Help; Feeling unwanted and useless..

Well I will start off by telling you that I am a 21 year old college student and I work in a hospital giftshop and have for a little over 2 years now. At the end of december of this year I found out that my hours would be getting cut severly going from 25-30 hours a week to 4 hours each week because the hospital wanted to start closing our shop at 4pm which is the time I ussually come in and work til close by myself.

When I found that out I immediately started looking for a new job but have not had much luck. A couple places have called me back and had me come in to interview again or to fill out additional paperwork but thats it. I'm starting to get really scared because I start my spring term of college next week (Jan. 15th)and I need to have a minimum of $500 dollars to put down for this term because I chose not to take out a loan due to my current debt. On top of that my boyfriends birthday is the day before classes start, my cell phone bill will be due($150, my brother is on my plan and currently unemployed so I pay his half too), my credit card bill will be due ($100 minimum), gym membership ($40), rent ($350), etc, etc. I really just don't know what to do. My boyfriend said I don't have to buy him anything for his birthday but I would feel extremely guilty if I didn't. So I will be looking a over a thousand dollars worth of expenses due in a weeks time.

I know alot of places anymore do background checks and credit checks and my credit isn't the greatest but its not horrible or anything but I'm beginning to wonder if thats why I've had no luck finding anything so far and if that is the case than how do I fix it. I canceled my credit card a few months ago and am still paying on it. I also have been paying on my student loans on top of that.

I just feel very useless right now and just pathetic. I go from one extreme for the other with eating. I either eat next to nothing most days or I'm eating everything in sight. And on the days I don't feel like eating what I do eat just ends up coming right back up. I work out to fill up alot of the time but I can't spend 8 hour periods of the day just doing that and I can't afford to just waste money on shopping or going out when I have no clue when my next decent check will be coming in. I just get so bored out of my mind having nothing to do everyday. It is driving me insane.

Does anyone have any advice for what I should do  to make this easier to deal with or how to raise my credit score if that is the issue of why I'm not getting hired?

I would really appreciate anything that anyone can offer.

Thank you and God Bless.  - Jes

Finding a job takes time and December is the worst month to be looking for something. Spend some time searching the internet for interview and resume tips to improve your odds.  Try to sound upbeat and confident during the interviews no matter how worried you feel.  Keep your spirits up, you will find something soon. 

Gifts that take thought and time are more precious than something that costs a lot of money.  Can you make your boyfriend something he would find useful?  Maybe do something he doesn't have the time to do himself?  If nothing else, glam yourself up and make him a romantic dinner with his favorite foods and give him a fun evening.  Just don't give into those feelings.  Things will turn around.

Look into signing up as a secret shopper (don't pay any fees, look for free sites).  Check out your local craigslist.org for jobs.  Change your workouts to walking around the local businesses and looking for help wanted signs.

When you feel worthless and useless, it usually helps to take action.  There are lots of things you can do:  walk, read, volunteer, visit someone, get up and move.  Also, if you are truly broke, you have to take a hard look at your expenses, swallow hard, and make cuts.  Do you follow a budget?  You do not have to buy a birthday gift.  Can you skip a term in school and go back the following one?  Can you get a cheaper cell phone plan?  Can you cut down on any expenses like eating out?  Do you have cable TV?  Do not be late on your credit card bill or it will just cost you more money.  I've been there.  It can be miserable but it's often surprising what we can really do without.  The government has credit councelors that can help you if you can't get control of it yourself.   Best of luck.  This too shall pass.

Sorry to hear all that. you're doing the right thing in looking for a new job. Beyond that, just try to stay busy, like some people suggested, volunteer, and weather permitting every doctor I've ever had is very big on getting out for a walk every day, even if you have no particular errand to run, and it is refreshing to do.

Please don't feel bad about yourself or take your job situation personally. It's rough out there....I know, I've been looking for 6 months and I'm living off my savings.

Keep looking through job postings. Also, if you know of a place you would like to work, look on their website to see if they have any openings. Sometimes they only post openings there and not on job sites or in the paper.

Take a peek at your budget and see what you can cut out of it. Maybe switch to a slower speed of internet, get rid of cable, buy your essentials only when they're on sale and you can rent movies for cheap or free at your library. Wash clothes when it's a full load, buy stuff in bulk...that kind of stuff.

You might know this but since you don't have financial aid for school and have to pay for books yourself, use the website www.half.com I've bought and sold a ton of textbooks on there. You can leave them up until they sell, unlike Ebay where you only get so many days. You can check other stores but for me, I like that the best.

Also consider this; If you need government assistance, do it. It's there to help people get on their feet. Besides, you've paid into it through your taxes.

Make your bf a birthday gift. In my family, we make presents and recycling is encouraged. Tonight, I'm making a scrapbook for my parents 40th anniversary but I still had to buy the supplies (half off at Michaels due to my spectacular planning, it'll be less than $20). You can make other stuff for much cheaper though, or cook him dinner.

Good luck.

Thank you for all of your replies to this post. I really do appreciate your ideas and look forward to trying them esspecially all of you that talked about budgeting and cutting out what I really don't need because that is def. something I need to do. I do have a good amount of money saved but with all of my expenses each month I don't know how long I can really make it last. My boyfriend has offered to help me out being we do live together but I feel guilty making him pay for things. I have always been super independent and like to know I have what I have because of me so its just hard for me to deal with all this and esspecially the timing of it but I know I will get through it with the help of God and the support of good people like you.

Again thank you for taking the time to reply to my post and have a great rest of your day!

- Jes

let your BF help you out for crying out loud! (espeically if yall are planning on getting married)stop feeling guilty...we all need help sometimes...your bro is mooching off you, do you think he feels bad about that?

if it would make you feel better, set up a term loan with BF or something and make sure you pay him back...

Trendstudent gave lots of great advice for saving money.  There are also food pantries that give you food each week.

Take the phone away from your brother -  if necesary - he can get a job at McDonalds and pay you for his pleasure and convience of using a cell phone. It is not your responsibility to pay it especially in your situation.

Good luck

You can also find work at McDonalds or as a server or even at the local supermarket. You can apply for a revision to your aide as well since you lost hours.

Also, you could even collect partial unemployment for the hours reduction.

Most of all keep your head up. You are not your job or your bills.

I was pulled up at an intersection today lost in my own little problems and worries, when a family crossed in front of me. Man, woman, two small children and a baby.

The man was carrying the baby and the stroller was loaded up with a small suitcase, a few toys and what looked to be the entirety of the family's possessions.

I realized that my worrying over how much to pay for homeowner's insurance was insignificant in comparison to their lot.

It can always be worse.

Well, what is your major in college?  I would look up firms and offer to volunteer at a place where you think you would like to work.  Maybe they will let you work as a volunteer and if an job opportunity comes open you will have proved what a good worker you are.  Also, if you volunteer you will expand your networking skills thus improving your chances of getting a job.

Please don't be down on yourself...your reduction in job hours was something that happened to you, it is not who you are.  You sound like a terrific young woman.....good luck!