It isn’t easy being a single mom today. It seems like every other day prices rise when it comes to groceries, clothing, gas and everything else you need to live and raise young children. There are only so many corners you can cut to save money, but there are some ways that you can make ends meet when you need to.
County Assistance Help With Child Care
If you are a single mom, it’s pretty obvious you will need child care to work. But child care is one of the biggest expenses parents face, single or not. If you are raising a child on your own, get in touch with your state or county assistance office. They usually offer programs that help with child care costs for parents who need to work. Many will pay for a major portion of your child care costs as long as you work a certain number of hours per week.
Skip the Garage Sale
No matter what you do, your child is going to go through clothes, shoes, toys and more as they get older. You paid for them, so you may as well get some cash from them to help pay off the bills when they outgrow them. Branch out from the usual garage sale, however. Check to see if there are any consignment shops near you who will sell your clothes for you and give you part of the profit. Many larger convention centers often hold large fall and spring consignment sales, as well. These give you a broader audience to sell your old items off. You can use the profits to catch up on your finances and get back on track.
Payday Loans
When you are really strapped for cash, consider a payday loan. Companies like Power Finance who specialize in working with payday loans in San Antonia, Texas suggest that payday loans can be very helpful if you are single. It allow you to have money in case of an emergency that you cannot fix on your own paycheck. These loans are short term fixes that help out in instances such as needed car repairs, broken water heaters, school loans and more. Most single women can get up to $1,000 at a time for their finance needs, without having a good credit score or collateral. They are easy to receive and can be applied for online, day and night.
Go Over Your Shopping Cart
Trying to save a bit of cash? Chances are, you are at the grocery store a couple of times per week buying food. After you get done with your shopping and before you pay, look over your cart. Did you stick to your list? Is there anything you can put back that you really don’t need? You’ll probably see at least a couple of items you could do without, saving you cash that you could put towards your finances. Additionally, check out the various apps that are available on Google Play or the App Store for grocery savings. Many allow you to scan your receipt and get cash back for the purchases you have made.
Utilize the Five-Dollar Trick
There are lots of ways to save money little by little, such as saving your change or holding onto your dollar bills. But one money-saving tip really works, and that is saving your five dollar bills when you get them. Whenever you spend money, put aside at least one of the five dollar bills you get back in change and forget about it. This adds up a lot quicker than change does and chances are you won’t miss the cash when you set it aside, as it is a relatively small amount. When you need money to take care of your finances, you’ll have a nice amount to use that wasn’t hard to save.
Single moms can utilize these tips to help when they need to make ends meet at home. With careful planning and consideration, staying on a budget shouldn’t be too hard.