I’m a single mom of 2. I don’t have much family support. I do have a family member that watches my kids for me and I pay them bi-weekly. I have so many bills to pay for and they’re the basic necessities- rent, car, all utilities, phone, internet, daycare. That alone adds up to $2,000. That’s not including gas, groceries, pull-ups diapers, wipes and the basic household necessities. I’m drowning and I don’t know how else to make an income. I’m wanting to get my CNA so I can make more money but with having to pick up so many hours and lack of support, I feel I’ll never have the time. I cannot fall behind on bills. I don’t qualify for any assistance because I “make too much money.” How do single moms survive on one income? A small income at that. I feel like I’m failing my kids because I’m not bringing enough money home and on top of that, I spend more time at work than I do with my kids. I know this storm will pass, but life is kicking the shit out of me. I’ve never struggled this bad in my life. It’s making my anxiety so bad to the point my mind is constantly racing, I’m hyperventilating and crying non-stop. I’m having some not so nice thoughts. Does anyone work from home to save some money? How did you get through your financial problems? I need advice on how to better save money or make money from home.
Following single momma of 4 and im so drained
Have you applied for dcf help? WIC?
Learn a trade. If you can, join a union. I’m a union carpenter in NYC and it’s put me in a position my college degree never could have in a million years. Good luck 
Utilize food pantries in your area. It will help on your grocery bill.
I’m not trying to discourage you but I was a CNA for 27 yrs & could barely afford to support myself.
Hell in my household of 3 adults and 2 kids, we’re just barely getting by. My husband got laid off and just now found a quick job just for money now because my check is peanuts. My oldest kiddo works and I HATE asking for her help but we have to until my husband finds a better paying job. My mother pays mainly her bills and contributes, mainly groceries but it’s so HARD.
You don’t get any support for their father ?
Fight to get child support.
A lot of facilities will pay you while taking the CNA classes.
Simple get rid of the stuff you don’t need,no internet you don’t need it,use face washers instead of wipes,buy cheaper food,don’t get your nails done,buy what you only need not what you want,stop buying expensive brand stuff,stop buying take away stop buying junk food
Utalize your local resources.
For example here we have a pay what you can grocery stores.
You’re now at the spot where every penny matters and you can’t pinch anymore, so I won’t spend any time telling you how to pinch harder. You’re already doing it, without help. Visit food pantries when you can. Sell things youre no longer using for a few extra bucks when you can. Keep doing what you’re doing. I know its hard. Stay the course. Eventually you’ll be at a spot where only 1 or 2 kids are in daycare, and you’ll see a clearing. Get your CNA then.
You can do this. Even though you’re tired, you are setting the best example they can possibly get. You’re a good mom and they love you so much💜
Single mom and I work two jobs. Look into waitressing part time. One night a week can easily be almost another grand a month
Go on youtube and type in “digital couponing this week at ___” My favorite stores are Publix for food if your in the southern states, then Kroger (affiliates are Fred Myers, Fry’s and I believe there’s at least one more) for food at well, Dollar General for laundry care and cleaning products, Walgreens and cvs for personal hygiene… Walmart is okay but only for rebate apps like Ibotta. Every one of these stores has an app to download in your phone and all the coupons are in there, you just clip them and put your phone number in. Watching the video on YouTube will help you navigate to systems and plan your deals for the week.
Give yourself grace, you got this.
I’m just here to say you are not failing your kids you ma’am are a hero !
Get the father to pay child support. Daycare should have a voucher or sometime discount. Go to food pantry that will help. Energy assistance for utility bills.
Im not a single mom but I support of family of 3 on disability and part time hours. My husband doesn’t contribute and we struggle
I coupon. Dollar General, and family dollar have apps and so do other stores. I save quite a bit on paper and laundry products. I’m also on the budget for utilities. So my bill is the same monthly.
Climb Wyoming is made for mom’s like you.
Do you have healthcare? Get mental health help now before you feel worse. If not, 988 is the mental health hotline available 24/7.
Can you get help from a church —grocery card, help with rent, etc. You usually have to be a member though, but maybe not. If nothing else, put your kids in nursery/Sunday school and get a break to nap in your car.
Use food banks, community gardens often supply fresh produce. You can use EBT cards at Farmers Markets. Look online for local, county, state resources. Is dad/s paying child support?
Join a support group for moms/single moms in your area. You can share tasks on occasion, find moms willing to take joint trips to Costco or whatever and take advantage of bulk sales, then divvy up the goods or share buy one get one free sales with a pal.
CNAs don’t make much. Do you have access to a computer? Take free or low cost online classes in computer skills, especially cyber security. You’ll make a lot more. Look into fire inspector jobs. Is there something you could do from home with the police or fire stations? Reporting, research, tracking, dispatching? Is local, state or government hiring? They usually have decent salaries and good benefits.
