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New Job and a New Outlook

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I am slowing shedding the feeling of shame I’ve been carrying for the last couple of years since we moved out of our home and into the apartment.  For the first time in a LONG time, things are really looking up!  It has been a really rough time, especially since December when everything changed so suddenly.

As I mentioned in the comments of my last post…I GOT THE JOB!!!

It’s full time, full benefits, work in an office…real life job!  And the way it happened could not be any more providential!  Here’s a little back story.

When we began our Christmas visit with my grandmother, I spent a great deal of time applying for jobs…everywhere, all over the world.  Well, I had been through this before, know the holidays were not a good time to be in the job hunt, but I continued to persist.  The job I got is one of those jobs.

Then while we were in Texas visiting my immediate family over Christmas, I got a text from our ‘landlord’ that the camper we were living in had been damaged and was no longer liveable.  Can you say full panic mode!?!  Up until that point, I had planned on us living in the camper until April when we could 1) wrap up the school year and 2) finish Gymnast competition season at Regionals.  Then was planning to move to GA to my grandmothers or travel for a bit.

With nowhere to live any longer, the timeline moved up for the GA move, but I was able to secure temporary housing in VA for a month while Gymnast finished his regular season meet. And to give us time to pack up and get things into storage and so on.  My grandmother graciously let us move in with her with first week of February.

On our trip to GA with our final load of belongings, I got the call. They were interested in my varied skill set for a brand new position, but I lived in VA. Oh, how funny, I’m was actually driving down to GA with our last load of belongings to complete a move to a town, that is literally one town over from the corporate base of this company.  They headquarters are 12 miles from my grandmothers home, 12 miles!

Our first three weeks in GA were filled with in person interviews, personality test, reference checks and phone follow ups, and our last Friday night there (before we returned to VA for a week) they called at 4:12pm and offered me the job, met my salary requirements and I start NEXT WEEK!!!!!

The timing of the call, the timing of the interview process and the start date…after over a year and a half of searching, I can only say that God had a hand in this.  But there is more, this company gives back to foster/adoptive charities (hello, near and dear to my heart,) the owners actually know some of my extended family (small town but wow,) and one of their goals is to empower women/moms.  Holy cow, can it be any more perfect!

Granted, this will be a BIG adjustment for my little family.  I will be going to an office for the first time in 13 years. My grandmother has insisted we remain with her for at minimum another month while we adjust to the new life and she will help with the kids.  She’s watched us homeschool all these months we’ve visited her over the past couple of years, and is comfortable with keeping the kids on track to finish out the year.  We will have school on Sunday evenings where I will give assignments for the week and then we will meet a couple more times during the week to make sure we are on track.  It’s not going to be easy, but I am confident we can adjust.

I am keeping both my part time jobs for the time being both for security and to help me get back on solid financial ground more quickly.  All jobs are aware of the situation as far as me working them all.

And just a small financial win…okay two wins. Maybe three.

  1. I was able to replace the tires on my car, yes, I waited until it was dire, but I paid in cash!
  2. The kids have all received a small stipend for some summer clothes and are looking forward to getting to shop. (They have had a couple of weeks to make lists and think through needs and wants, etc.)  This is especially crucial for the two youngest since they hit major growth spurts this year, so nothing old fits.
  3. I have almost $500 in an emergency fund, consistently saving 10% of any monies received.

I am so grateful for this community and the constant encouragement. I’ve still got a wait until I get my first paycheck and see how all the deductions and so on work out before planning a budget and starting to look for housing.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers this week as Gymnast will compete at his state meet this week, his last with his current team…it is bittersweet and he is really struggling with the move the most because of it.  And then we will return to GA to start our “new life.”

 

 


31 Comments

  • Reply Angie |

    This is so exciting. I’m glad things are looking up for you. Even better is that you made it through this long, dire stretch without financing it all!!!

    Any chance the company would provide a sign-up bonus or relocation allotment? I find it typical for out of state jobs. Even a 1-2k moving allotment (usually tax free too) would help you out a lot. Its worth asking!

    • Reply Angie |

      Also, if you haven’t already firmed up salary NEGOTIATE. I had a bout of unemployment that lasted over 2 years. I was so desperate for a job that I didn’t bother to negotiate my offer because I was too down on myself. I told myself they were taking a chance on me so I shouldn’t “risk” asking for more money than initially offered. The job was a great fit as I’m still there 5 years later. But once you are in a job its a lot harder to get more than the standard 2-3% raises without taking on new responsibilities. You are effectively penalizing yourself for every year you work there. So even if you don’t feel like you “deserve” it based on your lack of employment in the past year definitely ask for it. The worst that can happen is they say no and offer the original amount.

  • Reply Jen From Boston |

    WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!! I’m so glad to hear that things are on the upside for you! And I’m happy your grandmother is willing to help out with housing and the kids.

