Since my divorce 4 years ago I have learned to be very self sufficient, but in the last year things have taken a turn for the worse. Even though I do work at a good paying job which pays me weekly (avg of $500, after taxes and child support), I have suffered cutbacks in hours, and bonus which is now making it near impossible to keep juggling my rent, car payment, car insurance, electricity, phone, plus put food on the table and gas in the car. It has gotten bad enough where I am starting to sell things I own, such as my musical equipment (I used to be in bands, but that did not pay out for me). My emergency money that was supposed to tide me over in event of job cutbacks... gone since months ago, and as a result... everything is falling behind further!

I desperately need a lump sum gift of money to at least stabilize myself, and I can take it from there. If everything were caught up I could float myself once more, and not have a need to be on this particular forum. I am not the kind of person to ask for handouts... but I am so depressed at this stage in the game that I will take anything, as long as it is legal!

By my calculations (as of beginning of december this year):

rent - 3300. behind
electricity - 1500. behind
car - 620 behind

This does not include the current month's bills.

avg bill amts:

rent $600
electricity $120
car $310
phone $80
insurance $120
water $60 (paid to landlady)

The top three, those three are the big killers. I have tried to keep phone up at least for the internet connection, and because that would be a huge embarrassment to me since I WORK there! Electricity should have been shut off months ago... maybe I fell through the cracks but I am sure my luck is running out. How my landlady has not evicted me yet is beyond me, but her patience is wearing REALLY thin, and I cannot keep making promises to everyone then having to pick and choose who will actually get paid this week. I think this month will either make or break me. This is sickening to me to be like this... and if I am able to get someone's help I vow never to get myself in such a mess. All I need... is a one shot deal...

Ideally if it were possible to get a gift of $10,000 I know that would not only wipe out the arrears, but also keep me in position to stay AHEAD of all bills instead of behind. I know that is a large amount, considering the debt listed above, but there are other past debts I would like to clear as well such as chiropractor that look bad on my record and I would like to improve my credit not just stave off the axe man. Even $5000 will at least get some of the pressure off of me.

Miscellaneous items you need to know. My daughter now lives with me, she is 11. Her mother does as well but she is losing her car this week to reposession. They have been here since October, tripling my grocery bill. Her mother does work but she will more than likely lose the job when the car goes. She is looking for something within walking distance or bus route as we speak.

I feel like Princess Leia in Star Wars... "Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope...."

I desperately plead for someone to reach out... I in turn when I get on my feet, will pass it on, as I was raised to do.

I am a 23-year-old woman focused on building a successful Independent Record Company. I have been operating a home-based music production company for 4 years now and have worked with hundreds of local musicians producing industry-standard CDs/DEMOs, while releasing my own original projects as well. I am now trying to take things to the next level and setup an Indie Record Label storefront. I'd like to still keep the company home-based... studio downstairs and home upstairs, to cut down on expenses. I need this money to help with living costs while building the business as well as providing for equipment, inventory, legal, and marketing costs. A full business plan and grant proposal is ready and waiting. Any guidance you may have regarding which Grants that are applicable, is welcomed. Thank you. 

Hi my name is Kandice - I am from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania - I am a mother of three children ages 5,7, and 12 - I am also married but my husband is really struggling financially. I have medical assistance - What I want to say is that I have had some difficult times in my life and honestly I didn't take very good care of myself - I have a few teeth left on top and several on the bottom - my front tooth is broken - My medical assistance will not pay for the work I need done - Ultimately I would like to have my teeth extracted and aquire dentures - I realize that you only get one chance to take care of your teeth and I have not done that - but I believe dentures would give me a second chance to be a new person - Recently I have been making some changes in my life for the better - I have Fibromyalgia which is a painful and difficult thing to deal with - I went through a course at Shadyside Pain Management Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to help me be able to deal with this illness and to take better care of myself - I wanted to improve my quality of life as well as to be able to be a better and more active mother for my children - I have dedicated myself to my children and my main focus has been on them since I had them - But at the same time I have neglected to take care of myself and I realize this - The truth is people seem to pass on at young ages in my family and I don't want it to happen to me - I want to be around to see my children grow up and do whatever it is in their lives that makes them happy - I haven't been to a dentist for years even though I have medical assistance just for the simple fact that I am embarrased and ashamed at the state my teeth are in - I rarely leave my house and this pains me because I want to do more things with my children and possibly go back to work to help support my family - If you can help me in any way I would be forever grateful  -  please contact me and thank you for taking the time to read this -  

I am a 23-year-old woman focused on building a successful Independent Record Company. I have been operating a home-based music production company for 4 years now and have worked with hundreds of local musicians producing industry-standard CDs/DEMOs, while releasing my own original projects as well. I am now trying to take things to the next level and setup an Indie Record Label storefront. I'd like to still keep the company home-based... studio downstairs and home upstairs, to cut down on expenses. I need this money to help with living costs while building the business as well as providing for equipment, inventory, legal, and marketing costs. A full business plan and grant proposal is ready and waiting. Any guidance you may have will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 

To whom it may concern  my name is james and im on disabilty and having trouble with christmas i have 3 kids and one on the way. i tryed churches i tryed programs and all i got was its to late. i have bill collectors hounding me to pay them im like 2000.00 in the hole. but im not trying to ask for bill money all im trying to do is to try to make sure my kids have a christmas. they dont wanna here about bills and they dont need to the only thing that matters is. is that santa shows up this year.   p.s.  if you can help it would be greatly appriciated and if not have a merry christmas anyways and god bless you.                 jim

My name is Jessica Snouffer, I'm 20, and residing in Greentree, PA (Pittsburgh).  I am trying to look into receiving grants/scholarships any way possible because schooling is so expensive.  I would like to pursue a career in Psychology at Point Park University, in Pittsburgh and also keep my current full time job so I can maintain my bills.  I would like to begin by September this year, so that will give me plenty of time to apply for grants and aid.  Problem:  I'm not sure what I am/am not eligible for.  There's so much about the loans that I don't understand.

I believe in the HUMAN spirit.

Sometimes there are bumps in the road of life and sometimes there are hills but, for some, there are mountains... I think I may be facing Everest.  As a person who never asks for help, creating a page here is somewhat of a daunting task for me but, I do not know what else to do.

I am in severe money trouble.  My life has come to a screeching halt because of it.  I have been forced out of college due to my inability to pay tuition.  As someone who comes from a severely abusive family, and in my infinite wisdom as a naieve college freshman I decided to obtain credit cards so that I would not be a burden to my parents.  I used the cards to pay for things like books, food, rent, and so on.  I knew nothing of things like intrest rates and finance charges.  I was unable to get much aid for college because my gambling addicted alcoholic father and bipolar alcoholic mother claim me on their tax returns to get the tax break however, they did not assist with my tution.  And since the federal government does not take things like that into account (at least to my knowledge), I was forced to obtain federal and private student loans to pay my tuition. 

I also found out later, that my father was obtaining loans and credit cards in my name to pay for his own problems.  So here I am with no college degree and $58,000 in student loan and credit card debt.  As you can see by that high dollar amount, I decided to attend a private college which, now that I think about it may not have been the best financial choice.

I am currently living with an aunt and uncle trying like hell to keep my head above water so that I can pay my bills.  After an altercation with my father that resulted in me being used as a punching bag, I had to get as far away from him as possible which is why I am living with my aunt and uncle.  I am working full time as a waitress at a fine dining establishment however it is not enough and I am considering taking the overnight position offered to me at a nearby gas station so that I can make ends meet and get an apartment as soon as possible because I hate the burden that I have become.

I do not know what to do.

I am only 22 years old and I am going to be in debt for a very long time.  I cannot go back to school because I need to work to pay my bills and no one in their right mind will give me another loan to cover the costs of education.  I do not want to struggle like this forever.  I have been struggling to make ends meet for a very long time.  I sacrifice a great deal so that I do not miss payments.  This may sound superficial but I have not bought myself new clothes in probably two years, all my jeans have holes in them, and I don't have the money to care.

There are people in this world who are much worse off than I am.  I know that and I feel extremely guilty about complaining however, I am also one to give when I don't have it to give.  I have so much to offer this world.  I dream of being a teacher and a foster parent.  I dream of changing the world.  I dream of retiring into an old farmhouse with 10 extra rooms so that I can help those in need... "take in strays" I like to say.  All I want is a chance and right now, I see that chance fading.

I look at famous people with their money and their cars and think to myself, $58,000 would be like 100 bucks maybe less to someone like Paris Hilton, John Travolta, or Oprah and I find myself being so jealous of their fortunes.  Rich people parade their material possessions all over the television and I am sitting here wondering if I am going to be able to afford gas to get to work, or dinner.  Its wrong to feel the way I do, but I can't help it.  I work my butt off for my measly paycheck and all they have to do is say, buy Nike shoes and they get 2 million in endorsements.  Oh, well.

