Need your help. Might be homeless in under a month.

a reply to: ilikebooze

you do realize alot of places are doing away with the old paper applications/resumes right??? everywhere i goto apply tell me to goto their website and apply online or email them your resume.

I have been here too. It was after I graduated and was looking for my career in some area of my Chemistry/Biology degree. Many of my classmates moved away from their studies to take jobs not very connected to their degree but I hung in at a temp agency and was able to get part time research jobs that paid slightly above McDonald's with no insurance. I used that experience, doing what I loved, to parley that into the next job and the next until I was able to become an Environmental Scientist based on my degree and my experience.
My advice is to find something you love to do or are passionate that needs to be done and pursue it with the intent of being something you can believe in and work hard toward that goal. Setting a goal in an area you love or believe in is what will make you happy in the long run when you make it to the end of the rainbow. Dreaming allowed, God bless you and help you be all you can be.

Hi Ghost, sorry to hear about your hardships, I too have been there. Then I realised what I was doing wrong. What I have always found to be the case is this: I fully agree that most advertised jobs are not real, and are advertised for legal and hiring policy reasons. Most have already been filled. The way I have always got a job is to completely ignore the usual process. Forget about sending your CV to companies, just get a meeting with the manager by hook or by crook. Doesn't even matter if you have to make a white lie to get in. Then impress the hell out of them. Even if no job was advertised by that company, the boss will still want to employ you. Even if they can't fit you in there and then, they will remember you for sure. The problem with applying the usual way is that it is a faceless process, and you don't have the chance to really sell yourself. Get face-to-face meetings with people for whom you wish to work, no matter what. I've always done this, with success.

a reply to: Ghost147

I U2U ed you . Have you used all of your sick time on your unemployment yet?

a reply to: Ghost147

What is your profession skill or trade? What part of the country do you live PM me that.

originally posted by: greencmp
Consider bankruptcy, especially if your credit has taken a hit anyway.

The best advice I can give to anyone regardless of their situation is that it is OK (maybe even recommended) to take a job that is beyond your capability. It will force you to step up and learn thereby bettering yourself at the expense of an employer instead of paying for training.

Our circumstances are always improvable.

Good luck and make the crisis serve you rather than allow it to reinforce any unsubstantiated doubts you may have about yourself.

Just to add to your suggestion, don't pretend to know something you don't in construction that can get you dead real fast. Or hurt seriously.

a reply to: enament

Yes! A most welcome qualification.

I am really thinking about non-potentially-maming skills, software in particular.

Not that you can't do a lot of unintended damage there too.

a reply to: Ghost147

Thanks for the tip, I'll try to keep that in mind, but like I said, I have about 1 month before everything goes to hell.

And that month will go by like two hours. As far as my experience
goes the one thing I can tell you, is one of the biggest truths, of
your situation. Yeah, I've been there.
But I'm very resourceful and very able bodied. Highrise glazing
and structural iron are my game and the shortage of work has long
since passed. But what I've seen happen to others is disgraceful.
Anyway what I was saying is, I remember everytime I thought I had
finally hit rock bottom, the bottom fell out from under me again.
And I found out, it was much farther down. So I know what you're
facing. I even thought I had family to fall back on but that wasn't
the case either.
I think the best thing I can tell you is this. If there is nothing there
where you are. In the way of work you can get. Don't sit and wait
for the end to come to you. You decide when enough is enough
and end it yourself. By packing up evryone and everything you
love and go. That way you declare control over the situation.
And go and get somewhere that's booming and full of hope.
Adventure or disaster is the difference.

And you thought I would offer you prayers huh?

I would but I know this world. And it was not meant to be.
So I'm pretty sharp on what will help and what won't. But
I refuse to cause any thread drift here so enough of that.
Gawd I wish things weren't the way they are. It sounds like
it's going to get rough for you. If you don't take the reins and
learn to drive horses. Please don't lose touch here. You are
one BIG challenge.

I've been there sorry to hear about your dilemma. After loosing everything and being at rock bottom for 8 years one thing I came away from it all with is you don't need as much as you thought you once did. I walked away from it all credit cards car payment and rent. The creditors called day and night non stop. I took the phone off the hook they were relentless. After hitting rock bottom things can only get better from there on out.

Last I checked my credit cleared up. The way I see it now is if I can't pay cash for it I don't need it. I don't even own a cell phone. I keep my life as simple as possible.

