is very, very bad and I just need some encouragement - have you been through similar financial difficulties? Can you maybe just offer words of comfort or support? It would be really appreciated. I'm currently waiting for payment to come through so I can pay my rent, but it is taking so long... I agreed to pay the landlord late on the 15th, but it might only come through on the 17th and I know he and everyone else that I can't pay this month is going to yell at me and thinking about it just makes me cry.

At some point this will all be in the past.

Thanks - I'm going to try and use that as a mantra - appreciated!!

On September 30, 1859, Abraham Lincoln included a similar theme in an address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society in Milwaukee:

"It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!"

Thank you so much! Now I have two - I shall repeat these any time I feel like getting upset!

I have a government stipend that allows me to help my family pay the mortgage and buy food for most of the month, several years ago I was approximately doubling that with an under-the-table job, in September 2008 I took a motorcycle trip and spent most of my savings, in January 2009 I had 2 accidents, in May I got a traffic ticket while getting lunch for my employer. I would have been able to have it dismissed if I had the substantial amount to pay up front. In June 2009 the shop owner decides he doesn't want the responsibility of any work he didn't touch himself. So that leaves me virtually penniless with a huge legal headache, not fully healed from injuries, my stipend was being tampered with at the same time, and my only dependable machine is leaving me stranded on a weekly average. The best part (sarcasm) is having my mother and brother quit their jobs and stay home in this time period

I began the long crawl out of the pit by placing Craigslist ads, offering to work on the machines I wasn't too fond of but I reasoned were relatively easy. I noticed the gap in the market where my old job was considered the go-to place to have their bikes renewed; people were required to bring them to the shop and due to schedules or logistics their flat tire would cause varnish to form in the fuel tank. So I began traveling to the clients' location. Eventually through word-of-mouth referral and my old employer declining heavy repairs I began to get a steady workload which lasted up until I had a couple of dry months earlier this year, but at the moment I have a small engine shop that commissioned me to handle the scooters that come in, and some light motorcycles, so I gathered they are pleased with my work.

I say all this because I can relate to the self-motivation and I'll add that money comes and goes, as long as there's enough to keep you housed and fed, as well as pursue the more affordable interests, life is more manageable

Yikes, that sounds hectic! But you have made it through to tell the story and it feels good to know that I'm not the only one who goes through situations like this - that gives me so much hope... I'm working hard on several translations and doing everything I can to hold it all together, but you're absolutely right - rent, food and a few bills (like internet so I can keep working) and I should focus on those. I've also been promoting myself online and pleased to see that clients are happy with my work too - I just want to keep getting better.

You must work very hard though!! ! You are an inspiration Thanks for sharing your story.

Not sure of your overall situation, but definately focus on employment out of the house if you aren't already doing that. It's OK to develop a side income, but they are not dependable enough and tend to go up and down. But on the beading/jewelry have you tried selling them yourself online ? (Like on sites like Etsy or Ebay). I do a small side business and found the learning curve not too difficult and pretty simple once you get the first ones figured out and done. I would guess there is a market for your products, though am not sure what specifically would be attractive and should be highlighted.

Well, I live off translation but the languages I translate to and from are not used in this country (Japanese and German). Employment outside the house would mean quitting translation altogether and going back to doing something else - I'm not sure if I'm ready to make career switch number 4 yet (medicine>IT>translation). I prefer working from home though - don't need to take pills to make me want to be social or be around people, but my solution to seeing this situation coming was to teach myself German. I'm currently studying Russian at the moment, which will allow me to branch out. Two languages is pretty much like working as two translators, so the income is increasing - I also made the mistake of working for only one company last year, and this year I work for three regular ones and hunt for clients when and where I can. Selling jewellery online is not feasible since the shipping fees from South Africa are just ridiculous - you would be paying three to five times as much for shipping as for the item itself - so unfortunately a no-go. Still - just to explain why I'm not focusing on employment outside the home - I'm much more comfortable doing this sort of work over the internet... it was having a breakdown earlier in the year and working for only one company that was the biggest problem. Like other posters have commented - this will pass - things are already getting better - but there are days like today when it just feels like "what is the point of carrying on this fight?". Now I am taking it much easier.

I don't know if you're at all religious, but I find "Thy will be done" to be a very calming mantra for me in times like that. I hope it all works out and you can stop stressing. I do know what money woes are!

Thanks - I'll use that one too. I'm not religious, but I do believe in a greater purpose - and the words themselves are calming
Good to know that I'm not alone!

que sera sera

I'm glad you could find encouragement from what I shared. Is the shipping cost out of .za expensive to every single other country? I would suspect it would be cheaper to .fr or .nl, that there might be a possibility to establish a 3rd party market where the purchaser's funds get a favorable exchange rate and the seller gets a fair profit at the same time.
I wanted to bring some sorely needed replacement parts into the USA from .de or .ch where they run more abundant, I had such a small window that if I only bought 10 items I would barely be recouping my outlay but if I bought more than 100 I would lose money as the freight went up, as well as take 10 years or more to sell everything off, this was before PayPal was widely known