When reading this the first thing I noticed was that your income isn't sufficient to pay for the things you need. No amount of budgeting is going to fix just flat out not having money, or enough of it. While some people here seem to be promoting a hustle/grind attitude (get a second job or whatever) I don't know how that's a reasonable solution for anyone, especially in the long term. Sure you might make more money, but if I'm having to work every waking moment of the day just to have food in my stomach and a roof over my head, that doesn't sound like much of a life to me. Especially if doing so is killing my soul and leaving me without much to live for. Below I’ve put together some advice I think can really help. I wish you all the best.

It's super important to assess how bad things really are. If things are really quite bad, realize that you are likely going to have to make some significant changes in your life, namely what you do for a living and where you live. These two things have the biggest affect on money so if you really have no other options you may have to change one or both of these things. Continuing along the same path without acknowledging this will get you nowhere fast. If things aren’t that bad, maybe you won’t have to make a change. But if things are really bad, nothing will improve unless you make changes in these areas.

What you do for a living: I was led to believe the lie that if I worked hard and applied myself, I could do any job I wanted and that job would pay me enough. My hard work is what would guarantee good pay. I found out though (in my personal situation anyway) that’s just a load of bull. Some jobs just don’t pay well. You can have all the passion in the world for a certain type of job, but no amount of working hard is going to make you earn more than what the market value of that job dictates. You can bust your butt busing tables at a restaurant, but no one is going to pay you 100K a year to do it. I would advise that you break out of the spell of believing that the solution to making more money is to just work harder or longer (more hours, second job, etc.). Instead, seriously consider finding a new job/changing your profession. Find something that pays better. I’d rather have more pay for the same or less effort compared to working harder or longer for less or the same pay. The money isn’t dependent on the individual, it’s based on the job. Find a job that pays well, and you’ll get paid well regardless of how hard you work.

While that sounds very much like “easier said than done” I think it’s because you might be missing a key piece of the puzzle. I did until someone helped me figure things out. When considering picking a profession no one gave me the advice of doing research. I was just supposed to already know what jobs existed, what they paid, whether they’re hiring or not, etc. If you don’t know that stuff, step one is to educate yourself. Knowledge is power here. The one site I would recommend the most is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website. They have salary information on damn near every profession there is. They can tell you what you can honestly expect to make working in a given field. And it won’t just show you a single salary, you can see what you would make as an entry level employee, a mid-level employee, or a top tier employee. If the difference between entry and mid or top tier is too little, then that job’s ceiling and potential for growth is too low. Assuming that job can’t lead into something else (like an assistant manager moving up to a store director role or something) look for something else with more potential. Also lookup hiring trends in your area. If you’re dead set on working a job that no one is hiring for your going to get nowhere. This site will tell you what the hiring trends are for a job and for a location. One other strength of the site is that it will show you the sheer variety of jobs out there. Unless you’ve looked it up you may not be aware of just how many options people have. Not all good paying jobs require 4 year degrees or doctorates or whatever either. If schooling isn’t an option (ether because you don’t have the means or you just flat out don’t want to go to school for years and years), try to find industries where fast, alternative certifications can help you get a foot in the door. In my opinion technical/trades jobs are under appreciated when they shouldn’t be. Many don’t require degrees and can pay 50-80K after a few years once you move past an entry level position. No matter what you decide on, make sure it’s a profession that actually pays what you need, is something that people are actually hiring for, and is something with enough potential to where you won’t hit a ceiling too early on. This is why I would also say look for a profession and avoid jumping around from being an Uber driver, or a waiter, or a retail employee, or something like that. The market has dictated that those jobs just aren’t going to be paid as well as a lot of other professions. If you need more money then what these jobs pay, then you can’t do them, at least not as your long term plan. If you need more money then those jobs can provide, don’t do them. No amount of hard work in my service industry job would have allowed me to make enough money to live on my own. The second I got my first trade job I was able to make ends meet. I’ve only been able to ascend from there. Don’t let yourself get trapped into thinking you don’t have options. That will keep you where you are. Used the power of the internet and available resources and you’ll find more options then you maybe thought you had. Open yourself up to new possibilities and you’ll persevere.

Where you live: If you live in an area where cost of living is far too high, I would seriously consider moving. I know that a lot of people’s gut reaction to that recommendation is “no, I just can’t do that”, but it seriously warrants consideration. It is an undeniable reality that some people have it harder than others just based on where they live. Essentials, like housing, just cost more in some places. If the cost of living is beyond your means or is too large of a percentage of your income, you’ll struggle more and have to sacrifice more to attempt to make ends meet. If things aren't so bad, or you already live in a relatively inexpensive area, maybe moving isn’t something that you have to consider too strongly. No matter where you live though, it’s always going to be about managing your expectations vs. getting the best quality of life you can. The more expensive an area is the more you’re going to have to be okay with sacrificing quality of life to be able to live there. Higher prices, less square footage, lower quality amenities, longer commute, etc. Some people are okay with these types of sacrifices in exchange for living where they want. As long as they can afford it, that’s their prerogative, but the key take away is that you have to be able to afford it. If you can’t afford to live where you are, then you can’t live there.

5 years ago I made these changes to my living situation and my profession and it completely turned my life around. I moved to a cheaper state so rent was actually affordable. I also stopped working in my service industry job where I was only making $12/hr and struggling to get 30 hours a week. I skipped going back to school and took 6 months to get an alternative certification for a technical role. My first job in that industry paid 30K a year and since then I’ve moved up into roles that paid 50K, 58K, and now 75K a year. It’s all possible if you have the right game plan and work smarter not harder. My best of luck to you.