2026 has been an incredibly difficult year, and I am reaching out because I truly need help.

I began the year already struggling under approximately $40,000 in debt. To get back on solid ground, I took out a consolidation loan. For a short time it worked — I was able to pay all my bills two weeks in advance and still keep a roughly $5,000 buffer in my checking account.

Almost immediately after that, my workplace informed me that we had been overpaid in tips due to their error, and I was required to repay more than $900. The next four paychecks were reduced to cover that repayment. At the same time, tips (a significant portion of my income) dropped sharply and have remained low even after the repayment ended. The consolidation loan that had briefly stabilized my finances quickly became ineffective, and I found myself right back to the same constant juggling and stress I faced at the start of the year.

In June my Jeep began having serious problems, resulting in about $3,500 in unexpected repair costs.

I have also been dealing with digestive issues for six years and had been planning hiatal hernia surgery. Then August brought additional medical challenges: I recently injured my ankle and was diagnosed with a fractured talus. So far this has already kept me out of work for three days, and it may require more time off depending on what the podiatrist determines. If I am able to proceed with the hiatal hernia surgery, I will likely need still more time away from work. Even if I can cover basic expenses during those absences, I will lose the tips that make up a major part of my pay.

I am now living strictly paycheck to paycheck — and slipping below that threshold.

Any support you can offer would mean a great deal and help me weather this storm. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and God bless you all.