In the midst of a recession...

Why does a recession have to hit when I finally have a decent job? It's like the economy was just waiting for me to finally get some money so the price of gas, and food, and well...life can increase.

I'm in need of a side-hustle for real, y'all. While my hubby and I can finally be considered middle-middle class (a huge come-up from 2007), we also added a new kid to the mix. We've got big ambitions for our family, one that includes purchasing a home in next year. We originally planned on buying a home about seven months ago, but instead moved into an apartment to give us more time to bulk up our down payment.

Apartment living is okay, but I'm in desperate need of a place to call my own. A place where I can paint the walls and customize the kitchen and let the kids run around outside without worrying about the neighbors' dog. A place where I don't hear the thumps and bumps upstairs at 3 a.m.

I've analyzed our expenses and short of canceling my Netflix subscription, there's not much we can do to cut costs. I already cut back on food and our cell phone bill. I'm still driving my 1997 Buick, so there's no car note there. We don't go out much, and our daughter's daycare is the cheapest (yet still suitable) we could find.

So, the answer is to bring in more income. I'm willing to work nights and weekends if it means we can move into our own home sooner. Although I hate the way the economy is right now, I want to give my kids the world.