Hello all! Wade here.

I’ve been struggling financially quite a bit this last year. 2025 was filled with a lot of good times, but also with more than a few unexpected financial burdens that have dwindled an unfortunate chunk of my savings down past what I’m comfortable with. Between my cat and my car and my own health —chronic conditions and a minor accident— it’s been a pretty scary year for my funds. It’s not something I say with pride, but it is a simple fact that I am struggling right now. I currently work three jobs and am still finding it hard to make ends meet some days. I’ve been incredibly fortunate —and am incredibly grateful— to have spent the last year with a group of people who have gently supported me when I was unable to pay for groceries on the day of the shopping, or when I’ve been a few days late on the rent payment because I’m living paycheck to paycheck and it hasn’t come in yet. It’s been tough for all of us this year, and while we’ve all been roughing it, I’m incredibly thankful that I have been offered the support I’ve been given.

The latest in a long string of life coming at me too fast has been the decision to separate from my current household and to move into a new apartment with my partner. This decision has come at an inopportune moment for my wallet due to factors outside my control including my current lease ending and my partner’s current apartment having some monumental and unresolved issues, and despite my excitement at the prospect of living with and spending more time with the person I love, I can’t help my trepidation at the upcoming move. I really can’t afford much in the way of rent at the moment, and I am once again very fortunate to have some support from my partner, but neither of us actually make enough for that to be sustainable for long.

I’m currently hopeful that at least one of my jobs will be working with me on a potential pay increase sometime in the next six months, so luckily there will hopefully be some long-term relief down the line. In the short-term, though, the move is probably going to be a hit to our already thin wallets, so I was hoping to reach out to friends, family, my community, and anyone else that might be able to offer a donation at this time to our moving funds. It would ease my mind to know that any of that was covered, and allow me to shift focus to my actual apartment and monthly rent.

I’m super aware that times are really tough on a lot of us right now, so I don’t ask for help lightly. But I’ve been at the point where “anything helps” has been my mantra for nearly a year, and an emergency $5 stashed in my car in quarters has been the difference as to whether or not I can afford to put any gas in my car, so… I figured at this point, asking my community for assistance isn’t the worst thing I could be doing.

As of this first post, our situation is still a little flux, so the amount I set as a goal may change a little in the next week or so. A rough cost-breakdown of the amount we need for a move is as follows:

$100 - moving materials (boxes, tape)

$50 - moving tools (furniture dolly, 4 wheel dolly rental)

$200 - moving truck rental

$800 - piano mover for my partner’s beloved piano

$350 - extra fees/tools, food for moving days, gas for cars assisting with the move

$1000 - security deposit for the new apartment (subject to change)

$300 - application fees for the new apartments

Thank you for reading this far, and for considering a donation to my moving fund. I’m really hopeful that 2026 is going to be a year of growth and positive change, and I’m working really hard to get there! I’m thankful for my community, and I know if anyone contributes even $1 or $5 or $10 it will help us get one step closer to the stability that will carry us with confidence into this new year.

And just like I said above… Anything helps!