How can I begin my life when I am already so far behind?  Is there something I can do that doesn't require something like welfare?  I would love to answer any questions that anyone may have so that you can better understand my predicament.  Things are hard and I am plugging along but, this is not the life that I want and I will do whatever it takes to make things better... I just don't want to be 50 years old making my final student loan payment wasting my life trying to make those payments.  Its beginning to look pretty grim for my future.  All I ask is for advice and prayers.  Thank you for listening.

my name is candace i am a single 29 year old mom with 4 young kids ages 5 thru 12..we have been through alot this year.we moved to a different town to escape an abusive situation full of drugs and violence...we were doing ok and i was a waitress making it for us..i was recently fired may 23rd.and we are very broke.bills rent and daily needs are not met. i do not qualify for cash assistance and child support comes few and far between.the shut off notices are rollin in and unemployment is only 60 a week due to the waitress wages here.every penny i get is a borrowed one and have no clue when i can pay our way or them back..finding a job is hard when i barely even have bus money..bottom line we need anything and everything right now..3 to 5 grand would put us right where we need to be..please if u can help let me know..i filled out grant forms already and i still havent heard anything...please if you can help us. thank you

Im a 20 yr. old dancer, in need of some serious help. See I've been through every possible way to get money that this is literally my last resort. Right now what I need money for is so I can get a wrinky dinky car to get me from point A to point B. I guess I'll just start from the beigining...this might take a little while. I've been dancing since I was in the sixth grade. I went to a performing arts middle school as well as a performing arts highschool. I graduated in 2005. But through my highschool years I made some poor decisions with money. Somehow a credit card showed up at my house when I was 17yrs. old. And to make a long story short I shot myself in the foot with that one. Then cell phone bills went through the roof. So by the time I graduated my credit was horrible. So horrible that I couldn't even get a loan for $3,000 to get to college.Everyone said I needed a co-signer. Now I have a mother, a father, and five little brothers. I am the oldest. Being that my mother and father both struggle very hard and our family is poor, they had filed for bankruptcy. Making it that they could not co-sign on a loan for me for another 6yrs. from this date. I got accepted into the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. They gave me a little scholarship...and when I say little I mean little. for a $35,000 a year school. Since I didn't have a co-signer  and my credit was so bad. I did not got to college right out of highschool. But I was determined. So all I did was work, work, work, and dance my heart out. I did Showtime at the Apollo and won twice. and got money from that. Worked two jobs and asked for help so much. By the Spring term of 2006 I went to the University of the Arts. I actually went for two semesters hoping to get a full scholarship but I did not recieve one. Causing me to have to leave school my this past semester. And all I thought I was doing was coming home for winter break. Did not know I would not be going back. After that I just continued to work where I was working during winter break and started saving again. I even got moved up to Assistant Manager. But I was not dancing anymore, and its my life. You name it I've done it. So I went and layed it all out on the line. Took my savings and went and auditioned for FOX NETWORKS "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE" The TV show. Hoping to change my life with this competition/show. And I thought  I was going to do just that. Out of 5,000 people only 186 people made it to the semi-finals in Las Vegas and I was one of them. From Vegas they take the top 40. 20 guys and 20 girls. I made it to the top 23 guys. then I was cut. So now I'm stuck... And I'm honestly despreate. I need help. My savings is gone. I no longer have my job because they did not want to even support me when I went the audition so they fired me.

  If anyone doesn't believe any thing that I've written so far I have proof of it all. The "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE"  premiers on May 24 on Fox at 8pm. You will see me on that international show for about 3 maybe 4 weeks. I will be posting pictures and the newspaper articles of the Showtime At the Apollo performances. Just so no one thinks I'm lying.

 I just need some help honestly. Im about $3,500 in debt. My credit score is 515. Even Prosper.com said my credit isn't good enough for them. If don't know what Prosper.com is you should really, really, really, check it out. It might just be able to help even you. I totally recommend it. Even tho they turn me away.But Im not even asking for some one to come and take care of my debt. I plan on fixing that and getting back to school with the gameplan that I've come up with. And that is why I'm on here today because this is my last resort.

I need at the most $1,000. So that I can get a car. Why? Because This summer I plan on putting together my own dance show for my city. And hopefully after both nights of the show I will have created enough profit to get back to school. Because I must finish.i should be a junior, but I will just be starting my sophmore year. If I get back. But the car comes as my savior, because I've been getting request from dance schools around my city to come to their studios and teach master classes, and set choreography. That instructors are offering my hundreds of dollars to just come and work with their dancers. this would not only help me get back to school, fix my debt, but also get the theatre I want to put my show on at and get the things I really need to put a great show on. There is money out there for me to get in my city because I have become a known dancer in my city but I have no way of getting to it. I need reliable transportation so I can do this. It will honestly be the first step to me getting my life back and correcting the mistakes I made when I was younger. I'm trying to be a man that my brothers who range ina age from 2yrs. old - 12yrs. old.I need this this will help me so much. Every studio is just to far away and public transportation is unreliable, and don't even go to some of the places that want me to come. There like 45 min. - a hour away. Plus they just cut back on public transportation in my city which is Pittsburgh.

