I'm a male working my way into nursing school ...?

I'm married w/ two kids and am the primary "money maker".
I know there's financial aid out there, but can anyone relate to my story and give any tips or advice?

I can totally relate. I was also the primary money maker - not that I made good money before becoming a nurse or anything.

Going to nursing school is a sacrifice. We moved into a smaller home, hubby took on an extra part time job, and I went down to WAY part time. I was eligible for financial aid and got many grants and scholarships that nearly covered all my tuition expenses, then I took out TONS in student loans just to cover living expenses.

It sucked, we were broke and miserable, but it was all totally worth it. I love my career, I am far more financially stable than I ever could have hoped to have been without the RN degree, and although I still have $50k in student loan debt, the payments are managable.

I would say just do whatever you can. Sit down and really write up a formal budget and see what kind of money you are spending on non-essentials and make serious efforts to reduce those expenses. Encourage your wife to take on some work if she can. Find creative ways to bring in extra income - pizza delivery is actually really a great source of supplemental income if you're not too proud to do the job!

But honestly, I firmly believe student loans are the way to go. Sure, it's scary racking up that kind of debt. But really it is worth it in the long run.

Good luck!