Assistance with replacing hot water heater costs

Imagine this, waking up, still in your groggy morning state. You are shuffling along with a brain fog, wanting to go and take a nice hot shower to wake you up.

Only to find there is no hot water.

You grumble, and go downstairs to check on your hot water heater, checking to see if there was a power interruption... and when your foot hits the basement floor two things get through your brain fogged mind.

Your foot now has a distinctly wet feeling, and the sound you just heard was the splash of your foot going into the now standing water in your basement.

This was our experience, and then we realized that our hot water heater was DRAINING water into the basement. The hot water heater is now at least 12 years old, and thus has reached the end of its useful life, and the sad news was we had to replace it, or have no hot water. Unfortunately, replacing the hot water heater was not in our budget, and it is an expense that will greatly drain our finances and make it difficult for us to afford our bills and expenses on one income due to health concerns.

I typically do not like to ask for assistance, and try to stand on my own two feet, but right now, my husband and I would greatly appreciate any assistance that you are able to provide to help us get through this.