to not really know how to earn more money

[Myusernameismyusername]

The other thread about the rich husband really made me think.

I have no man and maybe never will, so will rule that option out from the start.

What does it really take to get the kind of job you need to live comfortably when you have obstacles in the way?

Such as children, single parent, little help with said children and the massive costs (and time) of studying new qualifications?

I didn't go to uni, I had kids with a partner who earned ok money and I always had two jobs, cleaning to help out with the bills.

Fast forward 10 years and I have no degree and no partner but I do have a consistent job history and I have very slowly been trying to work my way up, but it's taking years. I need to stick in my current job for at least 2 years to get enough experience and my children be older before I can move up again.

I take all the opportunities that come my way - free/sponsored NVQ via my employer, extra work if I can, I will even take a 2nd job if I have to but it never seems to be quite enough to get me out of what I feel is a bit of a trap - enough to not rely on tax credits and housing benefit. Enough for a holiday, maybe move to a nicer house. Owning a house is a dream I will never have! I have no savings.

I would even move to a cheaper area as mine is so expensive but the children are very settled here and I don't think it would be good for them. And if I moved I don't know if there would be good employment opportunities.

I would retrain for a new career but a. It would take 6 years and b. Cost about £15k. Is that the best way to do it?

AIBU to really think it's a nice dream to have but in reality it will probably always be just a bit out of my reach, like many people? Or how can you make it happen? Or just be happy with what you do have?

[BadLad]

It isn't easy to get a dream job- that's why not many people are doing it.

I suppose there are three ways of doing it.

Having a skill that is much needed, but hard to find.

Starting lower down in a field and rising to the top of it.

Getting an unexpected opportunity, like somebody you know giving you a job that you wouldn't have got if you had had to go through the application and interview process, as most people do. Using contacts, in other words.

Bear in mind that it is income specifically, rather than job, that leads to being rich. So if none of the above sound promising, another way is to reduce your outgoings, and then use the money thus saved to generate more income. That could be investing, or starting a side-line to make more money if you spot a gap in the market for something.

Whether retraining is the best way to get rich depends on what you would be retraining in, I suppose. Teaching or nursing, it probably isn't.