Advice, please...

I found myself to be somewhat distraught earlier today,which was further compounded by the lack of a nearby (and sufficiently wise) close friend or relative in whom to confide in for advice.

Running through the list of people I know, I could not think of anyone whose insight would be beneficial... until I thought of YOU... dear readers.

I value your opinions and viewpoints a great deal, and I'm sure you'll have something to tell me... so here is the long and short of it:

I have been working for several months now, steadily... but do not have a full time position anywhere yet. My hours are irregular... and my bills are about to increase due to the fact that I must soon begin to repay my student loan. Not to mention the fact that the kids need school clothes for next month...

I already quit the most distressing job, the one that paid the least and required little (if any) of the education I must soon pay for...

My primary job is shaky. I love the boss, have my own office with a lovely view of a small forest, and do work that I enjoy immensely (stuff that I went to school for). However, although he's a brilliant man from whom I have learned a great deal... he is not managing things well in many respects and I fear that I won't be working more than 20-25 hours/week for him at any time soon. Also, this job is a great distance from home... so it costs me a significant amount each month just to get to and from work. Let me add that when I took this job, it was as a paid internship, and that he agreed to pay what I was asking due to the long distance I have to travel.

My secondary job is questionable... as his ability to pay me rests with his sales... so if there are none he may have to abruptly call a halt to my employment, or I could be laid off until such time as his finances improve. He has given me no indication that any such thing might be likely, however, and recently has been hopeful that I can put in more hours for him (while the other boss is fretting that he's letting me work TOO many hours and that he may not be able to afford to pay me and his other bills) This man can be somewhat short-tempered, but he's not mean like the first one I worked for this year. HERE I must add that he gave me a $1/hour raise two weeks ago... and promises generous bonuses "if and when".

So, as you see, I find myself on the horns of a dilemma. What to do? What to do?

I have come up with several potential solutions, upon which I hope you'll freely comment, as well as offering additional ideas that may not have occurred to me.

1. Find a good-paying full-time job close to home, regardless of whether I like the boss or the work I'm doing.

2. Tough it out with things as they are and have faith that they'll improve.

3. Offer the following three options to boss #1:

a. Volunteer to stay longer hours (off the clock) so we can clear some of the backlog and forge ahead

b. Telecommute and let him pay me less per hour since the gas/tolls will no longer be a factor

c.Barter my time... in other words, stay longer, but work on my own projects, and ask his assistance where required, but in exchange, be available during that time to drop what I'm doing (on my own projects) and sink my teeth into something he needs done on the spur of the moment.

As you can see, I've given this a great deal of thought. I've shed a few tears over it, agonized, and do not want to jump from the proverbial frying pan into the fire.

I sincerely hope someone in the vast blogosphere can illuminate my path through this murky portion of my journey. Thanks for caring enough to read this far!