I'll be blunt If you can help, God bless you. If you can't, could you please share with people? Bless you all
I just tossed $50 your way bud. Can't afford much more. Try a couple natural supplements. I'd suggest Ashwagandha, or maybe L-theanine. A couple things that might help take the edge off. Do some research on them before taking but they can certainly take the edge off if used sparingly. God bless.
God bless you, you truly have no idea how much that helps though. And thank you for the tips, I will look into it. My wife suggested seeing a therapist, unfortunately I can't even afford to do that as other bills must come first.
L-Tyrosine and Muca Pruriens are another couple that boosts dopamine and will promote happiness. Use it sparingly and cycle it. On 3 days, off 2 days, etc. It's very effective but it builds tolerance rather quickly. But if you research some natural dopamine and/or serotonin boosting supplements it can help you replace the sauce. Just be careful with overdoing anything that boosts serotonin and Google supplements to learn about them before taking them
There is an option you could try. Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 11 re-organization. Not the terminal black mark it used to be. Might provide some daylight. Do some research on it. Won't solve all your problems, but the monetary issues I'm sure are adding to your mental depression. One thing at a time. Eventually, you'll come out the other side.
Thanks for the tips! I have explored it but unfortunately much if not all of student loan debt is not forgivable under bankruptcy. There have been a few successful tries and some have by good graces gotten them discharged, but it is skewed way more towards rhe exception than the rule there.
I'll toss one more thing at you. And I cannot emphasize this enough. It cannot under any circumstances be money that you will need in a week, a month or even a year. It needs to be the ultimate rainy day fund. But it might be worth it if you can scrounge together a couple hundred bucks every once in a while, to make an ETrade Account or TD Ameritrade Account and research some stocks. There is certainly risk of losing it all involved which is why I said it can't be money you're counting on. There can be gaps of time where you're down money in the account. But investing in some stocks can lead to some growth. It takes a lot of research to figure out exactly what's worth ingesting in that's within your price range. It's difficult because with little capital you will not be buying Apple, Google, etc. But pennystocks run at times and playing the stock market can slowly grow some money for you if you don't have the time or means to be doing things after work like Uber, DoorDash, etc.
Maybe some kind of consolidation would help with a decent rate. It’s easier to focus on one payment rather than a bunch. You have to do everything you can to improve your state . Problems are going to be there, and can be fixed... but if your health goes then forget about it. I have had issues with sleep for different reasons. I get so excited scheduling jobs for my business, then get anxiety wondering how I’m actually going to get all the work done. I’ve found these gummies made by olly at cvs. They are melatonin with elderberry. They help a lot for those restless nights. You have to sleep. Ditch the drinks etc... it’s only compounding everything. Running solves my anxiety issues ,otherwise I would probably need medication. If you can improve first what you can control, you’ll be surprised at how you can attack the rest of the issues .
I actually have been really good about exercise. Then I threw out my lower back at work a week or so ago and haven't been able to since. Sucks, but I suppose when it rains it pours lol, this obviously has not helped since exercise was a huge outlet! As far as consolidation i have tried and don't seem to qualify for any of them, or any that I do aren't really any better than the situation now, tho like you said perhaps one payment to manage would at least be less stressful.
Ryan, God bless you as well. Life will throw you curveballs time to time. I suffered a lot financially when I was young. Married when I was 22 and didn't even have a wedding ceremony. Our wedding dinner was take out McDonalds. There was time I couldn't heat my house. We eventually overcame it. Believe that these difficult days will pass. I carried your thread to the main page and made it sticky thread. I also donated $100. I hope more can help and we can help one of our own.
Got ya for a buck. Perfect timing! My boss came by TONIGHT and gave me a $100 Christmas bonus! Then I read your post. Please hang in there. Brighter days for you two ARE ahead. Thank you Brook for putting this on the main page...
I sent you a donation. We are retired and living on a fixed income and don't really need all the stimulus money they sent us. So it is our pleasure to share some of it with you as well as other needy causes. As for your crippling student debt, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party has been urging Pres. elect Biden to cancel all student debt. You should get behind this effort. Not sure he'll do it, but he did say he would address the issue, so there is some hope on the horizon. Finally, I would urge you to use a food bank if you don't already. This is another cause we contribute to every month. There is no shame in asking for help during these times.
I felt shame at first, but you are right, there are so many good people willing to help those in need. Thank you so much for sharing your stimulus with us, that truly touches us that you would think to do that. We are exploring local resources in the area also as far as help to receive from the community, luckily a good friend of mine from another forum I post on is connecting us with some resources that may be of benefit.
@JerzeJets I got a stimulus check I don't need, and I'm fortunate enough to be an asset holder in a year when the Fed gave me gains I did nothing for. So I sent you money, and also these days, you can buy fractional shares of companies with higher share prices. Just invest sensibly and for the long run; don't fear a crash, but don't go chasing hype stocks either. Also read The Intelligent Investor; it doesn't have any fancy stuff, and you won't get rich quick following its advice, but it's like the Bill Walsh West Coast offense; you can't go wrong with it.
Hey Ryan, just kicked into the campaign. To be honest, 2020 was the worst struggle I've had with anxiety and depression in my life. I'm still working my way out of the woods, and some days are harder than others, but am a lot better than I was. Additionally, I'm an admin for 2 support groups (one for men and one for men and women) through a phone application called Marco Polo for people who suffer with anxiety and depression. To be honest, it's helped me a lot more than talk therapy. Might be up your alley. If you want to talk about depression / anxiety, direct message me and we can exchange phone numbers.
Have you looked into switched to an IDR (income driven repayment) plan for your student loans? I'm personally on such a plan for my own student loans and it has been extremely helpful. Your monthly payments are pegged to between 10% and 20% of your discretionary income (depending on which IDR plan you get on). Its still a lot of money but for many its a reduction. You might also look into refinancing your mortgage at a lower rate, as interest rate at at record lows right now. Keep your head up, there are brighter days ahead! https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven