As a single parent, it can feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders. This is completely understandable. It’s never easy to cope with the challenges of parenthood all on your own. Think, financial responsibilities, the absence of a mother or father figure, and even the emotional aspect of being alone. There’s just too much to take care of, that you may feel there isn’t enough time in a day to do everything, and there’s also isn’t enough money to get by.
It’s definitely a big lie to say that navigating through single-parenthood is a walk in the park. The finances are going to pile up one after the other, in a single-income household. It doesn’t help that you may also feel you don’t have enough extra time to take in other money-earning opportunities, to add a few extra cash on the bank.
We’ve heard you, and you’ve come to the right place. Take this as your saving grace, with friendly and helpful advice on how you can budget and prioritize spending, as a single parent.
- Earn Some Extra Money Online
Yes, there aren’t enough hours in a day. You may even be missing out on rest, sleep, or even me-time. So perhaps now you’re shaking your head, asking yourself where you’ll even find the time for another job.
Well, the good news is that advancements in technology aren’t without advantages. There are so many ways now to earn a few extra cash, one of these is through online means. Just think of the numerous ways how to earn PayPal money, which other parents may be doing as well. And, the great thing about these earning opportunities is that many of them aren’t time-consuming. There’s no one job that’s better than another, as every single parent has their respective time and familial constraints. It’s up to you to select the job which you know can work the best for your needs and your family’s.
- Enlist Help Of Family, Whenever You Can
If you have family nearby, consider that a blessing! If you have siblings or parents who are willing to spend an hour per day to be with your kids, so you can work longer or do another job, then why not make use of that opportunity. Childcare can be very expensive, and it can eat up a huge chunk of your budget.
Enlisting the help of your family, whenever possible, doesn’t just give you more time to earn, but it also cuts your childcare costs, freeing up a portion of your income now for savings or other expenses. This kind of strategy can help you stay on top of money management, while your parents are also spending precious quality time with their grandparents. Yes, your parents will always be the best childcare ever. No further questions are needed on that.
- Stay Away From Credit Cards
Credit cards are heaven-sent, but only when you absolutely need them. But, when you misuse your cards, these can also send you on a downward spiral and never-ending cycle of debt. So, if you can, stay away from credit cards.
If you don’t need to bring it during your supermarket or school run, then leave it at home. This practice encourages you to pay in cash, whenever possible, and spend only the money that you have.
- Set Goals
At the start of every year, you may want to sit down and set financial goals for yourself and your children. This step is very important, especially because you don’t have anyone else to help you with those financial goals. Think, housing, kids’ education, emergency savings, and even travel or self-care, for instance.
When you sit down and set financial goals, this makes it easier for you to remember to set aside a fixed amount from your salary every payday, placed towards the attainment of those goals.
- Teach Your Kids To Live Simply
There’s absolutely nothing wrong if your kids are the only ones at school without an iPad. Or, if everyone else went on an international holiday, and you didn’t do so for this year. Perhaps even your kids don’t have the fanciest bikes or the nicest clothes. Contentment starts at home, and if they’re well-trained to be contented, you won’t feel the pressure to spend on expensive holidays or entertainment.
The truth is fun doesn’t have to be expensive. There’ll always be more room for pricier entertainment and travels perhaps someday in the future when the budget permits it. But for now, even those simple cost-free, or cheap activities can be just as fun as the more expensive holidays everyone else is doing, for as long as you’re together as a family.
Conclusion
With the tips above, are you now ready to give your budget a little stretch, as a single parent? These may seem difficult to get by, for starters. But, once you get the hang of it, eventually, you’ll begin to enjoy the financial benefits and ease these tips may come along with. You may be living in a single-income household, with all of your kids’ needs piling up, but this doesn’t mean you have to suffer and fall into debt all the time. Now, you can finally come up with budget tactics which are an integral part, to live a financially stable life.