hey girl! i hear you about your financial situation... i had to move back in with my parents after 2 years of college and freedom. it was a good move, tho. i don't think you'll regret it.
as for contacting your uncle, there are a lot of different things you can try. but the main thing to remember is to BE PATIENT.
even if your uncle is not roaming the earth as a ghost, you can still contact him. start with a simple meditation. i often find that first contact is helpful in a dream setting - or when it's quiet and you won't be interrupted. for me this is usually before bedtime.
lay down or assume a meditative position - get comfy. close your eyes and relax. visualize your uncle and with your mind (voice isn't necessary unless you need to speak aloud) call out to him. let him know that you are looking for him, and ask him if he will choose a sign that will let you know that he is near. you may not get an answer for several nights - sometimes it can take months.
in the mean time, once you have made your intention prayer to your uncle known, you may want to try a different method of contacting him. this will depend on what you find is a workable type of mediumship for you. regular meditation might work - it's not always gratifying for the medium, however.
automatic writing is reliable only some of the time - and you may not get your uncle -- it's kind of like ouija in that you may channel a spirit and not know its identity. tarot is almost always a searching tool and will not give you much communication... when contacting a relative it's often best to choose a "home grown" communication tool that the person would recognize: like playing cards? you can use the red for yes and black for no and ask him questions...
first of all, try the meditative contact. i can't guarntee that it will work immediately, but it almost always works for me in the long run.
good luck!
OwlGoddess
Life's waters flow from darkness; Search the darkness, don't run from it.--Rumi