Unexpectedly Homeless in Two Weeks Because of Medical Bills

[zzz]

Sorry, I'm not sure how to add my signature to it. Can someone explain?

At the top of every page, on the right, is your PR name, followed by "Inbox" and "Alerts". Hover your mouse over your name, and you'll see a menu. On the left, the second item down is "Signature". Click on it, and you'll be presented with a message box, which is identical to the box you get when you compose or reply to a message. This means that you can put any form of message you want in there, including links.

If you want to give your link a name that shows up instead of the plain URL (see Caledonia's signature for an example), then type in the name you'd like, highlight it, and then click the "Link" symbol above; it's in the shape of a chain link, and conveniently shows the tooltip "Link" when you hover over it. Then you can paste the URL for your GoFundMe page. You might want to consider highlighting your and then making it bold (that's the 'B' on the left of the toolbar), as that's a common convention here, and it makes the link stand out more.

Once you've made this change, this appears in the signature of all the posts you've ever made, which is a plus.

I am so sorry you are going through all of this; the idea of being homeless with this illness is completely overwhelming to me. I wish you all the best here, and I hope that between your own resources and the ideas that people are contributing in this thread, you are able to find something that works for you and your husband. And good luck with your GoFundMe campaign!

 

[Dainty]

I'm late to seeing this, but hopefully my reply will help. I've been "homeless" (living in a van) in Seattle for nearly two years now so I've learned a few things about the area.

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

First, I recommend contacting the Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC). Housing is their main thing. It hasn't helped me because of my severe MCS, but if anyone can find immediate housing for you my bet would be on them.

Second, the Seattle area is one of the worst places ever to find housing. Most people reading this forum have no idea how ridiculously expensive it is. I have seen people paying $500/month to live in a corner of someone's living room. I imagine Federal Way isn't quite as bad, but it's still worse than most of the rest of the U.S. Have you considered moving somewhere cheaper?

Third, I can point you to an online chatting job that will pay up to $50/week. I know it's not enough, but for me personally it's been a lifesaver knowing I can reliably put money in the bank. It's the most CFS-friendly job I've run across if you're generally well enough to be on a computer, type, and interact with folks.

Fourth, Credit. The MyFico forums are an excellent source of advice for credit repair. You definitely want to get a secured card, and they'll tell you which places are most likely to approve you for it. Any applications to rent is driving your credit further into the ground with Hard Inquiries. Use CreditKarma.com to monitor your credit score factors for free--ignore their card recommendations and the actual score though, they're incorrect.

Fourth, FYI about "no-kill" shelters....I've heard they tend to pass along certain pets to the regular shelters that end up being euthanized. It is possible that not all of them do this, but I know for certain some do. If you like, I could put the word out to my contacts; I know someone who's rescued several cats and might be up to taking on another one or two. If so, let me know.

Finally.....and I wish I knew how to say this more gently....I encourage you to not pin your hopes on your GoFundMe page, or the DESC or any person or entity in general. I find it simply doesn't work. Worse, sometimes it appears to work, only to have the rug pulled out from under you and then you're worse off than before. Instead, make small changes that make life work better. I know it can be totally overwhelming. But I've known a lot of people in similarly dire circumstances and have been there myself, and this is what I've found and seen works the most.

And, I had to get rid of my pet rabbit because I could no longer live with her on the road with me--I was too ill to be able to take proper care of her in my van. It SUCKS to put your beloved pet in the hands of another person and just hope it works out. But, often times such sacrifices really do have to be made.

This post about controlling desperation is one I highly recommend. I read it every time I start to feel overwhelmed and crushed by impossible circumstances.

Take care. Know there are people out there that care, even if it isn't translating to tangible help. There will be better days.

 

[*GG*]

I shared the post again on Facebook. Yeah, bummer that more money is not raised.

I don't recall a number for declaring bankruptcy. I had lots of debt when I filed, but perhaps it is not worth the effort/cost to file for just 4-5K in debt?

GG