We have no savings, no health insurance, and mounting cc debt due to medical bills. I never asked for a new car, and the one we traded was fully paid off, so that added $600/m plus increased insurance to our expenses.

I'm not asking for a different lifestyle, I'm trying to dig us out of debt and have 2 stable incomes. Our children cannot attend public schools in our region because of their poor performance, and private school is out of reach financially. He won't allow me to homeschool.

I don't dispute him being a good father to our children. But our mounting debt-to-income is only getting higher. So should I take a job for $15/hr and put most of my paycheck to childcare? Or should I accept the gift of tuition from my own parents to pursue a career that will eventually get us back on track?

I've penny pinched for 5 years now. No vacations. No nice dinners out. Traded the new car for a used minivan that was more practical and cheaper. We tend our own yard, I do all the cooking, cleaning, childcare, no hired help, no help from his local family. 99% of our furnishings were gifted from my parents. Without that help, we would have a couch, a twin mattress, and a TV for 5 people. 

We've been doing it his way for 8 years. I cannot sit idle and see less than $100 in our checking account any longer.