I need help! I took a chance on a new business endeavor and ended up losing about two months' worth of income (around $8,000). I'll explain in a minute. I am two months behind on the mortgage, and my gas bill has morphed into $1,200 (three months of hard winter). My car insurance is $550 by 3/23, or it will be canceled. At the moment, I do not have any resources I can tap into. I am a single mom, with no family. I'm out here alone in Washington, North Carolina, with my daughter. My son just left last week for Navy boot camp. He graduates in May, and I really want to be there. But I can't pay the bills; how can I justify the travel expenses? But how can I not be there? He's my son.

I am not used to asking for help. Usually, I am the one trying to help! But I am at my wits' end. I am working, but self-employed, and it takes a while for the income to get here. I'm a mobile notary, notary signing agent, bookkeeper, and I do inspections for insurance companies (taking pictures of homes for new policies). North Carolina does not have much of a system to get help. I've never even been able to get food stamps here.

I was supposed to "take over" a local tax preparation service as the owner wanted to retire in two years. I cleared out my other work for January and February, anticipating working many hours to learn the business and start doing tax returns. It didn't work out how it was supposed to. I didn't get the hours I was expecting, there was an issue with how much I was going to get paid, and ultimately, he decided not to retire and basically fired me. I was an independent contractor, so I have no legal recourse. I don't really want to burn the bridge anyway because he is still throwing bookkeeping clients my way. But now I have no way to make up that money.

Anything you can do to help me get these bills paid and maybe afford to go see my son graduate from boot camp would be appreciated.