Help us Please need new LIFE!!!!!!!! (Fort Collins, Loveland: housing, rental, travel)

[lilskydrm24]

I am a single mother of a 6yr old boy living in ohio I am in desperate need of moving. WE are misserable here in ohio and there is no jobs around. WE would love to move to a small country town I am willing to work on a horse ranch for room and board if ones available. I have several other work experience I owned my own cleaning business in florida for 7 years. I will move any where to get away from here. Please any advice or leads you may have I would love to here from you.
Thanks C&N

[Tom Emmerling]

Do you have family here? Just curious as to why Fort Collins or Colorado. It will be very difficult for you to start over but where theres a will theres a way!!! Sounds like you are very determined. Another thing you might think about is living with someone that is handicapped or elderly that needs a live in care giver until you can get on your feet. I see ads for that every once in awhile in our local paper. Check out these websites for local jobs.....
coloradoan.com
reporterherald.com
fcgov.org
larimer.org
denverpost.com

Good luck in your search. I hope this helps. I will also throw in there that cost of living is likely to be much higher here than in Ohio. Just want to make sure you plan for everything before you head this way.

[janb]

You might look to more rural areas of CO and WY if you are wanting to work on a ranch. There might be some jobs that could provide housing for you. They will be low paying, but might be good for a change of pace. The right ranch / farm with 'semi-retired' owners who would want you around to take care of the place while they traveled sounds ideal, depending on how serious your income needs are. I find rural places to be more conducive to caring for each other (but not always). The suburbia routine you will likely find in Ft Collins proper, would just 'throw-you-to-the-wolves' by having you get an entry level job and spendy apartment. I would envision a more preferential situation to be a guest house / basement apartment in exchange for work + opportunity to get a part-time job nearby. Plus a caring community that could help you with your son's needs for clothes, fun, education, and fathering (like a grandpa type). A caring church or school community will fill this role, but not likely in a "mega-church" or "mega-school" environment of suburbia.

I would look for some smaller towns and more rural, hopefully with a community college and other amenities. For the Ft Collins area, I would take a look at Berthoud, but... it has a lot of 'bedroom' community characteristics, but also a pretty strong community tie.

I would recommend finding "friendly / caring / supportive" towns in your desired location, then doing some social networking to find a match for your situation. The airfares are cheap and rental cars too (I got my last for $16 / day). Get some prospective places lined up and drop in for a visit. Stay in non-commercial 'guest homes' to get to know the locals. I would think there are plenty of great places for you, but will require some 'digging'. Again, don't discount WY. I like Powell and Sheridan areas there. Loveland, Berthoud in Colo (places on West Slope may be better, but I don't have personal info in 'caring' communities). I would try to stay within 30min - 1 hr of a decent sized community, as sometimes you need to travel for work if small community is too limited. You might check into some "co-housing" communities. There are several who are trying to establish multi-generational self supporting communities. If you have a religious affiliation check with that group for communities. If not and not partial, I would look into locations of Mennonite communities, they are very helpful to the needs of others, and are not 'quacks'...

[Worriedsister]

There is no work here in F.C. I, too, am a single mom of a 11 yr. old boy and I can't even get a job at a McDonald's...unless I want part time for $7.00 an hour. That wouldn't pay rent, let alone utilities and such. Nay, F.C. is unfriendly towards single parents...especially to those of us who have no support system.
Maybe we should team up!!