QP2012

I wish they were all like that. I was turned away from a DV shelter because I had a teenage son. If I had called the police while in a crisis, I would have gotten in. but, because my now ex kicked us out of the house, and I decided to try and take advantage of that, they couldn't help. It was really demoralizing, and sunk me into a depression that took over a year to break.

Um, i'm sure Chuck Tingle has written it already anyway

So here's one. Left my abusive, alcoholic husband, and was working a $700 a month job. I had to quit that job due to losing my babysitter. After trying for several weeks to find something else, and spending my savings, I went in to apply for TANF(I was already on food stamps), got on it. I had a full time job within 3 weeks of starting the program. Being on TANF helped me find daycare(because the program paid the deposit for daycare for me). Been working at the job since. the kids still get medical because their father doesn't pay child support, and my job doesn't offer insurance for dependants. And daycare assistance, neither of which I would receive if their father actually paid child support.

Oh, and I, to this day, don't buy new clothes except underthings and shoes(and even then, my preschooler has small enough feet I can find used shoes with barely any wear on them for him) Looking forward to a rummage sale next weekend, last year at this sale I got 10 bags of clothes, books, toys, etc for $1 each. Internet is my only extravagance, and even that, if things changed, it'd be the first thing to go. I drive a 1994 Ford Taurus, it gets me to work and back, and will hopefully last until next winter.

Thanks, I've been out for 5 years now, divorced for 3.