venting about my 30's

I’m 32 and I feel like I’m going backwards in life.

In my 20s, I was working fulltime and sometimes juggling multiple jobs. I didn’t like having roommates, so I always lived alone. I preferred it that way, even though it meant I didn’t save as much as I probably should have. I wasn’t rich or living some luxurious lifestyle, but I was independent. I managed to buy two used cars both under $10k, pay my bills, and even take small vacations here and there. I was surviving on my own and still had a little breathing room.

Fast forward to my 30s. My dad passed away and I had to pay for his funeral. Not long after that, I got laid off. I couldn’t find a job for almost a year. I burned through all my savings and nearly maxed out my credit cards just trying to stay afloat.

I finally found a job, and I’m grateful for it, but it pays way less than what I used to make. Then my landlord was forced by the county to take my rental off the market because the house isn’t up to code. So now I’m 32 years old, living with my mom in her one-bedroom apartment.

I’m thousands of dollars in debt. Rent prices are insane. I’m struggling to find a second job or something better.