single moms in school *Please answer, I'm nervous*

How do you make it financially?

Do you work? Do you live off of child support? Do you get by with the help of your family members? How do you get by?

I am not judging, I am preparing.

How do you work enough to support your child AND pay the extra daycare costs you would need to actually be working? I'm not a SAHM with a degree to fall back on, I am still aquiring my degree. Any job I get would probably be a little over minimum wage.



What else do you wish you knew going into being a single mom?

Can you get any grants or financial aid? How about school loans? How many classes can you take online so you don't need to do daycare? Are you going to work at least part time? Or go to school part time? Family, can they help with daycare?

I live off an annuity, child support, and the help of family members.
I live at home. (as in, with my mom)
Plus, the local unemployment office in my town is actually "paying" for me to go to college. I get cash rewards for good grades, plus reimbursement for gas.
It's some program I'm on... I forgot the name of it, though.

Not to buy a damn condo! I'm stuck with this thing and don't know how to get rid of it.
Don't have any more kids when you are a single mom. Lol.
I get a little in child support and I do babysitting.
Family does not help me financially.
I had a ton in savings and that's gone.
Buy food on a credit card...
Hah.

I don't have daycare yet.. but I'm working on it.. the state does it based on income here.
I work 5 to 6 days a week at a server job.
I make decent money
I was put on foodstamps which I hate but it helps tremendously...

I pay out of pocket for school though   they won't grant me financial aid  

Im on welfare an only get it because I am in school, we have enough to just cover bills and if I didnt live with my mum and pay little rent we wouldnt make it. My childcare is also taken care of because of being in school.

Ive tried to also get a part time job but since i go to school all week and don't have anyone to watch my DS at night Ive had no luck with that. (however i dont drive and my town is small enough that we don't have a bus out of town)

I have pretty much been single my DS's whole life but the major thing i wish i would have known is how stressful it is when DS gets sick but I can't miss class.

I am at home with my mom, and he lvies with us. He'll be leaving. I've already looked for rooms for him to rent, although we haven't broken up yet.

My family will help with daycare if they are available but their schedules are hectic. They would also help financially, but I want to limit that, of course.

I'm only taking 2 classes this semester until I transfer to my full time, 5 days a week program so I can work this semester, but next semester they encourage you not to work because it's already a full time job. I would have no time for J and no money for extra daycare.

I'm thinking of taking out extra student loans on top of the $30,000 a year I'll need already...thatmakes me nervous too.

Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:" I am at home with my mom, and he lvies with us. He'll be leaving. I've already looked for rooms for him ... [snip!] ... I'm thinking of taking out extra student loans on top of the $30,000 a year I'll need already...thatmakes me nervous too."

What are you going to school for?

Quoting Shari Hogan:" What are you going to school for?"

I'm getting a dual BS in rad sci for radiation therapy and radiography.

Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:" I'm getting a dual BS in rad sci for radiation therapy and radiography."

That sounds like a great degree!
If worse comes to worse, take out the loans, try to use the money frugally and maybe you will have some left for when you are done with school to go back to the loans?

Quoting Shari Hogan:" That sounds like a great degree! If worse comes to worse, take out the loans, try to use the money ... [snip!] ... try to use the money frugally and maybe you will have some left for when you are done with school to go back to the loans?"

I'm hoping so! Taking out a $40,000 or so loan just seems like soo much money.

Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:" I'm hoping so! Taking out a $40,000 or so loan just seems like soo much money."

But, if you span it out over the course of your career, it's not so bad broken down.
I would hate to be the people that leave college with over $100,000 in debt. $40,000 should be managable

Quoting Shari Hogan:" But, if you span it out over the course of your career, it's not so bad broken down. I would hate to be the people that leave college with over $100,000 in debt. $40,000 should be managable"

Well, it's $40,000 TWICE. $40,000 each year, so 80,000total. I just duno how to tell SO....

Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:" Well, it's $40,000 TWICE. $40,000 each year, so 80,000total. I just duno how to tell SO...."

Has he gone for school for anything? Would he be able to do the care?

Quoting Shari Hogan:" Has he gone for school for anything? Would he be able to do the care?"

No, he has no schooling. He's a manager at a restaurant, but still doesn't make enough to get a decent place where we live and still pay bills. Because he works in food, his hours aren't 9-5 and change weekly. He would be an unreliable source of care even though he's a good dad.