Raising children by yourself can be a daunting task.
Your income may not be enough to make ends meet, plus you may have to worry about paying for childcare for younger children.
Daycare expenses alone can make working outside the home not feasible.
Below are some tips for getting financial help for single parents.
If you need childcare, look to your local United Way who can hopefully get you pointed in the direction of a community agency that can assist.
Some offer vouchers for reduced expenses if you qualify, or they may at least have a list of qualified in-home providers that may be cheaper than other alternatives.
Another option is for you to actually get a job at a daycare as many offer free tuition to children of employees.
Maybe you have relatives or friends that don't want the responsibility of caring for kids while you work a full-time job.
You might be able to use several of these people, and just assign a different person to each day so that one person doesn't have to bear the entire load.
You could also consider working a night-shift job and having your kids sleep at a relative's house so that there is not as nearly as much 'hands-on' care required because they will be asleep.
If food is an issue, see if you qualify for WIC or food stamps.
Also, contact local food pantries to see what assistance is offered and if they can point you in the direction of other resources for food.
Salvage stores can offer some real bargains if you are careful to avoid items that may be spoiled such as bulging cans.
Also, some grocery store chains offer much lower prices than some of the better-known stores, so knowing prices for items you frequently buy is a must so you can grab a bargain when you see it.
Sign your kids up for free lunches at school if you qualify, too.
If you can round up enough families to participate, try assigning one night per week to each family for cooking duty.
The assigned household will cook a meal that will serve every family in the group.
Often, cooking in large batches works out to be cheaper than doing several separate meals, with the added bonus of not having to cook every night! Can't make ends meet? See if you qualify for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
If you are not receiving child support and are eligible for it, check with your local legal assistance office for how to pursue getting it.
Many parents are hesitant to go after the other parent for money; however, remember that this is for you children's benefit and that the other person has a legal obligation to help.
Contact your local United Way for referrals to agencies that may be able to assist you such as one that could help you further your education to get a better job, housing assistance, and more.
Consider work-at-home opportunities; however, you need to be very careful to avoid the numerous scams that exist.
Financial help for single parents is available, but you will have to do some legwork to locate resources.
Even a little extra money or assistance would be a huge help to many families.