I’m thinking about my future at 36 years old. I’ll probably be single and childless, which means I’ll be all alone as I age. What happens to older people as they age who don’t have a job or family? I’m scared for my future. I know I should have dated more or became a single mother despite being poor. I worry I’ll end up alone without money, a job, or food. If you are someone who’s like me, but older, how do you do it alone?

I'm 24 and my parents have given up on me. I'm a college graduate and according to their logic that means I should have had my life figured out by now or at least a well paying job. I don't have the time too much delve into the specifics as time is of the essence. I have a flimsy plan but I need further guidance.

1) I am borderline penniless. I don't have a car and I'm desperately searching for a job, even reaching out to old friends to see if the can help. I had a part-time job but they didn't pay much and I didn't save much.

2) I hope to apply to get a personal loan of around 2,000 - 3000 dollars.

3) I plan on renting an office space and living there some of the time. If I find a job I'll travel from there to work and sleep at the suite. I won't buy a sleeping bag or anything like that. I'll just sleep on the floor if need be.

4) If I everything else goes according to I hope to get a car soon so I can sleep there without much difficulty.

This is obviously a poorly put together strategy, but I can't come up with anything else. Any advice would be appreciated.

EDIT: I think withholding too many details about my personal/home life may have backfired on me and negatively impacted the advice that I received so far, so I'll go a little more in depth. Also I'm well aware that my initial plan was foolish and full of holes, I was seeking an alternative solution that I hadn't considered or knew existed. I tried looking into joining the military it turns out I had too many flaws to qualify (related to my mental health history). And I applied to many different jobs outside of the career path and industry I was aiming for even ones that pay minimum wage to no avail. In total I responded to around 400 job applications. I was either, decieved by scammers, or rejected and ghosted by recruiters (I never stopped trying though). Anytime I showed up to a workplace in person with a resume in hand I was told to apply online. I have a degree in Medical Humanities, and a few IT certifications (AZ-900 Passed Core 1 of the CompTIA A+ exam). Also I didn't attend college locally, I had to travel to another city to marticulate, ran into the same issue when I was applying for a job there as well, I hoped moving back in with my parents would better my prospects. That was six months ago.

EDIT 2: I graduated last December not two years ago as my age would have you assume. The pressured me to get into medical school but I quickly found out that I wasn't suited for it and changed majors (hence why it took me so long to graduate). My parents forbade me from working so I could focus solely on getting my degree. And for those wondering what my part-time job was: I was a food delivery driver for a time. I used the family car to get around. I was paid around 100-150 dollars a week. When my parents found out what I was doing, they forbade me from using the car, costing me my job. I have visited temp agencies but I have yet to hear back from them.

We’ve lived at our apartment for 3 years and this past lease renewal, they declined to offer another 1 year lease.

My husband has had several surgeries and hasn’t been working, which wasn’t the case when we first moved in. I work full time and have been paying for everything. That being said, we couldn’t keep our car because we had to focus on rent and not our car payment.

We have searched high and low, applied to any apartment complex in our area…there’s only a few as we live in a small town and none have gotten back with us. I called the housing crisis line for our area and they did our intake to be assigned to a case manager and we’re waiting to hear back still. We were set to live in a motel for the foreseeable future but the cheapest is $450/wk and that’s almost my whole paycheck. We’ve tried everything, I work my ass off and my kids don’t deserve this uncertainty of having a place to stay. I don’t know what else to do. I would have been fine staying in our car and putting all our belongings in a storage unit but we’re missing the car part.

Please, what in the world would you do in a situation like this? My stomach is torn apart, I’m in complete panic mode and I’ve exhausted all the resources I’ve been given to find somewhere else to go.

We asked the landlord for a few extra days, that being said we will be responsible for paying for next month’s rent too, if not double.

I lost my job a few months ago. Great job, career and honest work.

I have been applying for jobs nonstop with no luck. I started door dashing just to make ends meet. Well, DD isn’t enough. I had rent money but I got a bad tooth infection a week ago and it had to be taken care of, with no insurance to cover any of it. Rent money is gone.

I have a 5 day grace period with no late fees, which ends on the 5th of this month. I have never in my life, 37m, have I been late on rent.

I dont have a credit card to use. I get denied every time I apply because I don’t have credit history? I’ve paid off car loans blah blah but since I don’t have a debt I’m denied.

Honestly, what do I do? I have a roommate and he has his share of the rent and I feel like not only am I hurting myself, I’m screwinghim over also.

I have no family or friends to help me. My roommate can’t cover my half of the rent.

I just need advice.

UPDATE!!!! I just got the approval from a rehab that will allow me to bring one dog and the rescue (Dogs Matter) will take the other!!!! I will be in treatment Tuesday!!!!

