One of the areas I want to address in my upcoming book is how single moms can effectively start their own business or find ways to increase their income. I know that single moms have extra burdens on their plate and I’d love your help and input as I seek to address these struggles.
Help Me Out!
- If you are a single mom who has a successful business or has found ways to increase your income, would you leave a comment telling me a little about your story and how you’ve done so?
- I’d also love to hear your tips and suggestions for creative childcare options that won’t break the bank.
If you’d prefer, you can email me at crystal @ moneysavingmom.com
Note: I will be using some of your comments and emails in my book. If you’d prefer to remain anonymous or prefer I don’t use your comment, please say so. Thanks so much!
Kristi Popin says
Hello !! I am a single mom to a 13 year old daughter. We have been on our own for almost 11 years now. It definitely is easier now that I have experience under my belt but the first years of being a single mom were very difficult. We moved back to my home state to be closer to family during the transitions and I had siblings close and was so appreciative of the help they extended as we started over.
Over the years I have been fortunate to have a full time job, however it never seemed to be enough….. I always supplemented with extra jobs here and there. From cleaning homes to babysitting to retail… anything to help pay the next bill. Then I found Dave Ramsey and went on to become completely debt free and still use his teachings in my daily life. Since becoming debt free and being able to dream a bit more (something most single moms don’t think they have the right to do) I realized there was so much more I wanted to do rather than just survive…. Within the last year I started my own business with Shaklee – a health and wellness company. I have grown so much in just the last 8 months than I did in the last 8 years prior. Not only am I on a healthier path but I now have goals and dreams that are bigger than I could have ever imagined. I am working my business up to be able to stay at home by the time my daughter is in high school. Staying at home is something I used to think could ever happen….. a very elusive dream that I never thought I had the right to even think about… now it is my next big goal. My big tip is don’t be afraid to have something that is just for you… for me it was my business. We get so caught up in making sure our children are okay and taken care of that we forget to enjoy life ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, I still live to see my daughter play sports and participate in her activities but we need to have something to help satisfy our personal journeys as well. I want to help other single moms understand this sooner rather than later when the kids are grown and on their own. They can have it now in the midst of the chaos of life. I believe single mom’s would be happier and more content if they were to have something all their own…. whether it is a business you love or a hobby you are passionate about…. find something for you.
Childcare over the years has been the one thing that I insisted be consistent. If I knew my girl was in a safe, loving and learning environment it was so much easier to deal with the day to day duties of a single mom. Interview many day cares or babysitters before settling on the least expensive or the closest to work or home. Least expensive and convenient does not always mean best quality. I would gladly pay a bit more and drive a few more miles for a safe and happy place that my daughter enjoyed being at. After hours – trade babysitting with other single moms or even married couples. Start a babysitting co-op with other moms from day care. Or find a high school neighbor friend that is responsible and can drive. They could also help with small errands while caring for your children. I have used all these tactics !!
Thanks Crystal for the opportunity to share !!
Michele says
I am a single mom to an 18 year old daughter. My former husband left while I was pregnant, so it has been pretty much just the two of us. I received child support, but not always consistently. LOL. I was always a child short for public assistance. What got me through the tough times is my job. I work at a hospital as a health unit coordinator/monitor tech. There has always been the opportunity to work overtime. I just worked Labor Day and that was a paid holiday plus time and a half for working it. I am required to work every other weekend and receive a weekend differential. If I get called in to work on my weekend off, it is at time and a half. I work 3 12hr shifts a week and can pick up extra if I want.
Also, I have helped at a food bank and one of the perks was getting to take food home.
I have rented out a room in my home to someone that needed a temporary place to stay.
My grandpa always said “pay yourself first” and that to me means utilizing my homemaking skills. I will make my own coffee syrup vs buy coffee creamer, make my own bread, etc.
