Actually I have a cleaning / errand girl. I pay her $50 for two hours per week. She does my dishes, gets the odd food I need fresh, and takes out trash or picks up dry cleaning. She does whatever I need within reason. There is also a website called "task rabbit" that you can sign up for odd jobs. Anyone who has a job now is being pushed to work long hours so it is worth it for them. There are just somethings you have to do in the MIDDLE of the week and it costs me more to take time off from work than to pay an errand person.

I know there are a lot of scary stuff about student loans, however, taking out loans for a degree that has payback like doing a two year degree at a junior college for nursing or something in the medical field has payback.

The reason so many people have issues is because they majored in a useless degree like English (I am guilty of this one), Hispanic Studies, etc. and once they graduate they realize that they have to go get Master's degree to get a job which is what happened to me. Which means more student loans!

lol! Hi fellow (unemployed) English graduate???

If I could do it again, I would directly for a certificate/diploma course that directly trained me for a career in demand. Going to a career counselor can help you learn about careers you never knew existed. My mom (with a grade 10 education) makes $18/hour putting Hershey chocolates in a box. Not very exciting, but a decent wage for a gal whose English sucks and didn't finish high school eh???

People think of "career" but they should also think "job"!

I know! I went back for my Master's now library science and I have a great job and I a massively in debt though. However, unlike most people I can manage my payment it is just going to take 25 years to pay it off. I really wish people would stop pushing the four year degree as though it is an end all be all.

I have a friend who went to a two year program for nursing and is debt free and has had a stable job for 8 years. I just wish I had thought "smaller" and gone to a community college for an associates degree. I feel like my entire life has been on hold trying to figure out my career when there would have been a much better solution.

Most people don't want to live to work but work to live and I totally fall into the category but I being an impressionable 17 year old I let my parents, counselors and my friends pressure me into getting a Bachelor's.

Another former English major here. I'm thirty and trying to find a full-time job that pays the bills. I have a (useless) B.A. (in English. Eeek!) so I'm considering working in a non-traditional field for women like plumbing or construction. I'm one year in a a M.A. program and have decided its time to bow out. It's not going to help me secure employment. I grew up being broke, I don't want to spend the rest of my life struggling. Now its time to be practical. Damn frustrating when I know people with far less education getting paid more and living a **** of a lot better than me (not that it's their fault but I bought into the whole college and follow your dreams scheme).

To the original O.P:

Consider apprenticeships. You can learn on the job and get paid. I'm going to sign up for an apprenticeship program this summer. I'm also pursuing my security and CDL (truck driving) license.

*The start your own business idea is great.

Wow, I am visualizing me working for Hershey. Hmm no that would be bad if they put me on the Special Dark bar line. Hmm bad bad bad indeed. I work for manufacturer of electrical wiring devices. I continue to read that we will be facing a shortage of certified electricians. I don't see many women in this field currently but I see no reason why that shouldn't change. I think the era of getting into debt big time to get a college education may be almost over. Unless you are going to be a doctor the pay back will not be there.

Thank you so much everyone for the awesome ideas. The support here is always so amazing. :hug:

I've decided I am going to look into volunteering this summer at the hospital. It's something I've always thought of doing, and it'd be a good way to get some solid references as well! I'm just so sick of interviews and phone calls that yield no results, but I'll push past that and keep applying where I can. I really want to go to college, but I don' t have car. I had to sell mine a year ago because it would have been too much to fix, so I feel like I need to save up some money first!

Another idea is self-employment if you have an skills like for example able to play an instrument you can teach or your if your good at art you can sell art online. So if you have trouble with people not employing you make your own job.:)