You are in a tough spot, but it sounds to me like you really want the new job. Being an independent woman myself, I'm queen of cutting back. It doesn't matter what you make, but how you manage it. I don't know your debts, but can you make cuts? For example, I refused to pay the increase of a cable billbill so I researched tv antennas... I have 26 channels for free! I got out of credit card debt 15 years ago thru Credit Counselors (a reputable one). Maybe its time to get creative on expenses. I,m sure there are sites to help with ideas. I didn't read every single response so if this is a duplicate idea, I apologize. Anything we enjoy doing never seems to pay, but I can say that job happiness is priceless. Good luck and take time to think about it. Always negotiate higher salary. Always! There was article on ***** just today about that.