Chara Shopp says
I am a relatively new single mom, since Aug of 2013. I was a teacher with a charter schooling and homeschooled my children. I was able to continue that for a year due to the flexible hours & the help of family and amazing friends. However this school year I have transitioned and am starting a full time in home daycare and tutoring business. I’ve been doing the tutoring, reading readiness & right brain learning focused. I’ve been working through the daycare licensing process and anticipate opening full time (I’m able to operate part time while in process) at the end of this week. I am thrilled to be continuing to homeschool (a huge priority for me) and anticipate making more income in this business than I was in my previous teaching position. 🙂
Chara Shopp says
I should have added, my kids are 13, 10 & 6 and we are receiving very little financial support from their dad. I have always worked in some way or another, but needed to narrow my focus and make my efforts and hours more effective and financially productive.
Beth says
I was in an abusive marriage for over 25 years. I finally left 2.5 years ago. I have 5 kids (boys 25, 23, 20, & 16 and a girl 8). I am a WAHM. I have always had some sort of job working from home to help ends meet. I also homeschool my kids. My oldest 3 are now graduated, but I still homeschool my 16 & 8 year olds. I don’t get child support so the full weight of whether my kids eat or not falls on me. When I first left, we truly lived by faith. I had a VERY strict budget and often wasn’t sure how I was going to meet my bills each month. Because of poor choices, especially financial choices, made by my husband while we were married, I was forced to file bankruptcy last year. It was one of the most humbling experiences and so stressful. But it really did allow me to start fresh. I am now debt free and plan to keep it that way!
The main way I have supported us is by selling on Amazon. I actually believed God to make enough last year at Christmas to pay cash for a new (to us) car. I earned enough that with a little help from my oldest son as my Christmas present, I bought a 2010 Equinox with less than 40,000 miles on it and in the color I wanted. God is so good!
I was doing pretty good with selling on Amazon. I made enough to support us and every once in awhile do extra things, but it was tight most times and I really wanted more financial freedom. Together with a friend, we began writing books teaching others how to sell on Amazon and we started consulting groups. Now, a year later, that provides most of my income and I am actually on track to earn more this year than my husband and I ever did together when we were married. I have had to rely totally on God to be my Provider and He has shown up in ways I never expected. I am incredibly grateful.
I am still believing for great provision because what I really want to do is minister to moms, especially single moms. I have a few book ideas and I’ve resurrected my blog. One of my best friends and I are planning to start flipping houses next year (I am all about having multiple streams of income) to further provide so that I can have more freedom to focus on the real desire of my heart which is ministry.
(I don’t mind if you use my comments for the book, just please leave out the abusive marriage part if you use my name. Thank you 🙂 )
Nora at Simple, Easy, Frugal says
Crystal, as someone who is married, I really appreciate you taking us single moms into consideration!
It’s definitely a different road, but one that can be navigated successfully.
I’ve been very low income and now at a more comfortable place for my daughter and I – but it’s always important to be mindful because when it’s just one head of the household, there is no safety net.
I never learned more about budgeting and being frugal than in those extremely lean years.
I will try to email you some things I’ve learned soon.
Emily Rachelle says
Hello Crystal,
I know I’m not a single mom, but my main job in middle school and high school before my senior year was babysitting. I just wanted to mention that a lot of babysitters who are too young to work an official job (so those under sixteen in several states) will be more flexible with their rates because they’re desperate for work (or at least I was!) Also, if you mention that you’re a single mom — and, if it applies, that if you are a single mom *and* have multiple kids — many babysitters will give you a discount on their regular rates. I would charge $5 per child per hour, but with the many military families I babysat for I’d make that $3 per child after the first child.
Plus, if what they ask you for is too much, offer a more affordable number for you. I worked with one family with three kids, and with the military discount I offered that would be $5 + $3 + $3 per hour — but they couldn’t afford $11 an hour, and suggested $9 instead. I was totally okay with that and worked for that rate happily until I moved away.
Another thing my good friend Kathryn, not a single mom but a mother of two special needs kids whose medical needs can get expensive, will do is swap childcare. She’ll watch her friend’s child(ren) for a few hours one day and in exchange that friend will watch her children for the same amount of time later that week. She really promotes this idea among her military wives circles, so I thought I’d pass it on to you.