So if there is anyone reading this who can help me please...Im begging you. All I need is at the most $1,000 just to get me on the road. So I can do what I need to do to make it happen. So please. And  promise once I make the first $1,000 back I will give it back. Just because you took a chance on me.

~Gabriel Ash

We are honest hardworking people.  We don't like asking for help or aid, but we we are in danger of losing everything if we don't get help immediately.  Our children are small...9.7,6 and 3.  This is why I haven't been working...daycare is just too expensive for four children.  Now that all but one are in school full time, I'm looking to go back to work.  But, I don't know what to do in the meantime.  The bills just can't or won't wait anymore. 

We both have college degrees and have the potential to get back on our feet, BUT we just need that little extra help to get us started again.  We've already exhausted all of the programs I can find.  We declared bankruptcy about 3 years ago.  Our credit cards are in a debt management program.  I've gotten on payment plans where I could...but we STILL need just a little bit extra to get caught up on all the back payments!

I hate doing this!  I feel like a failure that we can't make it on our own.  We've been struggling for a few years now and everything has just finally caved in around us.  We are a happily married couple trying to raise 4 children on one $50,000 income.  I have been a stay at home Mom for about 7 years and we were doing okay until my husband got laid off for a few months last winter.  We fell behind on everything and even now that he's back to work we just can't get caught up.  We can make the regular payments just fine, but we can't make the back payments too.  The stack of bills sitting on my table is completely overwhelming me right now.  EVERYTHING is about to be shut off or taken away if I don't pay it ALL this week.  I can't pay it all and I don't know what to do.  I'm sitting here trying to decide which bills to pay and which ones to let get shut off.  My mortgage is behind too and I've gotten a forecloseure notice.  I've already borrowed tons of money from family and friends and they just can't give anymore.  I have made the decision to go back to work, and I'm currenly going on interviews. However, our needs are immediate.  I need help immediately to keep my utilities from being shut off and my cars and houses from being reposessed.  I'm not going to ask for a specific amount because every little bit helps. I will tell you though that I have over $1500 in bills which are in IMMEDIATE danger of being shut off or repoed, and I only have $547 to work with.  That's all the money I have and that doesn't even include money to buy groceries and gas for the week.  Next week, I have to pay $1,400 to the mortgage company or they will foreclose.  I will only be getting a paycheck for about $1,100.  There won't even be enough to pay the mortgage let alone any other bills.  So, if I don't pay everything else this week.  It will all be shut off or repoed.  I'm scared for my children.  I'm afraid we're going to end up homeless.  We don't care about ourselves so much...but I don't want my children to be hungry, cold or have nowhere to live.  I have nightmares at night about living on the streets in cardboard boxes.  I'm really scared...please help. 

My husband and I both have skills which we could possibly offer in exchange.  My husband is very handy and can do lots of odd jobs if someone happens to be in our area.  He has done everything from painting, to building decks, and pouring concrete.  There is very little handy work which he cannot do.

I make reborn dolls.  If there's any doll collectors out there who might be interested I could make you dolls in exchange for any aid you might be able to provide.  If you're not familiar with reborn dolls you can find them on ebay if you do a search for reborns.  I have one on ebay at the moment but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link here so I won't.  Contact me if you'd like to know how to view her.

Hi, I am a single Mom of 2 Daugther's. I have a 6 year old and a 1 year old. I am currently unemployeed becuase as per my 1 year old's condition. My Baby  just had heart surgery. My home was just condemned by the Health Department and  I have 10 days to find a new home (because there is mold and mushrooms growing in my home). I am NOT living in any State funded or Goverment housing.  I am living on a very limited income I live on Child support payments $500 per month. I  have been attempting to get help for over 3 month and have been getting rejected.  It is very frustrating because I have never asked for help before (always had a good job) and I really really need help but I cannot get help. I don't know what to do.

I am really down and out in Pittsburgh.I desperately need help with my rent and utilities. I have been laid off from two jobs in the last two months and I am drowning fast in a mire of bills. Please if someone can spare a little to help me get back on my feet, it would be greatly appreciated. God can only help so much. A dollar from a few would add up to maybe enough to help with rent and food. I have tried everywhere in the city and because I don't have a bunch of kids or a really bad disability, I have ended updoing this, Begging strangers to help me survive. I hope someone see this and can give me a helping hand. I bless anyone who does from the bottom of my heart.

Feel free to participate in this public group space.

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Either way is good - the important thing is your participation. On Aidpage, people support each other by speaking out and by paying attention to each other - as simple as that.

Feel free to participate in this public group space.

Two easy ways to do this:

1. Add a comment or a question here - on this page... or on any other page in this space.
   
2. Or, if you want to start a separate thread - make a new page.

Either way is good - the important thing is your participation. On Aidpage, people support each other by speaking out and by paying attention to each other - as simple as that.