Ok so I’m being evicted Sunday. I do not have a job, a vehicle or anything of the sort. I’m loosing it all due to addiction. I am already approved to treatment and sober living after. My issue is my two dogs. They are not just animals they are family. My wife, daughter, and myself love them both deeply. They have helped to keep smiles on our faces through the toughest of times. My wife is in jail on a probation violation and daughter is with family. I am working with Dogs Matter to get them fosters for 3-6 months. But I am waiting on available spots for them. I have no friends or family that I can go to with them. I have one friend I can stay with but I can’t take my dogs. As soon as they are fostered I can go to treatment. I’ve been waiting a few weeks already. I could go to a hotel with them but I don’t have a job. I need to figure out what to do and I’m at the end of my rope. I’m not surrendering them to a kill shelter. I don’t want to be homeless with them but I would rather that then loose two precious members of our family. Any advice or directions anyone could send me in would be greatly appreciated. I live in Southeast Texas.

I’ve been called to go homeless. I’m not sure what’s going to happen but I made a promise on getting out of jail and legal trouble. If all works out well after my court date I’ll be going about a week after. I’m not sure where to go but I’ll basically only have like a couple hundred bucks, a backpack, duffel bag with a tent sleeping bag and toiletries and a bike and maybe a guitar . I know there are a lot of posts here about this and I don’t mean to over saturate this sub but any advice would be nice. I’m not on drugs and have been sober and I have a it degree. - any good places to go? I was thinking Santa Monica, bar harbor, Tennessee, Florida… - any thoughts on my situation - things to study before going

Any advice would mean a lot to me.

Thanks in advance

Edit 6.21.25 I’m 27 and in the suburbs of Illinois. Once I move I’ll post another update. I appreciate the comments and am taking notes

Edit 6.25.25 I became disabled and can barely walk so I’m kinda fucked rn

Edit 9.2.25 Those above allowed those who persisted to fail and let me be functional. I was allowed to stay at a friends house from the bar but was caught setting camp and sent to a shelter. My brother bought me a ticket back and I felt like a hyena with their tail between their feet. Looking for a stable IT job now. Sorry for this attention.

I’m 18 years old and I have $700 to my name. A week ago, I ran away from my family. Things were toxic and I had to choose myself. Right now, I’m staying in a homeless shelter. I don’t have a job yet, and I don’t really have support. Just this money, and a fear that if I spend it wrong, I’ll end up with nothing.

I was also gonna get a room with this one girl but they said they need us to show proof of income .I’ve no bank account or anything like that . I’m still trying to get them .

But I want to be smart. I want to use this money in a way that actually helps me get out of this situation, not trap me in it.

Moving out hits different with no where else to go.

I still haven’t gotten my storage unit set up, hopefully feeling up to it today. Also need to get a uhaul rented for the end of the month.

I’m overwhelmed by everything. I tried my very hardest to have somewhere to move to, but it just didn’t work out that way. Every time I start going to rough to declutter and pack, I become incredibly down to the point I feel I cant even move. I just freeze up.

I’m trying to make lists of what necessities I’ll need to keep in my car, but it has left me feeling so drained and so saddened by how everything is.

I spend my days working with people buying brand new homes. Some very kind, but many of them entitled and ungrateful, like having a home makes them better than anyone else. Hopefully I can laugh about the irony of it all one day.

Luckily I took a week off of work after I have to be moved out of this place, but I know coming back will be difficult. It’s embarrassing and I wish I didn’t have to face them.

Hopefully I am doing things okay and I can manage for a little while, but I am not feeling hopeful. I know it’s stupid to think that being homeless will help me access necessary mental health care, I think I’ll have to quit my job as well to ensure I can qualify for assistance. Ugh. Feels like my whole life is falling apart.

Edit: Yes. I put in my notice without anywhere to go as I cannot afford to stay. I have been looking for an apartment since April, over two months before I put my notice in. Nothing worked out, and I didn’t want to risk being evicted due to not being able to afford the rent, and then not being able to rent again for years.

I'm trying to go community college but right now I don't even have a job. And I heard most people just network make connections and land a jobs. But I guess it's not that easy as people claim to be. Another path is direct job training programs but those are only in trades. I was hoping to land a better job somewhere in corporate or remote sorta jobs like those white collar jobs. Not really into physical labor work

I’m 26, and about to be homeless and evicted from the family members that I’m living with. I have three young kids, ages 7, 4, and 1 and a half. I currently split custody with the oldest two’s dad and the youngest’s dad as well. I live in GA, about 40 minutes outside of Atlanta and am currently working two jobs. I can’t afford a huge rent and am currently looking into just a room to share with all my kids for about $350-$400 a month if I can swing it but money will be extremely extremely tight. I’ve been on my local city’s waiting list for housing for about 3 years with no update in sight. I have no idea what I will do with me and my kids. I don’t have extra money for any expenses related to moving let alone rent. I am scared every day, and crying but trying not to let my kids know the situation. I genuinely don’t know what I’m going to do.

