Our rent just got raised by $50... I feel the walls closing in...

Nobody ever likes a rent increase I hope that the increase has come after a long period of you living there, otherwise it sucks even worse than usual.
Have you thought about becoming a paramedic for the fire department (if they have such a thing there where you live)? That might pay you more and I'm sure the benefits package is better than a private company too

Here is a thought for you concerning the rent. He said he wont raise it higher right? Get that in writing, this way if he does, you can take him to court.

Credit crunch or what?

I hope your carreer ideas come true. Meanwhile, let us hope no other evil will come near you. Tell the super to put in writing that there will not be any other raise. Words are gone with the wind.

I hope you have a rent lease so you know your rent will remain the same price until your lease expires. When it gets close to the end of your lease, begin looking around for other places to live. You don't have to move if your rent remains the same, but at least you'll know the prices for other apartments.

We all have to live with cost increases, whether it's the cost of utilities, groceries, clothing, rent, house taxes, etc. We have choices - make more money or pay for the increases by eliminating something else. It's hard to do, but we have to separate our necessities from our wants.

You have places you don't want to work even though you can make more money. That's fine because we should all enjoy our jobs if we can. Stressful jobs can cause health problems and sometimes cause problems within relationships.

If you and your fiance work together on your needs and wants, you both will be able to overcome obstacles, whether they have to do with money, careers, or other issues. I wish you the best with your future marriage.