Which looks like a more promising: a video production and editing service or an Instagram marketing service?

Why not offer all three as services? All are so helpful and appeal to a wide audience. Is there a reason you are narrowing it down to one of those options? You should always be learning anyway, so I love your drive to learn more when a project comes in, but create your own projects in order to expand your own portfolio. And if you're good at all three of these things, DO all of these things. Customer need all of those services. You could create bundles or packages and see how that works out. Good luck!

In truth: it sounds like you are attracting too many bottom-feeders. Additionally, the attitude of, “just taking a couple of courses” is a little bit shortsighted if you plan to tackle any of these like a professional.

Professionals understand that their work is never truly done; also, they’re always looking at ways to improve - not only themselves - but also the industry. “A couple of courses” is simply regurgitating something that someone else has already discovered and distilled into a simple, easy to understand lesson. You are willingly positioning yourself as a replaceable widget.

I’m sorry to hear that you may be living out of your car. I cannot even imagine how that must feel. However, without even knowing you, I believe that you have innate skills and abilities that you can put into practice. What are you already good at? What do people already come to you and ask? What expertise do you have currently? For what are you recognized in your current circle of influence?

You have a limited runway – meaning the time before you face “the end“ - so I would advise that you focus more on what you’re already good at to earn the money to keep you out of the Car Motel.

I have invested in both the Instagram publishing business and the video editing/production business. Standing out in the Instagram community will be very difficult, and is often considered a commodity. That means you are in a race to the bottom in terms of competition and price. Given what you’ve told us about your financial situation, I don’t think it is in your best interest to go this route unless you can establish yourself as a true expert and professional.

The same is true for the video editing and production. Our team was already highly regarded and recognized in the industry. This it allows us to charge top-dollar and choose the clients we want to work with. When you don’t have this built up already, you are hustling against other companies that will foolishly charge far less than you can to do more or less the same thing. Again, a race to the bottom leaves no winners.

Identify what you are already recognized for and suck it up until you have the means to pivot and do something that you truly enjoy that earns you a fair compensation.

My advice to any business is to offer things which are being offered in addition to things that aren’t. Basically, what I mean is take your business and do something different with the process. I have an apparel line which offers unique custom designs however I offer them on many products for both businesses and individuals and I have a three day turnaround. I took several services offered by others and put a different spin on it to make it my own. Do the same with the three concepts you will steal the market☺️ Feel free to call for more information.

1) Wordpress: I can make a basic nice looking site and then outsource for more complex things....but I really dislike it. Customers always want more for free, so many bugs, stressful.

Well... which do you like more... doing WordPress coding or living out of your car.

I work with WordPress all day, every day.

The trick to keep from going insane is to build your entire business around continuity.

All my WordPress clients are setup on PayPal recurring subscriptions, so I do some work, then get paid forever.

2) Instagram: I have some experience with Instagram in posting photos on IG would be lots of work but fun work. And I get paid by the hour.
If I choose this I can go through some courses and know probably more than 80% of anyone else.

A likely prospect + I'm far to lazy to do this because, WordPress work tends to pay more + drives easily to continuity income.

3) Video editing: I have some experience using Adobe premiere pro, a little with doing actual filming. Again I could take a course to be good at is.

Super time intensive. No one's ever 100% satisfied. Lowest income/hour of the 3x you mention.

4) If you could start a new service, would you choose an IG marketing service or a video editing service to start?

I'd go for WordPress site work driving to continuity income.

5) PS- I there a way to check how well companies in these fields are doing?

Not really an issue.

Better to determine how much income/month you require, then look at markets, determine your price points, then get started.

There are many breathing humans alive right now, enough of which are interested in any of the options you mention... enough will buy to keep you from living in your car.