— Emily
Melissa says
I became a single mom four almost five years ago in the time since then I can tell you its a daily struggle. We live in SWFlorida childcare is like sending your child to college. For full time care is anywhere from $700-800 per month. Luckily that season of our life only lasted a year. During that time we received the VPK funding for about half of the tuition.
Earning extra money is the fun part for me. I first started off selling any items we no longer needed on eBay and Craigslist then I took that money and bought more items at cheap prices at a local thrift store then sold those items either on eBay Craigslist or at a local consignment shop that pays cash on the spot. Some of the local consignment shops will give a higher percentage if you take store credit which I have done to then purchase items we need or to buy brand new items that Ican then sell on eBay ect…
It sounds like a lot of work however for us I am Already at the thrift so why not pick up a few pairs of high end jeans for $1 each. My kids really get into it as well.
I have also in the past made things like tutus, headband hair bows And sold them on Craigslist. Every little bit helps
I also have a philosophy that in order to receive greatness we have to give greatness. So even though we live on a very tight budget we give to others what we can get through couponing. Extra health and beauty items we don’t use that we can get for free or under a $1 we donate. The same goes for food and free samples.
A few months back a local Hallmark was doing a Baby Food Drive and we just so happened to have a huge stash of left overs. So we donated them in exchange for raffle ticket for Vera Bradley Prizes. Well a few weeks later I got a call that we won the Grand Prize a Vera tote a $68 value. It was a great way to show the kids my philosophy works.
Kim says
I’m a single mom of 2 (2-year-old boy & 6-year-old girl). After my husband left us, it was hard! I’m still going through the divorce with family halfway across the country. God has met all our needs and am very thankful to be part of a church family & the Christian community in this town! I currently do not receive child support so I have recently had to get on Section 8 and food stamps (just got it 3 months ago). Sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and take the help (I didn’t get the help until after a year and a half).
To increase my income, I’ve had the opportunity to work extra hours at work. Maybe there’s something at work you can do that your boss hasn’t thought of. Just ask! Also, if you live near a major university, they have football games and might need people on the weekends to take tickets or work concession stands if you’re able (this may work for those who send their kids with their dad every other weekend). Sometimes there are odd jobs on Craigslist. I try to earn points on Swagbucks and have gotten gift cards to buy some necessities at Walmart. I also love to thrift store shop during my lunch hour and resell items on Facebook swapshops, Ebay, and children’s consignment events. Whenever I use my debit card, I also get points and when I reach a certain number of points, I can use it to redeem a gift card (gas, store, restaurant, etc.).
I think meeting other people is key to having many childcare options and a support system as a single mom. I joined a divorce small group at my church and got to meet other amazing single moms. We had so much in common, and we were willing to help each other out! You can trade days to watch each other’s children once in awhile. I have a couple from my church who watch my son full-time while I’m at work, and they only charge me by the day. They know my situation and are like my second parents. I also did what the previous poster did during the summers at the YMCA for my daughter, and it helped me tremendously to get the financial aid scholarship! I haven’t done this, but I know that you can get help with childcare through the Division of Family Services. You have to find a licensed childcare facility if you meet the income guidelines and a single mom might just have to pay a sliding scale. That could help a single mom tremendously if they are still going to school or working!
I try getting ideas on saving through blogs, Pinterest, other moms, etc. Thanks so much!
Randi says
I guess I should have read a bit more carefully…childcare options…I thought that read as childcare activities…oops! So sorry!
Randi says
I’m not a single mom, but my husband is a Sheriff Deputy and works 12 hour shifts, and his schedule works out where he works every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I work a FT job as well so once I get home on Friday’s at 5 pm, our nanny is off duty and I have my son all weekend. As most parents know, this can be wonderful , challenging, draining, and joyous all at the same time. In order to give my son plenty of play time and outdoor time (and me some breathing room) here are the free or inexpensive activities we do when Daddy is working:
County park ($1 for me and no charge for my son since he’s under 3), In Door Mall play place (free AC and I usually splurge on a smoothie for my son and I to share), Chick-fil-A play place (usually get some nuggets and an ice tea), play dates at our homes, or play dates at subdivision’s park and/or pool, mommy and son picnics on the living floor with a movie, dog park (this is at our county park so it costs $1 and my 2 big dogs AND son run around!), Splash pad (again in county park for $1), sprinkler in the front yard, water balloons, arts and crafts, play doh, puzzles, and story time.