  • Reply Walnut |

    I’m beyond thrilled and optimistic for you Hope. For the time being, you might want to keep a detailed spending log for the next couple of months to help you rebuild your budget with your new normal.

  • Reply T'pol |

    I am so happy for you! Congrats! Funding the EF is the best strategy first and foremost. If it is Ok with grandma, I would rather stay with her for a few more months to set aside extra money. I wish you the best of luck.

  • Reply Sarah |

    I am so happy for you, Hope! Congrats. Please keep us updated once you start!

  • Reply Ann |

    Love hearing this good news! Congrats!
    And I’m sure the homeschooling will go well…the kids are very accustomed to it, and they will adjust.

  • Reply Jean |

    This is great news! I’m sure you’re running the gamut of emotions – excitement, relief, and probably some concern for your kids as everyone adjusts to a new home & routine. I think you’ve weathered the worst of storms, so this will be easy compared to what you have been through in the past several years!

    I know you want to keep your other two part-time jobs so you can get caught up on back on steady footing a bit faster; I would encourage you to keep an open mind and be realistic about those obligations. You will have a full time job to adjust to, and in reality you are getting another part-time job in terms of homeschooling since you will only be able to focus on that when you are home at night & on the weekends – which is the only time you will have to work your other part-time jobs. If you’ve been keeping up with Ashley’s story, you’ll know that she recently gave up her part-time job because it just became too much for her – and she has a husband at home to help her, and doesn’t have to worry too much about kids’ schooling and outside activities. I’m praying that everyone will adjust quickly and that you’ll have the wisdom to know when to take the next steps in your journey. I’m excited to hear about your new job and your progress in getting back on your feet.

  • Reply Katelyn |

    Congrats! Its so cool to see a financial blogger a bit closer to my level. Usually, when you see bloggers posting their emergency funds, etc., the numbers are in the tens of thousands. I am just starting out on my debt reduction journey, and seeing you working to build yours too is really inspiring.

  • Reply Kiki |

    Congratulations on the new job! I see that you wrote that your grandmother will help with the children’s schooling for a bit while you adjust to the new job at the office What will happen when you move to your own place? Since you going to be working in an office away from home, will your children go to public school then since you will not be at home to supervise them?

  • Reply Becky |

    Awesome! Praise God! And you can do it all!!! Stick with the homeschooling! You will never regret it. I am a homeschool graduate in my 30’s now homeschooling my kids. I’m so grateful for the homeschool experience. Don’t let anybody else get you down about it. Those people don’t see outside the educational box and realize that school is not 8-3 M-F. School is how Mom designs it to be! I am so happy for you over the job. Many blessings!

    • Reply Anonymous |

      Yes, but Hope’s younger children are too young to be at home unsupervised while she is at the office. It looks like the twins will probably be busy with their own lives. Obviously, you were able to be with your children at home to homeschool! I am not against homeschooling. I understand it can be very flexible. But I do wonder how Hope will juggle the logistics of this with two young children who cannot be left alone all day. I’m sure she cannot ask her grandmother to provide the care when they find their own place.

      • Reply becky |

        She can find other homeschooling parents who are willing to supervise during the day. She might be allowed to bring her kids to the office…we don’t know all the details and circumstances; we only know the little she tells us in this blog. And when I was homeschooled I was left at home plenty of times during the day in middle school and high school with my book work and my younger siblings to boot!! and oversaw their work as well. We all did fine with our academics and so far have all graduated college with honors. Hope just has to check her state homeschool laws and follow those! As long as she’s meeting those requirements, then everything is great. 🙂

        • Reply Anonymous |

          It would be an added expense for Hope to ask other homeschooling parents to watch her children while at work. They could not do this without some kind of compensation. Remember, this is a full time job, I assume (8-5?) I doubt the employer would allow children there. And Hope’s youngest is not yet even 10, I believe. (Not in middle or high school yet.) Perhaps Hope will ring in on this!

          • Walnut |

            Hope’s high school age children are more than capable of minding the two younger children during the day.

  • Reply hendrick |

    I found that WEEKLY automatic payments to my credit card works for me (it’s also great for my credit score). Instead of coming up with a big chunk of money once a month, I pay a little each week. I get paid every Friday, and pay my card every Monday (never using it for anything). If there are 5 Mondays in the month, then I pay a little more that month than if I made 1 monthly payment. It equals to one extra “monthly” payment in that year.
    Example:
    $100/wk. X 52 weeks = $5200
    $400/mo. X 12 months = $4800 ($400 difference)
    I also put some into savings each week (direct deposit at work). Even if you start small ($10/wk.), you would have $520 in a year. In my book, that’s a big help for Christmas presents, and you might not even feel it.
    Another “savings” that my husband and I do is keeping a jar that we add to each week. Every week for 1 year, you add $1 more than the week before.
    Example:
    Week 1 $1
    Week 2 $2…
    Week 52 $52
    EMAIL:hendrickdanny55@gmail.com

So, what do you think ?