I have 2 daughters ages 8 & 9 and I am a single mom with a fairly decent income.  Approx. $35,000 annually.  But I am slaughtered during the summer months with the excrutiatingly painful cost of day care.  I have not choice but to pay it but it literally takes everything I have....leaving me with no money  to pay utilities, car not, and food.  I don't have credit cards, I don't have any extra expenses - just my necessities!
216998
It's terrible... I am a single parent and I pay well over that much in daycare.  I am finding that a lot of programs have scholarships that help pay for the fees... it is just a matter of applying before the scholarship money is used up.\nGood luck.
566493
If you can't go for a walk, and can't do a video at home, looks like  a option would be going to a club, most of them have day care now, for pretty cheap too.  We have one at our club, and it's very reasonable, the girls bring all of their kids and work out for an hour or two.  Think  about it.
177434
If I'm living here in the woods of Arkansas, with no kids, and I get rid of my cell phone, satellite tv, and the Internet, I think I could do quite well with much less money.  Oh, and I wouldn't even need a dryer because I'd hang my clothes out on the line.  I'd be sure to plant plenty of food in my gardens and put a lot of it up for the winter.  I don't think I can give up my AC and I'm still paying off on my car. :)  But I have a well instead of city water.  I guess I could get by on about...  $600 a month.
215552
No i don't. I am a single mother, i can't even move out of my parents house because everything cost so much. I could get 2 jobs but then the cost of babysitters would spend all my money and then i wouldn't have time for my child.\n\nGovernment doesn't want to help anyone unless you need all there help. They won't just give you a little boost. \n\nIts hard to find a good job with decent pay. i feel bad for the children growing up in todays world that all.
10328
It is a very tough situation. And sadly there are no easy answers. I'd would at least try to speak with your children on the phone and see how they are doing.\nTry not to be too picky with work, and if you do get a job try and get at least a used car; yeah I know about used cars but if you are in a tight situation including $$$$$ then you should go with what you can afford. \nIn regards to living samething start small and then work your way up, rent or room-mate with someone for the time being.
145684
Spend time with your family yeah you might need the money but i grew up without my dad and with only my mom taking care of me and it sucked cuz i bearly even saw her she was always at work or with her friends.Now she regrets it but still......... PLease take my word for it go with your kids.. They will be happy..... good luck hop you choose me.....
166480
Yes there is..It's called wellfare help..sounds awful i know..but this is about supporting your 3 kids till things get better in your life..and it will..it's just going to take some time...trust me the wellfare office understands the struggles of single parents and by u going down there to apply for the things that u are having trouble to make ends with...they will help u...so long as u are 100 percent honest with them...Number one..if u don't have medical insurance to cover the kids...u will get it right away..since u are a family of 4.(not including this guy)and u make 40 thousand or less u can get it..including foodstamps..(just untill things get better).U can also apply for public housing..sure that sounds awful..but there are alot of places that are decent as hell and u wouldn't ever know that the landlord allows section 8 people.(section 8 means the landlord gets there rent period no questions ask cause the state pays him u pay him just a little maybe only 100 to 200 a month only set back is u are on a waiting list..but it goes quick in the spring time..u can also get help with heat the list is endless..all u need to show them is all the kids Social security numbers,yours as well..proof of paycheckstub from your job and copys of all your bills that u pay.like car insurance gas bill electric bill ect ect..u will be flabbergasted on all the areas that the wellfare dept can help u with...Remember this is your tax money that is helping u so why not make it work for your kids\nthere is also a place called the YWCA not YMCA(thats for men)they help with apartments furniture childcare ect ect..i know u ask for financial help here..instead of getting a check to cover your bills..all that i mention above they personaly pay your bills for u..if u ever want to talk more to me please feel free to contact me through my name...Good luck sweety u can do it..and get rid of the abusive so called boyfriend u don't need this right now..u and your kids come first and nothing else..PERIOD
256295
I feel for you.  You don't help your kids, you feel bad.  You help your kids the best you know, you lose money.  You do know that you can take these expenses off your taxes?  Is that $3.00 a week a kid or just $3.00 a week.  Do write up your project and your results and start searching for grants.  Target for exmple (target.com) gives a grant for early literacy, however who gets the grant is up to the neighborhood Target and if you are working on literacy, even though Jr. high is not early childhood, you might get lucky.  Talk to any businesses you can.  Maybe one might sponsor your program in excange for a small logo on your work.  (Our school directory is paid for by local advertisments)(Be sure to get permission on this one.)  Have some of your students speak to the school board.  If humanly possible, do not make your workbooks consumable.  Create a class set and bind it with those spiral thingys. (Your school or district may have one you can use for the cost of the spirals).  It's not too expense to provide paper for the kids if you stock up on the August sales! Talk to the managers of your office supply stores and Targets and Wal-marts.  Maybe they can help you sponsor your program.\nNever give up on the kids.  There's always a way.\nGood luck!
