I put this here instead of serious discussion bc I don't think it's that deep of an issue and kinda just want some quick insights, but understandable if it gets moved

Long story short, I have been out of work for a few months now because my job didn't transfer when we moved. My partner makes enough for us to get by for now, but obviously that's not gonna cut it long term and I'm not at all comfortable with not contributing financially. So I've been looking for work, but I feel kind of stuck. The only kind of job I've had before is retail. Not management, just regular grocery store type jobs. I don't have degrees or education beyond high school, so I'm not qualified for anything that requires those things, and getting those things would take more time and money than I have to spare right now, so "Just go back to school to get a better job" is not a realistic answer (I say this because that's what my relatives love to tell me all the time, not that they'd ever help me do it).

Applying to the nearest grocery store seems like the obvious answer, but despite that being what I've done for years, it was never as easy for me as it should have been due to various health issues I have. I get mentally and physically worn out very easily, among other things, and it's not actually a very good fit for me. I had to leave one of my previous jobs because the stress was making my symptoms ramp up so bad that I almost ended up in the hospital. I have a lot of other hangups about getting back into this line of work, but it's also the only thing I know.

My current home situation isn't suited for a phone-related job; my partner works from home doing this, but we're going to have to look into getting ethernet installed upstairs because the current setup of having a long cable connecting the computer to the hookup downstairs isn't cutting it and her connection goes out every time it rains. So at least for now, anything that would have me making/taking phone calls all day (which is pretty much ALL the regular-employment, full-time work-from-home jobs) is not an option for me.

That pretty much just leaves me with freelancing and gig type jobs, which I've never done before. I'd be very afraid of not making enough money, and having to spread myself too thin across multiple sites/jobs just to make the same amount I'd have gotten from working at the grocery store. I don't know anyone who's ever done this kind of work, especially not as their main/only source of income rather than just a side gig on top of regular employment, and of course all the places like this that are hiring will just throw numbers out there to try and attract people. "Our top so-and-sos make up to X amount per year" means nothing to me. All I see is "You could get X fraction of a cent per word for writing this" and "You choose how much you make!" and it's really off-putting.

I'd love to go back to school or get some kind of certification at least and have a "real" job that isn't working in the grocery store, but never mind having no idea what I'd go to school for, I still need something I can do right now--preferably something that won't kill me, but I feel like my chances of finding something like that are pretty slim.

Anyway, I thought maybe some of you guys would have more experience with this than I do, and/or could offer me some insight from a different perspective. What would you do in my shoes?

@koneko: I have kinda tried that, though it's hard to search for because the results always end up including a bunch of things that aren't relevant/don't actually train. But I can always look again.
Florist sounds nice; I've looked for that a few times, myself. Just haven't been able to find any so far. Good luck in your search!


@Mousy: I definitely don't have any degrees or college credits, but I'm curious what's on that assessment...
I have looked at a few front desk openings, but most don't suit my schedule (another reason I've been looking for work-from-home jobs; my partner works evenings and the only way we can get anything done is to both be on an evening schedule... plus that's what I've been doing for years, and I don't think I could switch to day shift now even if I wanted to) and are really... strict about appearances, and/or still require certain experience. But I still look from time to time.
Haven't thought much about libraries. Probably at least worth a look.

Edit: I looked. Only one library-related job anywhere near me and it requires a degree ;v;

I had a lot of the same problems with retail that you do. I lucked my way into a comic book store job and it fit me so well for the following reasons:

It was a pretty low-traffic store most days compared to a grocery store for instance. New-comic-day saw a lot of traffic, but I can handle one busy day out of a week just fine. Both myself and the customers loved what was being sold. There were virtually no unhappy or impatient customers, and I could really get into talking about said products all day.. I didn't ever have to fake enthusiasm. It was a small business and the owners were REAL people... they never expected me to show up sick or work overtime constantly like big chain stores do. If I ever needed a mental health day, if my narcolepsy was bad, if I had a migraine, etc, nobody got mad that I didn't come in. I was even encouraged to take care of myself. There was also plenty to do other than running a register or stocking shelves, so I got to exercise my brain a lot more, which is important for my sanity.

Perhaps if you could find something more small-business styled, something related to personal interests, you too could find a better fit?

Also, don't stress too much about getting higher learning. My husband went to college and could never find a job related to what he learned. When he worked as a janitor (another decent job that isn't retail) he worked alongside actual lawyers that couldn't get by in their chosen profession either... Not that I'm dogging on higher education, just pointing out that its not always the solution everyone claims it to be. Hubby is a construction plumber now. Just joined a union and makes an unbelievable $40 an hour... so trade-skill style work is lucrative as well, but I personally could not do the stuff he does so I understand if that's not an option for you.