Hi PF! I am in my mid twenties, and a SAHM to a little boy with another on the way. I need help/input as to how I can become financially independent from my husband. Our marriage is happy, but I am feeling the need to contribute/help pay off debt. I want to earn/keep enough to have my own emergency fund, pay my medical debt, and pay for college courses (husband works for a college, but they don't offer free or reduced tuition to spouses...I wish!). I'm unable to drive (working on that!), and we live in a rural area. While I've done things like Mturk, InboxDollars, and other survey sites...I can't depend on them to be consistent. And, it takes up a LOT of my time to even make minimum wage. With a toddler running around, and DH away from home almost 12 hrs a day, being at a computer for long periods during business hours isn't realistic. He knows I want to contribute and is happy to help me be independent in this way. I don't really have a work history really as I went straight into marriage + kids after I finished treatment for my medical condition. I own a sewing machine and have made 2 okay blankets, and can do intermediate admin/clerical work from helping a family member manage his previous business a few years ago. I have a condition where people tend to judge that I'm mentally incompetent due to my speech and facial aesthetic. So, interaction with people in a professional sense hasn't been very pleasant in the past. I want to better myself, my credit score, and my personal financial outlook. I'm willing to learn, take classes, put myself out there, and try to "become something". But, I feel stuck and trapped depending on someone else for everything I have and need/want (even though I love him, I want to be able to go get a coffee/new outfit without worrying about if he'll approve or if our budget can afford it). And, I want more than him "giving me an allowance", because I want to be proud of me too, not just able to spend $20 because I took it out of our budget for me. I currently have $27 to my name, and it makes me feel ashamed that aside from joint checking/savings, if something happens to my husband I have no way to continually support myself/kids (aside from life insurance). So, without leaving home, driving, working during business hours (available after 8pm to study/work); and with no real work history and skills..... What can I learn/study to help give me an advantage to be financially independent? Is there anything I can do to "work" to earn money with these limitations, or am I going to be trapped as a SAHM forever? How can I improve my financial outlook? Please help me. I'm willing to learn and do whatever I can if it means a better financial future and quality of life for myself, kids, and DH.
Submitted June 05, 2017 at 09:32AM by sahmquestions http://ift.tt/2rCYrvj
