I work at a hospital three days a week, doing 12-hour shifts. The schedule’s always different, so I get four days off, but they’re never the same days each week. I know I need a part-time job to make ends meet, but right now, 25% of my paycheck is being garnished, and a consolidating firm is also taking money directly from my account. I’m barely scraping by, with a car payment, car insurance, medical bills, and payday loans I took out to finish school.
I have a bachelor’s degree in biology, but I don’t know what to do with it. I tried getting into physician assistant (PA) school, but after three years, I had to give up. Then I tried physical therapy, but it’s just as competitive. So here I am, buried in bills and stuck in the same job. I don’t want to work in the hospital anymore, but I’m not sure where to turn. I owe a lot because I used credit cards to pay for school.
I’ve thought about going back to school to find something useful for my biology degree—maybe teaching biology. Right now, I’m moving out of my apartment because I can’t afford rent. I’m staying with my sister until my brother-in-law finishes his basement, where I’ll live for $650 a month. I’m considering selling my car and buying a used one to get rid of the monthly payments. I know I need a part-time job, and I’m looking, but I can’t afford to earn less than $20 an hour. At 56, I don’t want to settle for less.
Alright, here’s what I see here. You’ve got a series of choices you’ve made over the years—education, a shot at PA school, another go at PT, some credit card debt to pay for school. And each choice, probably, felt like the right one at the time. Or maybe it just felt like it had to be done. And when you’re in the thick of it, with bills piling up and a garnished paycheck, it’s almost impossible to look back and make sense of the whole picture.
But here’s what I think: your position isn’t an overnight outcome, but it also doesn’t need to be a life sentence. The best thing you can do right now is to focus on small, achievable goals that start to relieve the pressure. Selling the car to knock off a monthly payment? That’s one of those small but powerful steps. With every inch of breathing room you can create, your outlook can start to shift too. Because debt can make you feel like you’re losing ground, but finding ways to eliminate the little leeches on your income buys you back a bit of control.
Now, about work: I know you’re looking for a part-time role that pays at least $20 an hour, and with your background in biology, there are options. Medical writing, tutoring, or even working as a lab tech can often offer decent pay without tying you to 12-hour shifts. And if teaching biology seems appealing, it’s worth seeing if there’s a certification program that lets you teach at a community college. At 56, you might feel like you’re up against the clock, but the reality is that your experience brings value. Someone with your background and insight? That’s leverage, not a liability.
Finally, keep an eye on the future but stay focused on the immediate steps. You’re in a tight spot, but if you can prioritize the small wins—the right side job, lowering the monthly costs, consolidating one debt at a time—you’ll slowly, steadily, pull yourself out. It’s less about finding a grand fix and more about putting together a bunch of little fixes. The process is long, yes, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint. And it’s not where you are right now; it’s where you end up.