Money and the Single Parent- Part I

Money is always tight when you’re a single parent.  Most couples have a hard time
living off of two incomes, yet a single parent is supposed to make due with only one
income.  You almost need to be a financial guru to survive, but it can be done.  I
single-handedly raised my son on one small income.  Money was tight, but all the
bills were paid and we never went hungry. 

Here's how you can do it too. 

Money Saving Tip #1 

The biggest chunk of money will be your rent or mortgage.  Try to find somewhere
cheap to live.  One of the best places to find fairly cheap rent is in family mobile
home parks.  That is where my son and I lived for seven years.  We were very lucky
because my father owned the mobile home and let us live there as long as I paid the
space rent and the utilities.  My father was very kind in that he didn’t ask nor
make any profit from us.  Hopefully, you have a parent or friend that might let you
live somewhere for cheap.  If you don’t have anyone, look for a place that is very
cheap.  Renting a room in a house, renting half a house, or having roommates is also
an option.

Money Saving Tip #2

The next big chunk of money is for the utilities.  Electricity, gas, water, and
phone are the main expenses.  Notice that I didn’t include a cable bill.  If you’re
on a tight budget, channels 2-13 work just fine.  Today I can afford cable and yet I
find myself watching Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters and other shows that
are on channel 7 which is free.  All you need is an antenna.  If you tire of regular
T.V., rent a DVD for a dollar from your local supermarket.  (Albertsons just put in
a vending machine that will let you rent a DVD for 24 hours for one dollar), or
trade one with a friend.  

Money Saving Tip #3

Electricity is easy to save….just turn off the lights.  Most people leave their
lights on even when they leave the room.  Get in the habit of only using what you
need, when you need it.  It’s easy to keep your bill low.
 

Money Saving Tip #4

Gas is not expensive either if you use it sparingly.  Wear a jacket and put on a lot
of covers on your bed.  Keep your thermostat around 70 degrees or lower.  Take
reasonably short showers and don’t leave the water running.
 

Money Saving Tip #5

The water bill is high because people leave the water running even when they are
brushing their teeth.  Turn off the faucet and try to use cold water unless you
absolutely need hot water.  Put a brick in the tank of your toilet and you will save
water too.  If you have a low flush toilet, then you don’t need to use this trick
because the toilet is already saving the water. Use the dishwasher to wash the
dishes because most of them are water efficient.
 

Money Saving Tip #6

The phone bill can be very cheap if you just have a cell phone.  See if your family
or one of your friends can put you on their plan.  For example, Verizon can put five
people on their Family Share Plan.  You could pair up with a friend and share
minutes.
 
These are a few tips to help with money.  Next time we’ll cover more ways for a
single mom to make ends meet.

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