<prompt> Human: Some background:Im a 32 year old musician who teaches privately in Michigan and also plays gigs. I also have a part-time minimum wage day job in retail. My only education is an associates degree in liberal arts. My wife is about to finish her PhD, and when she does she will be moving to Europe. Yes, the disparity isnt lost on meAs of right now, we dont see a way I can go with her, and even if I do, how I would be able to work. We dont want to split up, but she doesnt have a lot of hope for our future because up until this point I havent been able to develop any kind of a real career. To add to this, I have 6,000.00 in credit card debt, which used to be 10,000.00. If she were to disapear tomorrow, I wouldnt even be able to make my own bills. I feel like I need to go into emergency life reboot. Heres my current plan, and Id love some constructive advice...I have mutual funds that my family set up for me with the money I made as a kid that has about 18,000.00 in it. I was saving it for a down payment on a home, but even if we work things out, we wont be buying anytime soon. My plan is to raid the fund to: A Put in place a 1,000.00 emergency fund that I have access to, B wipe out 100 of my 6,000.00 debt, and C put about 8,000.00 into a CD as my six months emergency fund. I say a CD so I am never tempted to raid it. Leaving the remainder in the mutual funds.Next step: find a full time job where I can cover bills, which totals about 800.00 a month, which means Id want to make about 1,200.00 at minimum so I can continue to save. My current plan is waiter at a fancy restaurant or bartender, which I may have connections for. After that, start searching for a full time job that is salaried with benefits, and hope they have some kind of program that would pay for some more college. My five year goal is to be doing something with computer programing, the only thing that remotely interests me that may have some long term job potential I already have started learning some python. Obviously this plan isnt airtight, but this is what I have so far after a walk to clear my head. My wife and I love eachother, but unless I can at least demonstrate my ability to pull my own weight, I dont think our marriage will survive. Besides that, she deserves a partner who can participate with her on some sort of equal footing, if only in ambition and not financially. She doesnt care how much I make in a larger sense, just that I make something of myself.I am at the end of my rope. For me, in my life so far, this represents the bottom. I dont have a lot of hope for the future right now, but since Im not going to leave or hurt myself, I might as well fight as hard as I can. I really appreciate any words of advice.TL;DR: Undereducated musician. Wife is about to jump ship. Raiding mutual funds to wipe out debt. Trying to start new career. Please advise...  <response>: Good for you for recognizing the problem and pulling out all the stops to better yourself and save your marriage. Even if it cant be saved, youll never regret these positive steps you are about to take! So, congratulations on the first step into your new life!OK, heres a few ideas off the top of my head. I hope something here sparks your interest or gets your creativity flowing:1 In some states you can become a teacher or a substitute under an emergency certification program. Think about becoming a music teacher at a public school.2 If you had a 4 year degree, more and better jobs would open up to you. Consider taking out loans or grants to finish school. You could get enough to pay your share of rent, etc, and try your damndest to finish in less than 2 years by taking summer courses, etc. Not sure where in EU shes going, but theres some American universities there, and theres always online universities. Just make sure you major in something more employable than liberal arts. You said you liked computer science... This route has potential for you to be the majority breadwinner in time, especially if shes planning working in academia.3 I think youll regret taking so much out of your mutual fund. 6k wont be that much once you have a real job. In your shoes, Id pull out all the stops to make some cash.4 Summer is about to start and lawns are growing like, well like weeds, haha. Can you borrow a mower for a weekend? Starting a few days before the weekend, Make some flyers advertising your new lawn mowing business with phone number. Make it clear you only take cash and you just mow, no weedwacking, etc. Or just knock on as many doors as you can and give them your phone. Take orders for the weekend so you make the most of your borrowed mower. Then take the cash and buy a used mower on Craigslist. Next weekend take that cash and buy a used weedwacker. I found mine at a yard sale for 10. If you are getting full days work on the weekends, find a highschool kid who is responsible and will mow for 12 hr. Then you can continue to drum up business while he mows. Ask happy customers to be a reference on your flyer My lawn looks great and John is friendly - T.H. I swear this works. I know people who do this!5 Knock on doors and offer to clean houses. I did this in college. Yes, people not only let me in their homes but sometimes would leave for work, leaving me alone!6 Also in college, I used to find a nice looking neighborhood where the builder put in metal handrails along front steps. Id offer to scrape the rust off, add a layer of Rust protection, and then glossy black spray paint. Once you get one customer, you tell the next guy that he can check out your work at the house next door. Often people would see me working and Id line up the next three jobs with no effort. Id charge 100 cash and I could do two or three daily. Tax free. Startup cost is low: Id buy a tarp and painters tape, a good metal brush, a few cans of spray rust protection, and a few of glossy black, and sometimes a clear glossy top coat. Tell people you are paying your way through school and theyll feel like they are doing a good deed.7 While I painted fences, my boyfriend used to seal driveways. Same deal as 5 6.8 You will almost always get paid more for brainwork which is usually salaried with benefits than for body work which is usually hourly.9 Can you type moderately well? Do you know Word? Even better Excel? Apply through a temp agency to be an executive assistant. Once you have some references through good temporary work you can apply for full time positions. Its not hard, pays decently with benefits, and you spend your days in an air conditioned office. If you cant type, theres free sites that teach you. Most agencies give you a typing test and test you in Word Excel and Power Point, and if you ask nicely theyll probably let you take a tutorial to learn them. Sign on with as many agencies as you can. Dont get sexist on me, its a great gig for men and women. Plus it can open other doors if you are a good worker. Show up 10 minutes early for all interviews.Important Point: Make sure you have her buy in with whatever your plan is! The plan should belong to both of you!Good luck! 