18161
Well, as a guy paying 1500 per month in child support for one child, I TOO see both sides of it. I agreed to pay this amount, and was not required to pay it. One of the other responders is correct, it varies from state to state, but runs about 20% of your pay. the fact is, I am more qualified, and financially responsible to raise my child. I have more energy, time, and general resources than my Ex-wife, but do you think I could EVER win custody, even though I am truly more qualified? No, never, not in a million years can a man win.. So for the average man, it is a lose/lose situation.. We lose a large percentage of our pay, and we lose much of our time with our child.. My lawyer said in the state of Texas, a woman has to have murdered someone to lose their child, and he claims there has not heard of a single case where the father was given custody without VERY extenuating circumstances. \n\nTo the person who said "they should have thought about that before they had kids".. Don't be an idiot. You must be 12 years old...
612764
At first yes, I did feel helpless.  I mean I am a single mom and its hard enough making ends meet.  But you learn to make adjustments in other financial aspects to accommodate the rising gas prices. I totally understand where you are coming from, but we have to deal with it right? I guess we don't have to-but what else are we going to do? Just like you said, would we rather be able to provide for our families and end up getting bitten in the but because of the financial struggle or get fired or quit and live off of the state for the rest of our lives? I guess for me, I am way to proud to have to live off of the state the rest of my life, therefore I deal with the rising prices in EVERYTHING.  I hope all works well for you!
341172
I'm a single mother, but I don't consider myself to be poverty stricken.  But I can tell you when all the financial burden is on one individual instead of two, it can create financial hardship.  Even if a single mother works and meets all of her obligations, clearly it's a job that was meant for a mother and father.   Just do an engine search and type in single mothers, there's plenty of resources and information about single mothers.
441513
i have a friend that could really use some help financially.  I would love for her to have a car for her and her daughter.  And like an endless gas card.  so she never has to worry about walking in the rain or the heat with her little baby.
76696
my heart is with you!!! i LOVE being stay-at-home mom, nothing can bring more joy in my life and it IS work. if we don't take finances into consideration i wouldn't even think about working. but sadly money rules. yet i'm still at home and want to stay as long as possible
602248
I am 15 and have the same qualifications as you, so our situations are similar.  For the past few years, I have had a weekly babysitting job for 3 hours one night a week.  During these 3 hours, the 2 girls I babysit take an hour nap, and I am paid a previously-agreed upon wage of $20.  However, I think this is slightly high, at $7/hr including a nap, and with other families I negotiate around $5/hr-$6/hr for 2 kids.  Hope this helps!
559360
I understand ... I'm a single parent ... I work full-time Monday thru Friday 8am-5pm ... and clean 2 different offices once a week for extra money just to cover the child support I've never received.\n\nDo you know how hard it is to get any type of help from the system or whatever they offer to you ... I guess I make too much money ( and believe me .. I don't ) but I get to watch all these single moms sit at home with no jobs, get food stamps, get free schooling/day care, their kids eat free at school, they get government housing and I'm working my @ss off with 3 different jobs .. paying $ 900 in rent alone just to make it .. \n\nYeah pisses me off too !
663215
if you do the day care from your home you will only pay one rent and if you go thur your local social services and get properly licensed they will remburse you for a portion of your untiliies and rent to compensate for the childcare, on top of the pay for your services. there is so really good money in it...
126656
You're too young to legally work in most states but you can baby-sit.  I did for a long time and made fairly good money.  I would try going to the local (in walking distance) elementary schools and posting ads on the bulletin board for an "experienced and responsible after school care".  Offer to walk the child home from school and have them do homework with you until their parents get home.  This way the parents will feel justified to pay you a little more since you'll be helping "tutor" ;)  After you get one child and are comfortable offer to take on another friend or neighbor child.  You should charge 7-8 per child with the homework factor (2 kids 7.50 per = 15.00 per hr not bad for 14 yr old ;) Good Luck!