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Ghost147
With all respect, I think you must accept your situation now and let go the life style you had before. Face it, the $16 hour job is gone and must take a job for less money. Do not wait. You need to stop excusing yourself with those "mental breakdowns". You can do that, fight, fight, fight

The thing is, as long as I'm on Employment Insurance, anything under $16 an hour would be less than I would make monthly with the Insurance, and also remove the Employment Insurance.

Outside of Employment Insurance, yes, I agree, two full-time jobs under $16 would work. It would suck, but it would work.

originally posted by: randyvs
a reply to: Ghost147
I think the best thing I can tell you is this. If there is nothing there
where you are. In the way of work you can get. Don't sit and wait
for the end to come to you. You decide when enough is enough
and end it yourself. By packing up evryone and everything you
love and go. That way you declare control over the situation.
And go and get somewhere that's booming and full of hope.
Adventure or disaster is the difference.

That's the issue though. Due to my wife's condition, this isn't a viable option. I would have no problem doing such a thing otherwise, but medically it would be beyond difficult.

originally posted by: wantsome
I've been there sorry to hear about your dilemma. After loosing everything and being at rock bottom for 8 years one thing I came away from it all with is you don't need as much as you thought you once did. I walked away from it all credit cards car payment and rent. The creditors called day and night non stop. I took the phone off the hook they were relentless. After hitting rock bottom things can only get better from there on out.

Last I checked my credit cleared up. The way I see it now is if I can't pay cash for it I don't need it. I don't even own a cell phone. I keep my life as simple as possible.

We too have been downgrading as much as possible in the last few months. We've cut down our monthly spending by at least $2000 (that was a calculation from several months ago, It could very well be $3000 now), and we're left now with only the bare minimum of essential payments.

Due to my wife's condition, we both need cellphones to keep in contact, but we have chosen less expensive plans in order to continue with it. And we continuously switch Internet providers so that we always have the 50%-off-for-6-months deal. All our other bills are either insurance or gas/electric.

So we've definitely reduced our spending significantly, and are always on the lookout for how to continue to reduce it (moving in with family is our best choice).




For anyone else I didn't respond to directly. Thanks for your continued suggestions and support, I read all of the responses

a reply to: Ghost147

These may help as well

www.servicecanada.gc.ca...

I tried to find out exactly how many sick weeks you are able to get on one claim but it confuses sick benefits with my question, so it would be best if you went to their office and asked them directly.

a reply to: Ghost147

Sorry to hear about your situation. Have you thought of work at home. There is a large co called Sitel, that has many work at home jobs available. It's answering calls, like a call center. Not sure if it's you but thought I would let you know. I worked for them, so legit

a reply to: Ghost147

Yeah I definitely know what it's like. I'm from Detroit and back in the 90's there were jobs everywhere. I started out at $8 an hour and within a few years I was making $16 an hour. I watched entire industrial complexes disappear over night in 2003. There were thousands and thousands of people out of work. The freeways looked like a ghost town during what used to be rush hour. There were so many people out of work what jobs were left were taken by people with more experience.

My buddy took a job part time at Walmart. He couldn't even afford heat his gas was shut off the entire winter no hot water either. Everyone slept in the living room huddled together. He moved in with me a couple years ago. Things were horrible I lost almost everything I had. I sold most of my fishing gear hunting gear furniture you name it.

I use to make $50k a year now I survive on $10k a year. Thankfully I have friends and family that helped me out. My buddy that moved in with me his mother ended up in a homeless shelter. I only had enough room for one person. Her mother finally took her in. She has cancer too.

Around here things aren't what they use to be. The cost of living has skyrocketed. My grandmother was heavily invested in the stock market. In 2008 when it crashed she got cold feet and bailed. She lost her entire life savings over $200k.

It's a dog eat dog world. Your're not alone you'll make it through.

originally posted by: wantsome
a reply to: Ghost147

My grandmother was heavily invested in the stock market. In 2008 when it crashed she got cold feet and bailed. She lost her entire life savings over $200k.

That sounds like the great crash - I'm pretty sure that "the powers that be" keep doing the same stuff over and over again to rip people for everything they have, allow some time for their families to build something back up again, do it again and rip them again, rinse, repeat, ad nauseum.

You work your whole life to save a little bit (in the grand scheme of things) then "they" stiff you over to take it all from you.

Very sad state of affairs in this world we live in.

