I live in Denver, Colorado. I make $31K a year. my take home is about $20K I've made dumb money decisions about how much rent I can afford, cell phones, cable tv and internet at home, shopping at whole foods market. my rent is $250 over the %30 housing amount I should be paying. I feel I really need to make some drastic changes to my lifestyle in order to keep my own apartment, food, electricity, the neccesities. My childs father offers nothing much to rely on. My landlord may give me a 3 day notice to vacate because I missed an arranged payment of $500.00 last week. I've exhausted family members and I don't know what to do.

I just can't seem to make ends meet or get ahead. I need a second job. my salary doesn't cut it in this city for me an my son. This has been a struggle for me for 13 years now. Thus the dream of getting my education and a high paying job. I need to find a part time job to supplement my day job. This makes me sad.

Like I stated before, after my health insurance, dental, 401k, and taxes come out of my paycheck, I really only earn 20k a year. That's about 1670.00 after taxes a month. I haven't had a raise going on two years in my industry ( commercial roofing). I am going postal on what I need and don't need.

Need
Rent
Gas for car
Electricity
to pay my chapter 13
Food
monthly prescriptions
phone (cancel verizon go with tracfone
pet food (cheap 1.99 litter)

Don't need
Digital cable TV package
Monthly cell phone bill/contract
Meats and extravagant meal ingredients

I just paid $225 for a cell phone bill for my son and I.
475.00 on electricity that was a few monts overdue
and a partial rent payment of $500.00

I have $20.00 till the next payday and I'll have to pay the a partial rent payment $500.00 and a $251.00 overdaft for the cell phone.

I think the grocery store is a big way to spend alot of money (nothing new right?) I am stuck on making the meals that are balanced and have all the right food groups for my son and I. Well I have also thought of drastically reducing meat consumption, but find it hard to fill that "meat" part of my daily routine. 40 years eating meat and it's just natural to include it. Anyway, I have alot of food in the pantry, canned beans, veggies, rice, noodles, and a few other odds n ends. so my idea is to feed my son and I strickly from what we have and not buy any new food unless its something to enhance the bean, rice, noodle plates.

Maybe the traditional degree isn't for me. I've been working on a degree (I have most general requirements) for a very long time now. I've changed my course several times, Nursing, accounting, teaching, dental, law school. I'm thinking maybe I'm not going in the right direction with a formal education. So now i'm thinking I can go to school for Esthetician licensing. My sister owns (with four other owners) 5 body waxing salons in colorado and it's a business that is doing really good. Even with this economy, her books are full. It seems the traditional requiements to get a degree is taking so long for me an if I can train for a few months I'd be able to start working a new career.