The Destitution of a 48 Hour Work week

Decisions decisions. I sometimes hate making decisions.

Let me update you.
Some information first for those who may not know it. The area in which I live is a very 'meager' area as the average goes.
(I believe with the trouble the US is in right now, we have more 'poor/meager' areas then ever before) 
The job market here is little to none, and none of the jobs pay well. Most jobs available here are part time and minimum wage only. If it isn't, you're working 50 to 60 hours a week for a low wage that is still not enough to support a household.
Which is the reason many people in this area are two income families, or, one person works two jobs.
(unless a significant other has a good paying job out of town)

Herein has been my problem. Jobs here don't pay well enough to support ME..living alone, spending only what is absolutely necessary.
(jobs at a greater distance might pay more, but my car is NOT gas efficient) 

Now when I tell you 'only what is absolutely necessary'..I mean it. (with the exception of one thing)

In my 'must have/pay' list are these items

Mortgage
Electric
Phone/Net (the net is my 'exception'), and I don't mean CELL phone, I mean HOUSE phone.
Insurances (car and house)
Groceries
Gas (for car)
Personal Property Taxes (yearly..car and home)

Notice this list does not include Cable, 'fun money', car payment or health insurance.

Got all this??
Ok, I have the opportunity to MAYBE get a job. The job requires a 48 hour week. (that's a lot)  The sad part?? Even though it pays better then most jobs here, it's only a modicum over minimum wage and it will not pay enough to support the house.

I crunched numbers all day yesterday. For hours and hours. Lowering this and lowering that, trying to figure out any way possible to reduce the pay out amount. I got to the point, where I was only allowing myself 25$ a week for gas in the vehicle  
(that won't even get me to work for a week, but I may be able to carpool 1/2 the time)
and $60 a month on groceries.  
(not necessarily an impossibility with couponing, but damn near it).
Those were the 'flexible' expenditures that I took as low as I could possibly go. (I always kept my electric at the same rate because it very rarely dips below 150$ and always goes well above 200$ in the summer.
(remember..I live in southern hell!)

You know what's sad. It didn't matter how much I crunched, how much I played and moved money from one place to the other, I was always short. (based on what my pay would most likely be)

How sad is that..that I can go to work and bust ass for 48 hours a week and still not be able to support myself? How sad is that? WTH?

I'll be heading down to fill out app and talk to HR manager next Monday (Jan 2)..I'm going to ask for a start date of Jan 9th (the same day Dementors new 'night' shift schedule starts). Keep your fingers crossed for this old Crone..
If the job is offered to me, I do plan on taking it. I'm going to take small measures in life right now.. and deal with things one day at a time.  First the job, then figure out the freedom.


The Crone of One day at a time decisions

Sage