I need advice or help or a doctor or whatever....

Basically I messed up alot of the past with education and it's caught up to me.

Im 35 and living at home working part time as a Security Guard, have 30k in loans from a private school that I graduated 11 years ago. Having a A+ and a A.S degree in Networking.

The biggest problem is that I have bills, probably a little more than I should but I cannot get rid of them, I have a car payment of 200 bucks and I can't sell it since it's worth exactly what I owe on it.

However because of my bills, I had to take jobs to keep the money going. As a result I wasn't in school enough and I'm not eligible for financial aid anymore and I have to pay cash. That's where the problem comes in since I don't have the money.

So I don't know what to do, it's a very bad, depressing situation and I'm kinda stuck in it.

Find more posts tagged with

Free for TechExams community: Cybersecurity salary guide

Compare cert salaries and plan your next career move

Button

Comments

mikej412

If you have your heart set on Guard Duty, you could always check out the Military.

If you don't mind a bunch of kids calling you Gramps, I don't think you're too old to enlist (and that AAS might earn you a bump in rank to start). And any enlistment bonus you might qualify for would go a long way towards paying off some of that debt.

Plantwiz

mikej412 wrote: »

If you have your heart set on Guard Duty, you could always check out the Military.

If you don't mind a bunch of kids calling you Gramps, I don't think you're too old to enlist (and that AAS might earn you a bump in rank to start). And any enlistment bonus you might qualify for would go a long way towards paying off some of that debt.

All very good ideas from the wise Mike

Scott,

I don't get you? You begin a thread asking for some suggestions. You get several and IIRC not a single one said you are down and out.

You have several very GOOD options in front of yourself, yet really want a reason to 'give-up'.

You don't need our permission to seek out a different career path. Certainly, by this stage of your life you have seen that things are not all 'A" or 'B' but sometimes 'AB', 'BA' or ACDEFBL ect..

Is it possible to get a security guard job AND save your money, pay off your debt (which BTW is not very large, thank goodness) and THEN start adding classes back into your life? Does it need to be 100% school or 100% no school?

There was a point you mentioned your debts being about $200 per month, is this correct?
A pizza job, restuarant server-type position or possibly even UPS could earn you that bit of extra money per week if you desired.

The quicker you get that debt monkey off your back, the more easily you should be able to see that you have some great options still available.

You live at home, right? There is nothing easier on the pocketbook then living at home. It may not be ideal, but certainly if you pick up extra jobs for the next 6 months - 12months, I bet you will save up a nice bit of money to pay off most of your debts (possible all of them)....but at least most. It will only work out that way if you make it work for you.

What I see as some concern and I am not certain how to help you online (so you may need to look locally for someone to speak with) is why you talk/write like all hope is lost on this one goal? Perhaps just refocusing the goal will get you back on track, but maybe you need to speak with your parents, a pastor, or a counselor from school. Someone who won't take money from you and simply tell you want you want to hear...but someone who knows you and can/will guide you very purposefully down that path that matches up with your goals.

It may be that you have sincerely lost all interest in IT and do prefer another path. No worries, it happens. But sit down with someone who can assist you with the opportunities available to you in your area. You may find an internship clearly defines whether IT is your thing or not??

If the debt issue is depressing you, then get that cleaned up. As several of us mentioned, we've seen/or done a bigger cleanup to a financial mess then what you are facing. This statement doesn't diminish the seriousness of your financial problem, but meant to say, 'others have been in a worse jam and cleaned it up...you can too!"

It takes work and a plan, but you can do it. I still recommend to get the debt cleaned up...all of it. Then add some classes back to your life, but only if you pay for them as you go...no more loans.

Up to you - best wishes!

GWadejr34

Scott LaRock wrote: »

Would giving up and just becoming a Security Guard or taking what I can get be a better option at this point?

Scott, when I was a freshman in college, I had a full scholarship to play football. I was very good, but as the year went on things happened in my personal life and with my coach that pushed me to quit...To give up. I have regretted, everyday of my life, that decision.

You don't have to live that way; things are not as bad as they seem to you, you can accomplish those goals that you set out, but you have to pursure them no matter what happens. No one on this forum or any other who has ever been sucessful at something has done it easy. Don't sell yourself short and settle for working security, unless that's your passion...Is it? Didn't think so. You can achieve whatever you want to do. You have been given great advice from multiple people on here. I simply don't understand why you "choose" not to listen.

Do not give up, don't ever give up. I said in my first post on this thread that I'm in a very similar situation to you so I understnad what you're going through. But as Plantwiz stated you may need to speak with someone who's going to be honest with you and not try to tell you what you "want" to hear.

Don't give up Scott...You're not old at all and things are not so far gone that you can't correct it, but you need to realize that and push forward, but don't give up...

someuser23

Plantwiz wrote: »

All very good ideas from the wise Mike

Scott,

I don't get you? You begin a thread asking for some suggestions. You get several and IIRC not a single one said you are down and out.

You have several very GOOD options in front of yourself, yet really want a reason to 'give-up'.

You don't need our permission to seek out a different career path. Certainly, by this stage of your life you have seen that things are not all 'A" or 'B' but sometimes 'AB', 'BA' or ACDEFBL ect..

Is it possible to get a security guard job AND save your money, pay off your debt (which BTW is not very large, thank goodness) and THEN start adding classes back into your life? Does it need to be 100% school or 100% no school?

There was a point you mentioned your debts being about $200 per month, is this correct?
A pizza job, restuarant server-type position or possibly even UPS could earn you that bit of extra money per week if you desired.

