Help Tatsyl get back home to Austin!

Hey folks, I have a big ask, please bear with me!

I'm in Chicago right now. My two cats and I can't stay in the place I'm living once the lease is up, and staying in Chicago isn't possible, I'm afraid. My job needs me back home in Austin, and most of my family and friends are back there as well, so it's time to work towards getting back home.

 

My current lease ends at the end of April, 2022. I previously had a high goal and largeish dreams, but those have been tempered down.

Getting up to Chicago was a time-sensitive escape. The last home I lived in ended up an abusive and traumatic environment that threatened my safety and stability. I had to make a cross-country move with 3 days' notice, a rental van to hold my cats and entire life, an empty bank account, and a lot of luck.

 

My financial situation isn't great, and I'm struggling to survive up here in Chicago. The cost of living is fairly more expensive here than back in Austin as well, which doesn't help as my income is set for Austinites as well. Additionally, a court order from years past has me losing half of the gross pay from each of my paychecks, and there's no end to that in the near future. I'm going to put everything I can save of my own income into this goal, in addition to downsizing and selling as much as I can before the time comes, but with my limited income I definitely can't get there alone.

I'm applying for a bank loan that I have very little hope of getting approved for, as well as a couple other possible Hail Mary efforts, but I'm down to the wire. A month left. I'm terrified I won't make it.

As of right now, all I'm hoping for is at least enough for a large storage van and maybe a cheap uhaul-style trailer to hold my larger items and such so the cats and I can still be somewhat comfortable in the van, and then find a housing situation when we get back to Austin.

 

All I can do is ask for help from the bottom of my heart, as someone who's found themself stuck at the end of a weird and difficult road. It's a long path ahead, but I'm hoping I can get at least part of the way there - any little bit helps along the way! Even if you can't manage donating, if you could take a moment to send this link to a few people, it could mean the world.

Thank you for reading all this, and for your time. Here's some cats to look at <3

 

~Tatsyl, Freyja, and Odin