Well, not quite, yet. The question is how best to avoid that situation. I’m waiting on a phone call to start the process of background checks/drug testing etc. for a job. They’d like to have me working by end of next week, but the money I have won’t last that long.
The original plan was to stay with friends, who could put me up for a month or so while job hunting. But, to say that the family is troubled would be an understatement. Someone relapsed into addiction and the spouse interpreted my attempt to help as unwanted meddling. So, now that I can’t stay there, the . . . financial profile of my stay has been substantially altered. Funds sufficient for food and sundries, when one can borrow a car and sleep in an extra room, don’t go nearly as far when lodging and transportation become a problem.
The job is in the hospitality industry and it is quite possible that may be able to stay at the hotel, but I don’t want to even risk a probing question until I am officially hired. This is the perfect emergency situation for a credit card, but after protracted illness and death in my family, credit isn’t so great. What we can’t pay for, we wait for.
I’m planning to reach out to the Greater Humanist Society of Phoenix and the Tumbleweed Center today. While this job is in the pipe, I may need just a place to sleep.
Any ideas? I took a train over 1000 miles to get here, so I don’t have a car to sleep in. Truckstops would be good for showering/changing if I did, but . . .
I might be able to get a loan to cover rent for a Motel 6 once I actually start working. The wage I’m being offered is enough to cover it and send money home. But, job has to be fait accompli before I could ask. The job’s too good to abandon and take the train home. If it does fall through, I will have to go back and find something within driving distance.
Do you have ties to any kind of community that gives you shared experiences with others? It could be anything - military veteran, Scrabble player, church, sports league. I see posts periodically on my frisbee league’s Facebook page from people traveling through town looking for a couch to crash, and they always have multiple offers. Granted, this might be more common with Ultimate players than, say, crossword puzzle aficionados, but it could be worth a try.
Have you looked at temp jobs? I’ve also seen on Craigslist in some areas offers of a room in a house in exchange for handyman/chores or caring part-time for a senior.
Good luck!
You could try the Couch Surfingwebsite. Might be a bit tricky to find a host willing to put you up without having a good reputation, but if you’re tidy and polite you might have some luck.
I’m in a cheap hotel next door to the job site in Chandler. Of course, I don’t really know where I’m supposed to go when I get the call, since I don’t know where their local HR office is located. Checkout in about five hours.
I found an organization that will put me up for a night. It’s a night shelter only though and they can’t guarantee I’ll be able to stay a second night. The job didn’t exist previously, the organization (I really don’t care to explicitly identify it or myself) is investing in capital improvements, increased marketing, and a larger management team. My (hopefully) future grandboss is working with HR to create the position I will occupy. Everything about this seems legit . . . it’s just my housing situation that went sideways.
I already signed up for Couchsurfing. I rolled the dice and registered, thinking that would help. It’s certainly an interesting concept. Some people who seem really nice have responded quickly, but only to say that they are out of town.
Front desk clerk at this hotel is a Lyft driver and I got $50 credit for the referral. That should come in handy. I’m a Humanist and a Veteran. Waiting to hear back from VA. There are case workers at the organization I’m heading for tonight. I can’t help but think that I’m a case worker’s dream. No substance abuse, mental, legal, or domestic violence problems, veteran, college education. Just stuck in a stupidly bad situation.
Found a hostel that is $27/night, but they want an out of state ID and mine expired last Wed, I actually got an AZ license so I’d have valid ID, but since it’s in-state, they won’t count it. Waiting to hear back from them on a verdict, I explained the situation via email.
Here’s hoping something works out. Thanks Teeming Millions! fingers crossed
As a Veteran, I recommend you contact a local Veterans Service Organization (DAV, VFW, American Legion, etc.). VSOs often have funds set aside to provide to Veterans in emergency situations such as yours.
Update: Well, I’m back in a hotel. Got a good rate and from conversations today, I think I’ll be needed at the work site tomorrow. (Once I’ve shown up and provided documents, specimens, references, etc, then I can look semi-homeless while I wait). The VA needs me to register at the local office and they should be able to help. There may also be some help from home, loan from inlaws, but job has to be a sealed deal first.
In other news, I’m learning to use the public trans system here and while in hotel am preserving my supply of clean clothes by being a semi-nudist. Thanks for information, advice, and well-wishes dopers!
Actually, I’m willing to do the same. I’m having surgery tomorrow morning, so may not be lucid until well into the afternoon. (Well, as lucid as I normally am, which is open to debate, and has, in fact, *been *debated.) But PM me if you need some $$.
Sooooo . . . getting the hang of public transportation. Did tons of walking today and it took me 3.5 hours to get across Phoenix. Was barely hydrated enough to pee in a cup by the time I got to the lab. On top of that, they want to do the drug screen and background check sequentially instead of concurrently. sigh Offer letter probably won’t come until the 7th!!
Of course, on the up side, I now understand the public trans system well enough that I’ll never have to do that much walking again. And the fact that they want the testing and background check is a pretty strong indicator that they want me for the job. Even though I couldn’t get to the VA to register today (the person I needed left early), I’ll easily make it tomorrow. Aron-Ra is going to be speaking at the Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix tomorrow; I’ll get to see him in person! I had planned on being involved with them anyway (it will be so nice to be involved with an established Community of Reason, instead of trying to organize one, trying to force things to happen), but they might have some advice on my housing situation.
If nothing pans out, I may spend a couple days at the airport. We’ll see. While I’m profoundly grateful for the offers of direct financial support, I can’t accept. I just don’t feel right about it. Even though I haven’t been very active posting for a while, I’ve been a member for a long time so, if a con, it would have to be a REALLY long one. So I guess I’m not too worried about being thought a scammer. It’s still possible I’ll accept such help, should things get worse, but I’m hoping not. I really came here for advice or info and the Dopers have come through with that.