Eating meat is not that healthy and eating more vegetarian meals will save you money. Goya black bean soup over 90-second basmati rice is a fast, satisfying meal, complete protein and my kids loved it. My kids also liked Indian dishes with chick peas, either make from scratch, get the simmer sauce, or buy the 90-second packs at the grocery store. Cook a lot at once and freeze family-sized portions so you can just nuke dinner from the freezer on busy nights. Leftovers of anything can go in a quiche, pot pie, or soup do you’re not wasting any food. Yogurt is a perfectly acceptable meal. Get plain & add fresh or dried fruit, nuts, syrup, cereal, jam or honey.
Skip wipes & use moistened paper towels if it’s cheaper. Learn about hypermiling to save gas. Schools, churches or charities often have free school supplies events. Take advantage of them. County fairs with vendors and information tables often have free things like water bottles, stress balls, clip on lights, pencils, pens, key chains, etc. Take a few but don’t be greedy.
Take advantage of free performances, etc. Sometimes hotels will let you hang out in their pool or study/play quietly in their lounge for free. If there are breakfast bars, sometimes you can sneak in once or twice with the kids.
Do you have any paid leave? Visit friends in nice places & let them help you with child care, food, etc., and have a nice time.
Ask about earned income tax credits, any discounts, breaks working parents. Your local state & federal representatives should have people who can help you find resources.
Deep breath. I like this program that helps me calm down & be healthy: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ONjHjM4puGY
It’ll be somewhat easier when the kids are in school.
There must be help out there, somewhere or somehow !! Ask your friends, etc. Keep on keeping on… it will get better.
For daycare they have programs to pay for daycare and unonly pay a parent share fee like my 2 kids are 6 and 8 they go to school I work early so the daycare takes my daughter to the bus and my son she does drop off and pick up I only pay 3 dollars a week and 50 a month for school drop off and pick up
Can you donate plasma? Different centers offer different payment rates for plasma donors
You should be getting child support. Call your local Child Support office and make an appointment. Providing he has a god income you can get more than enough to help you.
Don’t use pull-ups; use regular underwear. Get the other one out of diapers. Watch the ads for what’s on sale. Buy what you can for food at Dollar Tree and Aldi. Use food banks if you qualify. Maybe do some childcare in your home. If you have a smart phone then get rid of home internet. If you have cable get rid of it and get Roku or something like it.
OK. This is gonna sound crazy lol
But it is something that I’ve been considering because a friend does it.
I’m not sure where you live and what this service pays outside of where I live.
But she makes $90 an hour removing lice from kids hair 
Hell, for 90 bucks an hour, I’ll wear a hair net and a hat and just do it. Times are tight, gotta do what you gotta do.
You can get certified as a lice technician online for a very decent price ($800 or so?)
Just a crazy idea that could totally work
Im not a single mom but we do only have one income. My husband works.
Diapers and wipes- I would buy from target once a month when they had the spend $100 get $20 gift card. Then I would save the gifts cards and once I got 5 of them I would buy with the gift-cards.
Groceries- I buy and meal plans based on deals. I buy a lot of meat when it’s buy 1 get 1 free.
Clothes and shoes - Walmart or kohls I don’t think I ever pay more than $5 for a pair of pants or shirts for my kids
The Budget Mom is a great resource too
Single mum I don’t get any chilsupport .
Do not do the cna route, it’s underpaid and a ton of work. Look into something like massage therapy, it’s a short program and you make decent money
Don’t claim your car when you apply for assistance- for some reason if you have a car you’re not deemed needy
Get a roommate or two. Go learn a trade better paying than cna.
You’re not a bad mom. I want you to know that. Your kids may not remember the times you didn’t have pullups, but they will remember that you have shown them love and care. Things will get better, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Check into jobs and family services, sometimes they will help pay for certain types of schooling. Start couponing, sell items that you can. Maybe try instacart or doordashing. You are trying and I promise you and your babies will get to where you need to be before you know it. Just breathe. It will be okay. Every storm runs out of rain.
Look into the requirements for opening a daycare in your state.choose to work crazy hrs not everyone will until all your slots are filled.stay home with your kids and make money?it was an idea I had when mine were small it never manifested.id also see about some gig jobs in your area that would allow your kids around.like door dash.
File for child support if you are not getting any, if you are file to ask for an increase. Also figure ways to bring your bills down like look for a cheaper phone service, cheaper internet. Get those kids potty trained and out of pull-ups. Look for ways to reduce monthly bills such as using less electricity. You could also look into refinancing your car to lower the monthly payment.
for me it was side jobs. fyi, CNA pay ain’t all that good. You’ll be employable, but they’ll work you to death for just over min wage. Find a job you can apprentice that pays well from the jump… and offers paid training. It might not be a female oriented job
Same! You’re doing great!
Go to food giveaways and food pantries. Apply for fuel assistance as well
Donate plasma. It pays pretty good and helps another person. You can donate twice a week.
Apply at Centene.com Customer Service Advocate. No experience required. Work from home. Great pay, insurance and 401k.
