compassrose77
New Member
I have recently split with my wife. We had two daughters 6 y.o. and 11 y.o. Due to the economy I've lost my Executive Director position at a non-profit and have had to take a hourly position that I only make $24,000 yearly income. My former-wife makes aprox. $55,000 a year teaching.
My former-wife has not asked for alimony due to the fact she knows that I can't possibly afford both alimony and child support payments - which sounds very civil I know. However, I give half my paycheck paying child support. That means that $12,000 goes to my wife and children (this includes my health insurance because I'm on her policy, and our credit card debt which we accrued while married and are in her name) and I have $12,000 left to live on. I simply can't live on 12,000 yearly income. That is basically $1,000 dollars a month to pay for my car insurance, basic cell phone service, my medication, gas, food, and rent. 12k yearly income puts me well below the poverty line for my state.
I don't begrudge my wife and children the money I own them to support them. I love my kids and my former wife of thirteen years. I want them to have the best of everything. I wish I could give them much, much more money to keep them happy and healthy. There was a time that I made a comfortable living and could swing all of this much more painlessly.
I'm looking at being able to feed myself or have a place to live. When I have the girls every other month, I can't afford to take them to the movies or out to dinner for that matter. I'm not a whiner and I'm not hopeless either. I know I will make good money again and I will happily pay whatever I am required to when that happens. But right now, food and shelter is a line I have to draw for my survival. I can't pay my bills if I'm not washing my clothes for work, or I can't drive to work, or am ill due to not affording my medication.
HELP! the walls are closing in and I don't know what to do.
Respectfully,
Park Bench Bound
