COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? after 14 years as a line cook

The COBRA quote for my family is $500 a month and I do not know how to afford it. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. My old employer will not help with the premium. Did anyone switch mid-year?

If you have a planned treatment, COBRA can make sense for a few months. Otherwise look at the marketplace first.