Struggling to Afford Nafaqa and Seeking Advice
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah, I'm a 23-year-old revert trying to prepare for marriage soon. Balancing work and study has been really tough for me. I want to study civil engineering because I’m interested in it, but working full-time just to get by makes it hard to focus. I tried other courses too, but without interest, I couldn’t keep up and have ended up failing many classes. I have about 23 credits but dropped around 40 credits worth of classes. I have ADHD, so staying focused is challenging unless I’m genuinely interested. I can't use stimulant medications to help, so it’s a tough situation. I have thought about learning a trade, but most good-paying trades require a degree or experience first, even if the pay is below average. On top of that, I suffer from chronic pain in my lower body that I can’t afford to get checked out or treated, which sometimes even makes praying difficult. Physically demanding jobs aren’t a good fit for me. Even simple jobs like janitorial work sometimes leave me unable to walk comfortably on my days off because of the pain. Right now, I earn about $1800 a month after taxes, insurance, and retirement contributions. The insurance is poor since most doctors aren’t accepting new patients except for pediatricians, so I plan to cancel it next year. Rent for a small apartment costs at least $1200 here, which is too much for me alone without a car. I really want to get married soon, but I’m worried I can’t financially support a wife. I don’t see many options to increase my income since jobs here pay very little. I’m making just a bit above minimum wage and handle janitorial duties for a large property with many bathrooms, plus bussing tables for several restaurants that don’t have their own staff. Sometimes I’m unfairly criticized if I can’t immediately clean up or if my knee pain shows. I feel very lonely and long for companionship and comfort. I’m afraid I might be tempted to ask women for cuddling in exchange for money again, something I have done in the past when lonely, but I want to avoid that. I ask for your advice and prayers on how I can improve my situation and prepare for a halal marriage. JazakAllahu khair.