Not getting paid in December

What it’s like to not get paid

… after 3 weeks…

 in DECEMBER

Now I  love my job, I feel very lucky to do what I do. I work with great people and actually enjoy going to work. I work what I call Semi- part time. Some weeks I work more than others, and some not at all. It depends on the needs of the people I am working with. 

*My job is a sensitive one so please forgive me for not going into much detail. I have to consider the rights                                                           of those I work with. To be clear, I work respite care with special needs children.  *Not prostitution like someone had thought.

I have been working with a particular clientele for the last 2 years and working with them gives me the bulk of my pay. I am paid based on clientele and frequency of need. I will admit for what I do, I am paid well, and it definitely makes it worthwhile, especially since I am a full time college student and most jobs don't/won't work around that schedule. One of the reasons I am paid well is past experience and almost having my degree completed. Keep in mind I have a serious injury that prevents me from just going out and getting another job. One of the reasons I’m able to go to college is through the help of the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. I am being trained for a job I can physically/emotionally handle. That second part is more important than most people realize. As much as I love my job, due to the nature of it, it can be emotionally draining, and too much will burn you out quickly. Most people don’t last in my current vocation for more than six to nine months. 

SIX to NINE months and they are emotionally burned out. I have been with my job for  TWO YEARS!   YEARS! 

Get on with it~

   This last six months has been pretty hard on us. My husband lost his job, so we’ve had to do the best we can to make up for that. He has a degree, which is good and has enabled him to find other opportunities. However, it wasn’t the day after being let go however, it took some time. The first job he’s been able to get was a part time job, and at the beginning of the new year he will have a full time job and it will get better. As for now, I am the SOLE income for our house.

   We recently had to get onto food stamps to supplement because even though I get paid well, I don’t/can't work enough to cover everything, not even close. We need both incomes. Due to a complication within the parenting unit, there was a major malfunctioning and his daughter is back living with us. We are happy to have her, but we were barely given enough food stamps for him and me for the month, with an extra person, it makes it that much more difficult. We are making it work, kinda.

and quit wasting food!

Things pop up when you're low on funds, like.... Oh our circuit breaker fried out, and killed the heat in our house for about 3 days. No HEAT. In December.

 My credit card, that I’m trying to pay off, happened to be a saving grace in this aspect. So we have heat again. However, soon the internet and electricity will go off because … well you get it. (however it is frozen due to late payment) Waking up that week was horrible.

Oh, is that the alarm?!

I worked for the month of November, and luckily I was able to get some extra hours with supplemental clientele along with my main client. This helped us because I got paid a small amount at the beginning of the month. It covered a little extra food and gas so I could finish going to class this semester, and got me to and from work. However I have NOT been paid the bulk of my paycheck.  I messaged those that have any control over the situation:

..... AAAAaaand, This was my ceremonious response.

I thought the green made it more cherry. MERRY CHRISTMAS ~

So as all these commercials pass showing giant trees with presents packed halfway up and a giant table full of food, I look over at our pathetic display of ‘Holiday Cheer’ *I roll my eyes as I write this, and feel like utter shit for not being able to do more for my fam damily. 

I think I prefer it this way anyway.

For probably the 20^th time in my  life the Christmas dinner was supplied by a charity. More than once growing up that was where my presents came from as well. I’m already a Scrooge Mc Grinch from so many bad experiences in regards to Christmas. Hell, the first year I ever spent living with my father, I was asked if I had 'friends' to go spend Christmas with because the family had other plans. I didn't. People get frustrated and fed up with me because of how I am. You know what, instances like this one are exactly what made me this way.