Ideas, don't know what else to do.

[twinpossible]

I am 9 months pregnant and the "bread winner", I have been since we got married but not by choice. My skills are very marketable, even in a bad economy and my husband tends to have jobs that get laid off (History teacher and now a Marriage and Family Therapist intern until April). We have twin 21 month old girls. We were doing great until last year when my husband was laid off with no notice. Since then it has been a struggle but not just financially. He got cancer, fought, and beat it. I had a horrible miscarriage that ended in a surgery. He got another part time job and we were making ends meet but barely.
Since last year I cut,
-TV
-cell phones
-the grocery bill down to about $60 a week or less
-and all unnecessary things like eating out, movies etc.
Our only bills are rent, electricity, car payment, and medical bills. We already cloth diaper and I buy food in bulk when on sale and do freezer meals. We were barely making it each month so we applied for food stamps and missed the cut off by $100. So I applied for WIC and got it, that has helped us this month.
This week my husband was laid off from his current job. It was not a lot of money, maybe $300 a month but it was what we used for gas and food since my entire paycheck goes to bills with only about $100 left over. He is in an unpaid internship two days a week until April, then he gets paid per hour. I cannot reapply for food stamps because I never claimed his income since he was paid in cash.
I am due in about a month and starting to freak out. It was not a lot of money from his job but it was something and now it is nothing. Is there anything else we can do? I am totally out of ideas. My husband is applying for more jobs but last time this happened it took months and he applied everywhere, even Target.

UPDATE: My husband got a former job back yesterday starting on the 1st

[deezee02]

Originally Posted by twinpossible I am 9 months pregnant and the "bread winner", I have been since we got married but not by choice. My skills are very marketable, even in a bad economy and my husband tends to have jobs that get laid off (History teacher and now a Marriage and Family Therapist intern until April). We have twin 21 month old girls. We were doing great until last year when my husband was laid off with no notice. Since then it has been a struggle but not just financially. He got cancer, fought, and beat it. I had a horrible miscarriage that ended in a surgery. He got another part time job and we were making ends meet but barely. Since last year I cut, -TV -cell phones -the grocery bill down to about $60 a week or less -and all unnecessary things like eating out, movies etc. Our only bills are rent, electricity, car payment, and medical bills. We already cloth diaper and I buy food in bulk when on sale and do freezer meals. We were barely making it each month so we applied for food stamps and missed the cut off by $100. So I applied for WIC and got it, that has helped us this month. This week my husband was laid off from his current job. It was not a lot of money, maybe $300 a month but it was what we used for gas and food since my entire paycheck goes to bills with only about $100 left over. He is in an unpaid internship two days a week until April, then he gets paid per hour. I cannot reapply for food stamps because I never claimed his income since he was paid in cash. I am due in about a month and starting to freak out. It was not a lot of money from his job but it was something and now it is nothing. Is there anything else we can do? I am totally out of ideas. My husband is applying for more jobs but last time this happened it took months and he applied everywhere, even Target.

Reapply once baby is born. One more family member means higher income requirements.

[qsefthuko]

Can you sell the car and get a cheaper one with no payments an option? How about using public transportation?

We did newspaper delivery. It was hard work but did help. We delivered 1000 newspapers in 2 days. It was hard but like I said it did give a bit extra.

[jessicanashville]

Can he apply for food stamps if you are not eligible? How about a salvage grocery store? Is there a food bank you can get benefits from til you get food stamps worked out? Call the local pregnancy center in your area they always seem to know programs to help families hang in there

[wolffie]

What types of jobs what he doing that he has been getting laid off from? Can he put in his applications to be a substitute teacher in the districts in your area? What about if he does some tutoring? What ages is he certified to teach?

[twinpossible]

Food Stamps: We can reapply after the baby is born but there will be only a two week window where we meet the requirements because my husband's internship will start to pay him in April. The problem is, there is NO help for the next two weeks and the whole month of March. This is causing me a ton of stress

Car: This IS the cheap car, we already traded in for smaller payments! I try not to drive often to cut down on gas. We cannot get rid of it because my town does not have public transportation we can use, it runs very very few times and only to specific areas. We live out in the country, 30-45 min. to town by car.

Jobs: My husband has been laid off as a History teacher, a SPED teacher, and now a behavior specialist for Autistic children. He has subbed before but the issue is he can only do half days because he watches our twins while I work mornings. There is rarely a half day that begins at lunch that comes up. He has a teaching credential, a specialization for SPED and a MFT but his internship hours will not be finished until March so in April he can get paid.

Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming. I can only hope someone sees something I missed!

[Melinda29]

In home daycare, with him providing care mornings and you afternoons. I grossed $250/week just taking two kids a day. If you advertise as being "crunchy" and offer to CD and serve only whole foods, nothing processed, minimal TV, etc, you can charge a lot more.

Many states do not require licensing as long you limit the number of kids.

[Melinda29]

Also, what about applying for financial assistamce or welfare? This is exactly the kind of situation it was designed for. you are doing your best and cut what you could, and have a plan for increasing your income in the future (when he finishes his internship).

My DH is also a therapist and I was the breadwinner when he did his internship. We waited a few years after that to have kids, but wanted to offer some hugs

[twinpossible]

Originally Posted by Melinda29 In home daycare, with him providing care mornings and you afternoons. I grossed $250/week just taking two kids a day. If you advertise as being "crunchy" and offer to CD and serve only whole foods, nothing processed, minimal TV, etc, you can charge a lot more. Many states do not require licensing as long you limit the number of kids.

My state requires a license and it is banned in my housing. I am a professor and we live in university housing. Otherwise it would be a good idea!

Originally Posted by Melinda29 My DH is also a therapist and I was the breadwinner when he did his internship. We waited a few years after that to have kids, but wanted to offer some hugs

Thanks mama. Our plan was to be done before kids, we were told we could never have children then were surprised by our twins and shocked by this baby. It has been such a blessing but it has caused a 2 year delay on my husband's degree. If I had to go back I would do the same, I would rather have my children any day...it's just hard not to have money!

[kari331]

Can your husband tutor at all? Provide part time help or after school help for special needs kids?