When I was evicted from my apartment, I felt like getting help made me look like I didn't know what I was doing with my life. Friendships I had through my life ended up treating like a leper. I get that they wanna bear the burden of helping me out, but making me feel bad on top of it doesn't help.

I'm have a second job at Amazon coming up, but I don't start until the 5th.

Just feel alone in the struggle sometimes.

I'm a week away from losing my permanent housing, and looking at my options for keeping safe. The complication is that I am also starting a "respectable" job on Monday that has no allowances for missed time for the first 90 days. Furthermore, the schedule ensures that I will not be able to get to a shelter until very late in the evening (and well after midnight once training is done). The job pays well enough that losing it would mean... well, it would mean the end. But it also only pays twice a month, and my first paycheck will be for literally only one day (Monday being the end of the month after all). I am already planning on putting some of that pay towards infrequent motel stays (once/twice a week once pay stabilizes) but in the meantime I'll probably be in the woods. What should I expect to have to deal with in the inevitable event that I get picked up by the police? Will they be understanding that I have a job and cannot miss work, or will I have to expect at least a full day in jail?

Hello, I’m making this post for resources and advice. I’m not in the best living situation and have to move asap. I have A 1 year old and I am 2 months pregnant. I have less than a month to move from my current home because they are moving and I am not safe to go with them. The dad is in the picture and we both work full time but recently have been out of work separately for surgeries literally me and then him. So all of our saving are depleted. We both have credit scores in the 500+ and live in nj so renting is extremely hard. Looking for private owners but there’s so many scams online. We’re willing to relocate but you have to be at the new address for 6 months for assistance. Nj is extremely backed up with housing assistance and I’ve contacted all the 211 resources. I previously lost a baby and it took a mental toll on me so at this moment for mental health reasons I am keeping my baby. I’m not asking for anything just any tips or advice or plans on what I can do to make extra money and find housing.

I've been unemployed for almost a year now and I only got 4 months of unemployed benefits. Today I found out I'm not longer going to get unemployment benefits despite not having a job yet. Applied to so many places even entry level from fast food to retail stores and hospitals but couldn't find anything. Im really struggling financially and overwhelmed. I'm not even sure if I'm eligible to apply for food stamps benefits or government benefits because the thing is my son only gets medicaid insurance due to disability.

I recently moved across the country after 35 years from my home state, hoping for a fresh start. I was already struggling financially but believed I could turn things around. I took a leap of faith, leaving home with only $300 to my name and crippling debts, determined to live minimally, pay down what I owe, and finally live within my means.

At first, things seemed promising I landed a job that felt like my Cinderella story. But unfortunately, it didn't work out, and now I find myself at a complete standstill. After three months of unemployment, I've depleted my minimal savings and have less than $10 to my name with debt collectors calling nonstop I realize three months might not seem long to some, but with no local support network and having moved with such limited resources, my situation has become dire much faster than it might for others. What would be a setback for someone with savings or family nearby has become an emergency for me.

I've tried to make the best of where I've landed, but I feel like I'm slipping through the cracks. Despite exhausting every free resource I can find, most seem to be limited to veterans, women, or families, groups I don't qualify for. I can see how easily someone becomes forgotten and ends up homeless.

I'm doing everything I can to avoid that fate, but I'm running out of options and hope. Has anyone navigated a similar situation? How did you survive or turn things around? Are there resources or strategies I might have missed? Any advice even just a kind word would mean the world right now.

Edit: I have no history of substance abuse or mental health struggles. My current challenges stem from the financial and emotional impact of losing my job and being unable to recover financially in a new environment without a support system.

My family has been homeless for a little over a month now. We bounced between a couple hotels and were scraping by, but due to some wild circumstances and job loss we will be on the streets tomorrow by 11am.

How do I do this? I've been calling shelters, Salvation Army, churches, 211 constantly and I'm getting the same recycled list of resources every time and no one can help. We're on our own.

My biggest hurdle is I have two Type 1 diabetics that require safe insulin storage and a vehicle with no AC so I'm unsure how to navigate that problem. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Me and my girl and mom are moving out of the apartment we live in because they keep increasing the rent to nonsensical prices. We was planning on separating to go to the shelter as both me and gf have a domestic partnership together. We live in nyc so the rent is high and the apartments are shitty, however we don't have no other option as of right now. Which brings me to my question what are shelters like for domestic couples or for a 2 person family with no kids?

