Please pray for our family.  We are in a tremendous financial crisis.  My husband has a fairly decent job, but, after taxes health/dental insurance, we simply do not have quite enough to pay our bills.  Before my mother became ill, she helped us pay for extra things like home school needs, winter coats, groceries, and she paid for our telephone bill.  

This past year, we have managed to stay afloat by the grace of God and rolling bills around.  This is a terrible  practice and eventually everything must be paid.  We have either sold or are trying to sell everything we can, including our 12 passenger van that we prayed so long and hard for.

If we do not have some miracle by the first of the year, I will have to go back into the work force and we will have to return our children to the public school system.  This thought is very disconcerting for me and I am greatly troubled and depressed.

We have no family who either can or will help us.

It is just a very difficult time and very trying on our faith.  

So please remember our family in your prayers.

Prayers for you all.

 

 

Is it possible to move, Cathmomof7?   Not necessarily to another town, but to a lesser expensive home?   Mortgage or rent is a huge fixed expense that can be lowered.  (I presume you have considered this option)

 

This is one of those prayer requests that I often suggest one bring to St Joseph. Here is one of the oldest novena prayers said to Our Lord's foster-father:

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O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.

 

Is it possible to move, Cathmomof7?   Not necessarily to another town, but to a lesser expensive home?   Mortgage or rent is a huge fixed expense that can be lowered.  (I presume you have considered this option)

Moving is not an option.  We have a mortgage.  The housing market is flooded and even if we could sell our home, rental properties here are quite expensive.  We can not afford anything higher than we already pay.

My heart goes out to you, CathMom. Since I've been married we've faced one financial struggle after another. We still don't have healthcare, but we can get by with that because we have no children yet.

My husband works 7 days a week and it's very physical work, and is overextended as it is. He can't work any more hours- his body won't allow it.

I've done a couple things to make some extra cash, and it has been able to keep us afloat. I'll throw them out here, just in case any of these would be an option for you.

I make and sell things at craft fairs.
I sell baked goods to local restaraunts and take custom orders from people in the community. This is a perfect time to do it, with the holiday's coming up.
I sell vegetables when the season is right
I make different crafty items, or childrens toys and advertise them on facebook. I was surprised at how many friends want to buy my stuff.
In the past I've given music lessons, but that was before I was married. I will probably start again here pretty soon.
Dog boarding. You can either keep peoples dogs when they are out of town, or offer to come to their home to let them out and give them food a couple times a day. People who care this much about their pet generally have no qualms paying very well for pet care. One month I made 800 bucks off of pet care without much effort, and I had a lot of fun doing it.

These ideas, of course, all take time to do. You may not have any extra time to spare with children to care for.

At any rate, you have our prayers. HANG IN THERE!!!!!