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: Ghost147

Uber is where you basically give people taxi rides which they order on a smartphone app (so there is a large customer base and plenty of customers if you are in an urban-enough area)

I'm really sorry to hear about your situation - I actually work in employment services and would be More than happy to look at your resume, job postings in your area, potential other government services you may not know about, etc. Feel free to U2U me if you want, at any rate I'm wishing you the very best and I like others on this thread believe in my heart and soul that something will pan out for you

That is the coolest and most generous thing I have seen here on ATS in awhile.

You have restored me faith here.

Cheers

a reply to: Ghost147
Ghost, not certain aboot Canadia but we have extended gubernant benis in the states. Might want to look into because of the betterhalf


Medi MJ might be an other avenue if you are not too restricted in Canadia

Keep your chin up! WE are all rooting for you!

a reply to: Ghost147

I don't know what options are available to you in Canada but I would suggest a job retraining program for both yourself and your wife. You mention that she is unable to work, I assume that means she gets disability? That should be some income. If not, why not?

If Canada is anything like the US you can almost always apply to university successfully, especially for job training. If you go this route (your wife can do it too, she might get even more help), you could learn a more marketable skill and student loans can be used to pay for housing... there's also the option of student family housing which is usually less expensive. The downside to this of course is that you're wracking up debt but to be perfectly honest that's something you're already doing. In the US you could go this route under the assumption there will be some sort of student debt bailout in the next decade (not an unreasonable assumption).

If you went this route though, seeing as how it's February you would still need some sort of plan until the next semester rolls around.

If you go this route, pick a small school in a small town as long as it's reputable. Your money will go much further.

Everyone will disagree with me on this because debt is bad, and I'm basically telling you to live off the government (or a private bank loan) but if you can't work it's your best option. Look at your situation, you currently don't have the right skills and your wife is unable to contribute. The best thing for both of you is to relearn ways to contribute given your current limitations.

As for what skills you can do, I don't know what your photoshop skills are like but everyone else in this thread says you have some talent with photoshop. Go to an art school and in probably 3 years you'll have a degree and (hopefully) enough talent to work as an artist. Contrary to popular belief, art degrees are very lucrative if you work in areas like making 2d textures, 3d anything, logo design, and so on... just stay away from painting, and sculpture (unless you're scuplting in ZBrush) to make an actual living from.

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF
a reply to: Ghost147
extended gubernant benis

I have no idea what that is. haha

originally posted by: Ksihkehe
Sorry I can't offer a magic bullet for today, but when you dig out of this you should look them up. Dave Ramsey often says failing to plan is planning to fail. They both have lots of tips on not falling into the traps that make people poor. Most of it is common sense for people that have a good background in financial planning, but that's a small portion of the population so they're great resources.

Dave Ramsey has some good suggestions but by his own admission his advice doesn't work at lower incomes. I imagine the exact ratio is slightly different in Canada's economy but Ramsey will be the first to tell you that if you don't make atleast 4x minimum wage, you should not follow his advice. Rather than follow his advice, if you're below that threshold you should instead work a second or third job to try and get to that point. He will also be the first to point out that the economics of low income (anything below that 4x factor) are different.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Ghost147

I don't know what options are available to you in Canada but I would suggest a job retraining program for both yourself and your wife. You mention that she is unable to work, I assume that means she gets disability? That should be some income. If not, why not?

In my last job I was making too much in order for her to get that, but she may now be able to apply for it again.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Ghost147
Everyone will disagree with me on this because debt is bad, and I'm basically telling you to live off the government (or a private bank loan) but if you can't work it's your best option. Look at your situation, you currently don't have the right skills and your wife is unable to contribute. The best thing for both of you is to relearn ways to contribute given your current limitations.

Indeed. I would love to be able to go back to school and was planning on going through a union to get started on an apprenticeship, the cost isn't very much and in a short time you could state that you have as much experiences as a 2nd year apprentice.

originally posted by: Aazadan
a reply to: Ghost147
As for what skills you can do, I don't know what your photoshop skills are like but everyone else in this thread says you have some talent with photoshop. Go to an art school and in probably 3 years you'll have a degree and (hopefully) enough talent to work as an artist. Contrary to popular belief, art degrees are very lucrative if you work in areas like making 2d textures, 3d anything, logo design, and so on... just stay away from painting, and sculpture (unless you're scuplting in ZBrush) to make an actual living from.

Thanks for the tip, Digital art is certainly gaining in demand, so if I were to go to school for it, I bet it would be rather simple considering my background on the subject.

Speaking of which! If you ever need an Avatar, just U2U me or message me at the Avatar Creations thread, or if you need a Desktop background respond to this topic.

Digital art is a good way to relieve stress for me