I want this nightmare to be over.

[hamchan]

At this point it would make no financial sense for me to quit one of my jobs to work part time some place like Starbucks. I would take a huge pay cut to do so. It would also make me ineligible to be on his insurance as I cannot be on it if I am eligible to get insurance with my own employer, so that would open up a whole other set of problems. I have my own health issues as well.

He is perfectly able to work and should be for a long time. He is up for a promotion in a couple of months. He doesn't require a lot of help from me. I do some of his grooming and wound dressing and that is it. He looks healthy. He feels fine other than being a little tired from the anemia. His only physical limitation is his sight.

I do look for clinical trials often bug the odds of him qualifying for one are next to none. I do participate in some myself. It is not without risks.

Right now his medication copays are running us about 30 a month plus another 200+ in office visit copays between the two of us. That amount will certainly go up if his foot becomes infected.

[hamchan]

Oh, he does have life insurance. And he is not on dialysis. He may need to be in the future but for now his medications are doing the job.

[hamchan]

The person from my CU said I could not start an IRA with the CU until I had three months' income in savings. I guess I could start one somewhere else but I question how smart that is if we don't have adequate emergency saving in place.

[Mesem]

So, Hamchan, if you could make some more money without jeopardizing your current job would you be interested?

[Gailete]

I guess I could start one somewhere else but I question how smart that is if we don't have adequate emergency saving in place.

A Roth IRA can have money contributed that if you actually need it, you can take out the money (not any interest it may have accrued) at any time without penalty. Of course, you will need to study up on it a bit, but at least you would know that if you need it, you can tap it and if you can always figure out a way to get around tapping it, you will have some saved for retirement. Even if you only get a little bit into the account each year (which is why I suggested Sharebuilder you don't have to have thousands to start an account and there aren't many like that) it is nice to know you have something set aside. I've only been saving little by little in mine for about 8 months and so was very excited yesterday to see it had hit $1000 which is nothing to many on this board, but to me a huge milestone! Since in many ways, our circumstances are similar, you may get that same feeling that I do from just having something.

I think that is strange yet smart at the same time with your CU not thinking you should start a retirement account without having 3 months savings set aside. You should be doing both if at all possible. But they can be done simultaneously.

[hamchan]

Really? I didn't know that. I had figured there was always a penalty for taking money out of retirement. I'm going to look into the one you suggested. I feel like I may never be able to start an IRA if I have to wait until I have that much in savings first.

[Gailete]

I got a book to read and review on Amazon and it was about retirement saving. For the first time, the fog cleared on the Roth IRA, as I had never understood what was the difference between it and a regular IRA. Of course we always try to not spend our retirement funds ahead of time, but some of us living to close to the edge (by circumstances, not spending choice) need to know what we can do if we really need more cash and don't want to borrow.

One of the other reasons that I started this particular Roth IRA was because you can put in what you can. Our other IRAs have a minimum $50 deposit, which I don't have every month to set aside. Yes, I can save it and wait to make a bigger deposit, but it is nice to just go ahead and deposit it in the Roth one right away.

[hamchan]

Ok, I set up a Sharebuilder account and have it set up to deposit 100$ a month for now. Hopefully I'll be able to increase that amount soon. We do have about 1000 in savings for emergencies and are adding to that regularly as well.

I am taking part in a grad panel at the massage school I attended next week. I don't get paid for it, but my hope is that I can get some of the students who will be graduating soon to apply where I work. If they take a job there, and work there for at least 3 months, I get a referral bonus. No idea how much it is, but every little bit helps. We are horribly understaffed right now too. I am hoping to start doing these grad panels regularly. Like at least 4 times a year.

[BuckyBadger]

So, I am assuming your concern is mainly financial?

I see, then would you be interested in an online-stay-at-home job?

So, Hamchan, if you could make some more money without jeopardizing your current job would you be interested?

Mesem, please don't bother posting about some great WORK FROM HOME AND MAKE THOUSANDS opportunity. It is terribly inappropriate on this thread. Go start your own thread and try to sell us something there. Thanks.

[Gailete]

Every little bit helps. I got a tax rebate this year since I'm on disability and our income was low enough. It went straight to my Roth IRA. I will be getting a check for about $110 from Google AdSense soon and it will go into the Roth IRA as well. I love depositing money that is basically 'unexpected' or at least not part of the regular budget into those kind of accounts because I know if I live long enough we will need every last penny in those accounts!

[hamchan]

Well crap. DH just called me from urgent care. His foot started hurting a lot and he left work early to have it checked out. It is definitely infected now.

[Petunia 100]

Well crap. DH just called me from urgent care. His foot started hurting a lot and he left work early to have it checked out. It is definitely infected now.

Oh no. I hope they get the infection under control.

[Petunia 100]

Mesem, please don't bother posting about some great WORK FROM HOME AND MAKE THOUSANDS opportunity. It is terribly inappropriate on this thread. Go start your own thread and try to sell us something there. Thanks.

Two thumbs up, Bucky Badger.

[Mesem]

Mesem, please don't bother posting about some great WORK FROM HOME AND MAKE THOUSANDS opportunity. It is terribly inappropriate on this thread. Go start your own thread and try to sell us something there. Thanks.

It's funny how you would assume something like that immediately. Anyways, I won't post anymore information for you guys.

[hamchan]

They did an xray and the bone is not infected so far, just the soft tissue. They gave him IV antibiotics and he has to go in tomorrow to get more.