The quicker you get that debt monkey off your back, the more easily you should be able to see that you have some great options still available.

You live at home, right? There is nothing easier on the pocketbook then living at home. It may not be ideal, but certainly if you pick up extra jobs for the next 6 months - 12months, I bet you will save up a nice bit of money to pay off most of your debts (possible all of them)....but at least most. It will only work out that way if you make it work for you.

What I see as some concern and I am not certain how to help you online (so you may need to look locally for someone to speak with) is why you talk/write like all hope is lost on this one goal? Perhaps just refocusing the goal will get you back on track, but maybe you need to speak with your parents, a pastor, or a counselor from school. Someone who won't take money from you and simply tell you want you want to hear...but someone who knows you and can/will guide you very purposefully down that path that matches up with your goals.

It may be that you have sincerely lost all interest in IT and do prefer another path. No worries, it happens. But sit down with someone who can assist you with the opportunities available to you in your area. You may find an internship clearly defines whether IT is your thing or not??

If the debt issue is depressing you, then get that cleaned up. As several of us mentioned, we've seen/or done a bigger cleanup to a financial mess then what you are facing. This statement doesn't diminish the seriousness of your financial problem, but meant to say, 'others have been in a worse jam and cleaned it up...you can too!"

It takes work and a plan, but you can do it. I still recommend to get the debt cleaned up...all of it. Then add some classes back to your life, but only if you pay for them as you go...no more loans.

Up to you - best wishes!

I don't want to do Security, it's not a field that will provide a decent living and here in Florida it averages about $9 to $10 per hour. I have contacted my old college and put my resume online again.

The debt thing has to go but now my mother is having a hard time paying the bills, she's 65 and she cannot handle the load she used to handle before and I'm struggling myself so she's considering just selling the house. She's talking about moving back to Jamaica so I will probably have to get something of my own and soon so I'm kinda stressed out at the moment.

I need to get a full time job, even if it's less hourly I will take it since it's more weekly. I made alot of bad choices but I was kinda forced since the income was limited but I cannot afford to do that anymore.

I'm gonna try to get into I.T full-time. I'm signed up with Vocational Rehab and my low income will most likely get me accepted for whatever they provide. By Florida law Speech isn't considered a disability so I cannot get any assistance and my hourly salary $12.00, even though part time isn't acceptable to get even food stamps.

I'll take whatever I can get right now....

someuser23

I moved out in August, I got a one bedroom apartment and I work as a Scanner and I make $13.00, however I'm still NOT in I.T and of course as a scanner it's not much growth in this position...pretty entry level.

I pretty much went psycho last night and just let friends and family have it (nothing disrespectful to them, just venting about everything).

So I still need to get in I.T and get a career focus opportunity, I pretty much don't care about this job much right now.

someuser23

I have offically payed off all my credit cards, I just have to handle the school loans now.

vCole

Scott LaRock wrote: »

I have offically payed off all my credit cards, I just have to handle the school loans now.

Congrats! That's an awesome accomplishment!

yuddhidhtir

Read your whole story,all u need is motivation and determination. Congrats for the achievement you just made. Just want to know what your plan for future is? are u looking to get a degree in future?Where r u working rite now? It is never TOO late to get a job in IT

kriscamaro68

If you where talking to Dave Ramsey he would say going back to school is a stupid idea. Getting into more debt will not help your situation. Student loans and financial aid is not the answer right now. Take as many jobs as you can find and work your self till you cant move anymore and pay off your debt. Then get some experience and certs and go from there. Like Ramsey says: Cash is king and debt is DUMB!!!

I have never attended any college course in my life and its never held me back so why should it hold you back unless you let it.

vCole

kriscamaro68 wrote: »

If you where talking to Dave Ramsey he would say going back to school is a stupid idea. Getting into more debt will not help your situation. Student loans and financial aid is not the answer right now. Take as many jobs as you can find and work your self till you cant move anymore and pay off your debt. Then get some experience and certs and go from there. Like Ramsey says: Cash is king and debt is DUMB!!!

I have never attended any college course in my life and its never held me back so why should it hold you back unless you let it.

I believe he is referring to paying off his previous student loans, not acquiring new ones.

kriscamaro68

vCole wrote: »

I believe he is referring to paying off his previous student loans, not acquiring new ones.

Well I was basing my comments off the original post and the couple posts following that one.

Scott LaRock wrote: »

However because of my bills, I had to take jobs to keep the money going. As a result I wasn't in school enough and I'm not eligible for financial aid anymore and I have to pay cash. That's where the problem comes in since I don't have the money.

Scott LaRock wrote: »

Yeah, it's I.T related... I have a two year in Networking with a A+.
The college I was attending is saying I'm not eligible for financial aid due to poor academic standards since I wasn't in class enough since I had bills to pay.
So I have to pay outta pocket and I don't have the money.
But yes a little job will help, maybe some serious alcohol will help as well.
I'm on not eligible for financial aid at one school, can I go to another and get financial aid? I'll consider Devry right now....

Scott LaRock wrote: »

I wanted to do Biomedical Engineering Technology at my local College. I figured at 35 and with such a outdated I.T degree it's just not a good long term move to continue down that path so this program is what I was signed up for until they canceled my financial aid.
But if I call them and I can't get any more loans Western is the best bet I guess. I don't have the money for the classes outright.

Either way the I didn't pay attention to the thread dates and it is quite old and it seems he has paid off his credit card debt. Congrats on that. Now just knock out those student loans.

someuser23

I want to get and stay in I.T, that's the long term goal. I have a associates and i'm working on the ccnet, I just bought a kindle fire to do some more reading.