Utilities. You can look into the flat rate year round and see if that’s helpful for the expensive summer months. Internet you could probably qualify for the $10ish per month. Not sure what other programs are out there. But worth researching
If you’re looking to make financial gain, nursing is not the field to go in to - and this does vary based on where you live. I worked as an STNA my entire adult life barely making pennies and forced to work holidays, weekends and short shifting. I than went to nursing school. Which is the same work environment with a slightly higher hourly rate. I left the field during Covid when I had to start self quarantining myself from my kids just in case. I than started working from home, with a regular schedule, better pay, better benefits, and I actually get to take a lunch break every day vs having to eat cold food in the 3 minutes you had between patient care, charting, and answering call lights.
You are not failing your kids you are doing your best. It’s real tough for most. I am a single Mother on one income.
Sadly this is everyone’s life right now because of our stupid current government and the insane inflation it’s bestowed upon us to kill us without actually physically killing us. I’m a single mother of 4 and I’ve struggled, but I’ve Never struggled as hard as I am right now. It’s sickening.
What state are you in? IM me please. I have been down this road. I’m still standing.
Do you get wic? That helps a lot
See if that family member will babysit for some free groceries or something
Unfortunately lots of people are financially struggling right now. Our economy is 
! I dunno where you live, but that could be part of the problem. I was a single mom in California and was killing myself hustling to keep my kids fed. Moved to Kansas and was in way better shape. Now I live in New Mexico on the Texas border and it’s still really expensive. Just keep doing what you can for those kids and if you aren’t already, get child support for your kids. That will help. Good luck to you!
I’ve been helping mow yards and run errands for people
I think this scenario is far more common right now due to the insane amount it costs for absolutely everything these days! I’m so sorry you’re struggling! You are doing amazing and it shows your determination and love for your children to look at improving your situation by making those hard decisions! Hugs to you mama! Depending on where you live, working as a CNA could possibly be beneficial but that is really dependent on your area. I worked as a CNA during high school and after I graduated. Later in life while going to college for my undergrad I was a single mom living in family housing on campus and only survived by pulling the full amount I could from student loans. After I graduated from there I went back to using my CNA license due to a lack of jobs needing my degree in my area but it saved my life when I had no other options. The thing about a CNA license is there are some states that allow you to transfer or become certified by working an 8 hour shift in a facility, if they complete the paperwork and file it with the state. In my area (small town Kansas) CNAs with experience can make around $18 an hour now but when I was utilizing my license I was making a little less than $16. It is hard work but it is rewarding and if it helps you to get by than you should go for it! There are a lot of facilities that will pay for your class if you agree to work for them for a certain amount of time after passing your licensure exam. I’m seeing a lot of people discouraging the idea of getting your CNA license but it is a step in the door of healthcare which is an enormous field with so many different areas. There are also agencies that have traveling CNAs that can make upwards of $25 an hour.
WFH isn’t always the answer.
- budgeting.
- start potty training to eliminate diapers & wipes. (all my kids were out of diapers by 18 months old).
- prioritize your groceries (buy large meat quanties & break it down for cooking portions) & watch for sales (do not by snacks & sodas).
- file for child support against the children’s father(s).
- prioritize your bills (rent, electric, phone are the main 3 you need). do away extras (netflix, hulu, wifi…)
Single mom of 3 here. I’m also part of the school PTA group. definitely need a job of some sort, side jobs also. I mow yards, I craft and sell things, I do clean up jobs of any kind. Literally whatever your comfortable doing that brings in money. This year is going to be rough. 2 of the 3 kids joined sports/scouts and the 14 yr old wants a job now to help me out
I feel your pain… the rising cost of everything!!
Then you get on social media and see others with huge campers, with 2 loaded SUV’s, vacations, beautiful homes, with their kids in all different travel sports and so on. It makes me feel like a failure
I’ve worked since my kids were newborns. Office job now work from home. I didn’t have a choice.
Look up remote jobs on indeed. They have lots of part time jobs. Also look into finances. I cut out cable and got Hulu for way cheaper. Dropped internet down a plan and have 3 different grocery store apps and go with the store that has most deals for stuff I need. Also buy other stuff from people on Facebook
Im a single mom of 5. I work 3rd shift and have a friend stay overnight with my kids. This way im home to get them up my youngest starts prek this week pms. And my older kids are in sports so i dont have to miss out. Its a struggle but im doing the best i can
Depending on your employment history and field of work, you can find many legitimate virtual jobs. Do a Google search for remote or virtual jobs in you area of experience.
I work from home selling items of personal interest on eBay and Etsy. I make enough for most bills. I am not single, but husband is now disabled (can’t work) and brings in mych less than $1k/month.
I don’t have a babysitter because there’s no way I/we could afford it.
I used to work for Appen Global and G1 research. They are currently hiring. The pay is only $9-$11/hr.
Appen is search engine evaluation and QA. G1 research is political opinion interviews mostly. I’m sure they have a LOT of work right now 