Cadillac Repair: 1990 Cadillac Deville, cadillac deville, bad shape

Question
My 1990 Cadillac Deville is having a few problems( alot of problems!!) The car does not start i have tried to start it with another battery and one day it didn't start with the battery and i notice that my jumping cables got really HOT.But one day I started the car and i felt the alternator felt HOT. What should i do about this problem? i need my car to go to work and we don't have money to buy a new car so we need to fix the cadillac.we would appreciate your answer cause without that car we are skrewed!!

Answer
Eddie,
I understand where you're coming from. Chances are, the car isn't in all that bad shape. The first thing to check is the battery and starter cable connections. They need to be clean and tight. Then, I'd take it to a Auto Zone or similar place that will check your battery and starting system for free. This should tell you whether the battery is too weak to properly start the car, or if the starter is presenting too much of a load. Could be either or even a combination of both. Either way, you're really not looking at a ton of money to fix the car, and it's even a pretty easy DIY job for you if you want to tackle the part replacement yourself.
Good luck,