How do u guys save up money when you have no money left over after bills?? It’s hard to stay caught up and stay ahead and focused when it seems like ever week after payday we have nothing left. We are homeless, been homeless now for 2 years. Spending $2,500 a month of just bills. We only make $2,800 a month plus daycare for our kids is an average $700 a month. We literally have no money left over. Just looking for some financial help(not asking for money) just looking for tips and more info on what the hell we are doing wrong.

I currently live in an Extended Stay America hotel.

For years according my research, they used to have dishwashers and ovens. Due to theft, they stopped having those in their rooms. Outside a top stove and a microwave, I was curious what other things people have used when cooking in these places.

Update: we ended up last second getting a place where we were that’s well under market rate. So here we will stay. We are so thankful for this opportunity to fall in to our lap.

Has anyone gone that route? We have zero connections anywhere else, no connections where we are either.

What was your first move? My husband doesn’t want to until we have jobs secure. But we also need housing secure which I think can come first.

We can’t afford rent where we live any more. We have been split up for 5 months while we tried to find something affordable here. The kids and I basically couch surfing and him sleeping at work but that’s not in jeopardy. We can’t go on like this any more.

My mother is unemployed for almost 10 months but she has been applying to lot of jobs however it's just no luck. She only received unemployment benefits for 4 months. Because she doesn't English fluently it's hard to find jobs. She worked in a catering company for 8 yrs and during COVID was laid off than started working in fast food at 2 places but she was laid off once again. Now we tried to apply in retail, grocery stores, fast food but no sign of opportunity. It's been struggle because she is surviving on savings. I don't know if she is eligible for food stamps benefits or any other gov related programs benefits. At this moment, she just plans to move another state because job market is so bad right now

I’m 35F. Alone, single, no kids. I wish I had family of my own, but I didn’t plan my life right. I’m about to be homeless again. As I don’t have a job, no money to pay my rent for May. I also have a car note. I have an suv. Will my circumstances get better? I don’t want to be homeless. I don’t know where I will go, sleep. At this point where will I work. I’m tired of looking for a job. I wish I could get the job I deserve.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Hey, everyone.

I’ve been feeling pretty overwhelmed with managing my bills. Between utilities, rent, and unexpected expenses, I keep falling behind, and it’s getting harder to keep track. I’ll pay one bill and forget about the next until I’m hit with late fees, and then it’s just one big cycle of stress.

I’ve heard that there are personal finance tools or apps that can help with organizing bills, tracking payments, and reminding me about due dates, but I honestly have no idea which ones are worth using.

If anyone here has been in a similar situation and found something that helps them stay on top of their payments without getting buried in fees, I’d love to hear your suggestions. Just looking for something simple that can help me keep everything in check so I don’t keep running into these problems.

Can anyone recommend the best personal financial planning tool or app that helps with bill management and avoids late fees?

I’m preparing for long-term car living while relocating to Asheville NC. This isn’t a temporary crash situation. I’ve found a trauma-informed therapist in the area who aligns with the kind of deep healing I need, and I’m building my move around that.

I’m on SSDI, navigating chronic fatigue and neurodivergence. I don’t qualify for shelters due to how they’re structured and I’m not looking to be intake dependent. My goal is to live quietly, respectfully, and safely from my vehicle while staying close to the care I need.

What I’m looking for

• Safe and legal-ish places to park overnight without hassle

• Daytime parking spots that don’t draw attention

• Planet Fitness or gym recommendations (I’ll have a Insurance-covered membership for hygiene)

• Local places to avoid (due to harassment, heavy surveillance, or break-ins)

• Any long-term survival strategies from people who’ve done car living in smaller towns

I’m not asking for money or pity. Just real strategies and lived wisdom. If you’ve done something similar or know Asheville well, I’d appreciate any insight.

Thank you.

Edit: I also just realized laundry might be more difficult than I expected. I really don’t want to handwash clothes, and laundromats are overwhelming for me. The noise, the lights, the energy it takes just to sit in that environment is a lot. And the cost adds up fast, especially on SSDI.

I’m wondering if anyone here has found a low sensory, low effort way to manage laundry. Maybe a wash and fold service that doesn’t break the budget, or something that avoids the full laundromat experience altogether.

I’d really appreciate any suggestions that have worked for others in similar situations.

Edit: thank you all for giving me your feedback about this. I decided to wait a bit longer.

California, massachusetts, washington, oregon, and colorado (honorable mentions were: vermont, new york, and minnesota)

Those who live in these states, how was your experience asking for help? How much help did you receive?