Originally Posted by Mojodmonky1
i cant speak from 1st hand experience, but I have seen it turn lives around before.
A good friend of mine was in a situation that sounds kinda similar (well not really) to yours. While I was in college, dude was living/sleeping on the floor of my tiny 10x10 dorm room because he had nowhere else to live. Somehow someway he managed to scratch together just enough money to get by (but not enough to pay rent or save enough to get a place). After school ended his aunt/uncle were kind enough to take him in and let him live there temporarily to help him get on his feet. Due to problems with drug abuse, he fell further and further into a rut. After his aunt/uncle kicked him out, he was bouncing around sleeping on different friends' couches for the next couple years. Eventually he ended up "renting" the couch/living room at his dealers apt for a couple hundred bucks a month. All the while he was working as many hours as he could at some crappy retail job (Best Buy) which gave him just enough to pay the $200/mo rent, put gas in car, a burger or two in his belly, and somewhat pay for his habit. The longer he was living with his dealer, the more things spiraled out of control. His car was eventually impounded and effectively repo'd because he had been driving around with no tags or no insurance (since he couldnt afford it). He couldnt afford to get it out of impound so he left it there. He was a full blown addict by this time and since most of his money was goin to meth, he didnt really need any for food (no appetite). Eventually he hit rock bottom.
Thankfully his aunt/uncle stepped up to help him out again. Not to let him back in their house, but to help set him up with a non-profit rehab center for him to attend. He was in rehab for a couple months and got clean. Afterwards he stayed at the center and lived there for a few months in exchange for doing work on and around the premises. Now that he was clean, he still had no job, no car, no home, no college education, and was kinda back to square one. He finally decided to enlist in the Air Force since he would atleast be assured a steady paycheck, 3 square meals, and a place to sleep. He was a little bit concerned about this decision because he was in his mid 20's at this time and would undoubtedly be one of the oldest at basic, but hey... better late than never right?
It was probably the best thing that ever happened to him. He was eventually stationed in Japan and his AFSC (i think that is the correct term?) involved maintenance and repair of some electrical devices of some sort. While in the Air Force he was finally able to get back to some normalcy in his life. He could finally start to acquire some real world job skills and save some money. While in the service he met a girl (civilian) to whom he is now engaged. He recently finished his term with the Air Force and was discharged just a few months ago. Upon discharge he moved back to Canada with his fiance (her hometown) and has enrolled at the local university to get a degree in electrical engineering. He doesnt have to worry about tuition since he is using his GI Bill money. While attending school he will also be working and has found work in a similar field to what he was doing in the military. Life is very stable, and it is a complete 180 from where he was just 5-6 years ago.
