After two years of job hunting, I’ve landed a position that feels like the perfect fit for me. Unfortunately, I’m stepping into this next phase while buried in debt.

This new job is a great opportunity, but there is a lack of pay increase, and the training schedule has made it difficult to pick up extra hours at my part-time gig which means my financial troubles will persist.

When I switched careers I took a massive paycut, which was fine until late 2023 when Captain and I had our ER visits. Since then I’ve been picking up every shift I could, working 60+ hours most weeks across two jobs, but while recuperating from my scooter accident in February, I had to miss multiple shifts at both jobs.

The bulk of my paychecks are going toward debt I took on while caring for Captain in his final moments and despite my best efforts at cutting back — no going out, no dining out, no streaming subscriptions, no unnecessary purchases, and not having a haircut in over a year—I have only been able to make the minimum loan payments. Now it’s less like I’m living paycheck to paycheck, than it is pay-advance to pay-advance.

My extended work hours are also affecting my health, and my dogs aren’t getting the attention or exercise they need, which is affecting their health as well. We’re also behind on their annual checkups.

Last year, your kindness helped cover Captain’s ashes, and the remaining funds went toward an ER visit for Coltrane when he started having seizures. It made a world of difference for me at the time, and in hindsight, I probably should have asked for more help than I did back then, but I honestly thought I’d get through this on my own.

Now, I’m humbly asking for help once again. Funds will be used for the following:

- Past-due rent

- Vet checkups for both dogs (especially Coltrane, who is 14)

- Repaying the three people who loaned me money last year

- Paying off my loans

Any help, no matter how small, would mean the world to me. I’m just trying to keep my head above water before this debt pulls me under.