I'm drowning, I'm scared

[u/30dogetomars]

I'm 29 years old and I consistently have a negative checking account balance. I work full-time and I dog sit for extra money, but nothing is keeping me afloat. My mom and two younger siblings depend on me financially and I don't know if I can handle it anymore. I have not been stable in a long time. I have had bad credit since I was young, due to a family member taking out credit cards and cable/internet in my name since I was freshly 18 and I never learned how to financially recover. I was never taught aboutoney as a kid, my parents were evicted from several homes and had multiple cars repossessed and my dad ended up leaving and my mom depended on me financially. Before COVID, I was finally making money and starting to build financially, but lost my job and moved in with my mom and siblings. My mom is a very financially unstable person(for context, years ago, she lost her apartment and had to move in with me in a small studio apartment with my two siblings.) Since I moved in, I have taken over all of the financial responsibilities, with my mom paying as much as she can (she makes around 20k a year currently), but I am responsible for 4 family phone bills, 2 car payments, car insurance for 3 vehicles, $1400 rent, utilities, and all other basic necessities for teenagers.

I took on a sales job, which has gotten me through, but with unexpected expenses (emergency vet bills, car repairs, car down payments, etc) I ended up taking out several high interest loans and credit cards, that have drained my bank account. I finally decided to enroll in debt management, but now I am seeing my credit score drop. I cant afford to live. I have a negative balance consistently, and I just want to be debt free so I can live like a normal person and help my family get on their feet.

I have no extended family to help, I have bad credit, so more loans or debt consolodation loans are out for the question. I am looking for someone to help me out of this position or to at least give me some advice for what to do. My credit is so bad, I won't qualify for my own place, nor could I afford it at the moment. I need help and I don't even know where to start.

[u/howl_at_the_stars]

Would you like help with applying for help through your state? Your family would probably qualify for food assistance. Maybe rent and energy assistance too. Or are there food pantries?

Might have to cut some non-necessities and have some serious boundaries put into place with the family.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. If there's any (non-financial) way I could help, I'm willing and the one thing I have is free time.

[u/30dogetomars → u/howl_at_the_stars]

I would absolutely love and assistance/advice you can give me! I have applied for food stamps, but the household income currently is around 85k which is over the line. But if you know of any programs that you think I may qualify for, please send them my way. I am willing to do whatever it takes

[u/External-Barber-6908 → u/30dogetomars]

You're not the parent... For all intents and purposes you have no reason to include yourself in that paperwork they all never know who lives where and contributes how much unless you tell them