[look_lookatme]

First off you need to consider scraping together enough money to get out of where you are. Move to a place that has jobs. You say "family"... do you have children? This is an important consideration in terms of where you can go... I think there are basically two types of cities with solid startup/software job markets: There's the NYC/SFs of the world, incredibly lucrative, incredibly expensive. Then there are the Austin/Boulders of the world, financially reasonable, but not the "big time". From the sound of your situation, the latter is just fine.

Also if you are that desperate, you should consider moving to one of these places and leaving your family behind until you've made enough money to bring them to you. That may sound horrible, but it's the way people have pulled themselves up and made a better life for their family for centuries.

[Vivtek]

I second the latter paragraph. It won't be long before you've got the cash to move for real - but if you're on your own in the world, you can be a lot more flexible and still send money home for the family. (Assuming that is even your situation.)

I've never actually needed to do that, but my wife and I have agreed that it would be a valid emergency measure if and when.