Work Experience, Grad School

[gradman111]

Hey, so I have recently my undergraduate program and have received my bachelors degree in psychology.

I had been planning to work a couple of years before going for a masters in mental health counseling, in order to become LMHC. I am thinking now that maybe I should plan on going to grad school as early as 2021 instead. Just to make things go a bit quicker.

I am looking at a promising job at a group home, although it is one of those types of places that is extremely entry level and is used for a springboard to get into other more advanced jobs or government jobs. The thing is I'm not sure if just doing that would be able to help me afford to pay all my bills, 60k of student debt, and be able to afford grad school. Even if I do spring into another job after a few months.  Due to various life circumstances I had a low gpa, like a 2.3. I pretty much graduated by the skin of my teeth.

I am wondering how much work experience I would actually need to get into grad school due to this. I have the itch to do some landscaping on the side to make some extra money, and if that takes off then leave my job after a few months and do landscape full time in order to make money for bills, debt, grad school. I am just not sure if doing something like that would hurt my chances of getting into a masters program. 

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.