I hope these ideas help you out a bit on #2 for your book Crystal!
Carrie says
I’m a single mom of 5 boys (17, 14, 13, 9, and 5). I work full-time outside of the home and do receive child support. I don’t get any public assistance. I have always had jobs on the side. I have done proofreading jobs, babysitting, housesitting since I’ve been single. In the past when I was married, I cleaned houses, sold Avon, and did all of the above mentioned jobs. I have also sold things through garage sales (my own and with other people), sold a lot of my gold jewelry, sold books online, and even sold gift cards that people gave me as gifts. I also return gifts that I don’t need for store credit.
When I first became single, it was very difficult. I would write up my grocery list and estimate prices before I left the house. If it didn’t fit in my budget, I had to take it off. I also planned my meals, snacks and lunches for the whole family at that time. There wasn’t extra money to wing it at the store.
The biggest piece of advice I can give other single moms is to let people know you are looking for extra money. I have gotten all of my extra jobs through word of mouth.
It also helps to let people know if you are looking for things, for example…boys clothes size 6. I take anything that is offered, thank the person profusely, and pass on what I can’t use. If you say no, you may not be asked again. When I am at parties and there are leftovers, I always take any offered leftovers that we can eat. I guess having 5 boys, people think that I could use the food!
P.S. Thank you for including us single moms in your new book. : )
Tracy says
I am a single mom to a wonderful 9 year old boy. I work in an office, when my son needed some expensive dental work I mentioned to my boss. I was then told that the cleaning person for our office had decided to quit. She only came one day a week after hours. I spoke to my boss about what if I was the one to come in and clean. He told me that would be great as he wanted someone he could trust. I was given an increase in pay for this and it more than covered the monthly plan I had set up with my sons dentist.
As for daycare I only need it for the summer. Our local YMCA has a summer camp program. It is a bit pricey however they offer financial aid and it cuts the bill in half for me. This makes it about $2 an hour for daycare. Which is way cheaper than any babysitter in my area.
Sharon@DiscoverExploreLearn says
I’m a single mom of 4 boys (ages 3, 6, 10, and 14). I am also a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom. I write freelance articles, have a blog where I share activities and resources for parents and teachers, and I take side jobs whenever I can.
Last summer, I helped several relatives sell items they no longer needed on Craigslist. They allowed me to keep 40% of the selling cost of items, in exchange for me photographing, posting, and managing their ads. I made quite a nice chunk of change doing this, and my boys were able to help.
I also clean houses or babysit for neighbors on occasion for extra money. Again, my boys are able to help me with this, so it becomes a family endeavour.
We are not rich by any means, but with my online work, occasional side jobs, and a small amount that we receive in child support, I’m able to continue being at home with my kids.
We live very simply (I’m a minimalist at heart!), and by utilizing websites such as Money Saving Mom, I’m able to keep household costs (groceries, etc.) to a minimum.
Sara K. says
I am a single mom to a beautiful 8 year old girl. I am lucky to have a good job that pays me enough to take care of my girl and our needs. Once I’m out of debt (student loans and one other loan) I will have a little breathing room too. I have not dabbled at all in business or extra income so I don’t have much to share on that topic.
For childcare, I would suggest other single parents (or any parents on a budget) to check the local churches for after school programs. Some can be pricey – my church charges $75 a week (last I heard) for after school-only care. I found another local church though that only charges $48 a week. They really have their focus on providing a ministry to their community. Plus the teachers are great and it’s close to my job!
Don’t be afraid to shop around for childcare. Get recommendations from people in your area. Hopefully you will find a program that provides exceptional car at a reasonable price!