Money managment for a single mother?

Question

i was hoping for answers from single parents and people/parents who budget well. ok so im really bad with my money and i need to start saving more for the baby on the way and for my daughter and for myself, the problem is i make 1800 a month and my bills come to about 1727, and thats without buying food, clothes(wich i desparatly need) and i also need to fix a couple things on my car and pay off a couple things, and my daughters birthday is in sept. i just need some advise on how to save, afford food and buy things like clothing. please dont say anything mean its hard enough to be this low without some a**hole comment to make u feel worse. and also i dont qualify for foodstamps so thats not an option, and i do get WIC. thank you for the help

Answer 1

I understand.  I make "too much" money for wic, welfare, public housing, etc.  I take home about $1200 a month.  I am barely scraping by now, and I'm 30 weeks pregnant and single.  Meanwhile I pay $300 in rent, $220 car payment, $125 insurance, $70 phone, 250$ student loans, and 100$ in utilities.

I don't know how I'm going to afford a baby.  At least you get WIC.....I don't even get that.  After all, I "make too much".

Answer 2

If you are unable to get a second job or a better full time job maybe try selling on Ebay or Craig's List?

Have you contacted the family services or food banks in your area to see if you qualify?

Try to cut out the extra bills if you have them like cable/internet. Apply for assistance programs with your bills like electricity and water.

Use www.craigslist.com  look under "free" you can find free clothes and baby stuff and try www.freecycle.org

I'm sure you already do this already but coupon, coupon, coupon...

www.smartsource.com

www.coolsavings.com

www.boodle.com

You can print coupons from those sites.

Here are some $$$ saving tips to help you with your new baby:

It's not much but you can get $1 rebates from this site for purchasing Huggies diapers:

http://www.caregiversmarketplace.com/Fra...

I am a freebie addict :) and have been sending for stuff from these sites for my friend's baby.

Some stores like Walgreens, Rite Aid, Target will take their store coupon and a manuf. coupon.

Know that sometimes you can buy groceries at the above store.

Get to know your grocery store coupon policies...do they double coupons? Buy groceries on sale with your coupons.

Sometimes you can go to the company of a product you want to purchase and see if there are printable coupons on that site.

Other sites you might want to view are:

slickdealz.net

www.fishingfordeals.com

http://www.grocerysavingtips.com

www.afullcup.com (usually you'll find Target coupons on here)

For instance this month Walgreens has a GREAT SALE. If you aren't brand loyal and might need diapers. They are also having a good deal on diapers: Walgreens brand Jumbo packages of diapers (both the white and red packages) will be on sale for $5.99 each.

In the July Easysaver booklet (which is a coupon & rebate booklet available at Walgreens stores) there will be a coupon in there for $5 off 2 packages of Walgreens diapers. This coupon will automatically adjust itself and give you 2.50 each package you buy

During the entire month from June 27th until July 28th Walgreens has another deal where you buy any 3 listed products (this deal is advertised in the Easysaver coupon & rebate booklet) you will get a $5 Register Reward Coupon for anything on your next purchase. Walgreens Jumbo diapers are one of the qualifying products

http://walmart.triaddigital.com/In-Store... 2 Free Huggies Diapers

http://luvs.com/en_US/app.cnt/pageid/wel...

Sign up for Luvs mailing list and get a $5 cpn

it does come.

For those that got in on the original Planet Heroes DVD named Ace in Space, here's another, Here Comes the Sun. This one is not as long as the first. There looks to be one after that too, The Ace that Jumped over the Moon. I was surprised that the quality of the "movie" was that good for a free marketing tool.

https://store.mattel.com/transiti...tion...

Free sample of UnderJams by Pampers, click here. Click on boys or girls, then look for the link in the upper right corner: "Mom, Try a FREE sample

Get on the TRU/BRU mailing list! Simply call 1-800-869-7787 and press option 2 for any one of the "R" Us stores. Once you have selected any one of the "R" Us Stores press option 3 for the automated system. The automated system will be able to walk you through the process

Get on their mailing lists for coupons:

Gerber http://www.gerber.com/special

Beechnut http://www.beechnut.com/Special%20Offers...

Earth's Best Baby Food http://www.earthsbest.com/promos/index.p...

Del Monte Nature's Goodness http://www.naturesgoodness.com/mailingli...

Huggies http://www.happyhealthypregnancy.com/off...

Pampers http://us.pampers.com/en_US/promotions.d...

Goodnites Special offers change: http://www.goodnites.com/sample/

Luvs http://www.luvs.com/en_US/app.cnt/pageid...

Johnson & Johnson www.baby.com

Printable coupons and other things on the Offers page.

Huggies Cleanteam http://www.huggieshappybaby.com

Membership card, activity book, etc.

Enfamil Enfamil.com

Join Enfamil Family Beginnings. They send you up to $60 in formula checks, a diaper bag with free samples and a feeding kit, and JC Penney coupons for photos.

Similac https://welcomeaddition.com/joinnow.aspx

You will receive a sample shipment with two small cans of formula powder, one milk-based and the other soy-based. After that, the checks are generous. You will get many $5 checks. You can use these to get free or close to free ready-to-use 32 oz bottles.

You may contact by calling 1-800-227-5767 to join or check on your Welcome Addition Club status.

Similac also hands out free diaper bags with samples at the hospital. One of the mailers will have the certificate in it for you to redeem.

Bright Beginnings http://www.brightbeginnings.com/members/... (newsletter temporarily unavailable)

All they will send you is a $7.50 coupon good on one of their products. However, they are the only formula company that regularly has coupons for their products, usually $3/1 or $4/1.

Nestle Good Start http://www.verybestbaby.com/user/reg...n...

No initial sample shipment from them, but they will send you checks for $11 and $1 initially and then again for each of the first few months thereafter. Since their 12 oz. can sells for $10.99, this is a good check for getting that can for free.

Parent's Choice Organic http://www.parentschoiceformula.com Free sample, click on link at the top center of page

Member's Mark Soy (Sam's Club) http://www.membersmarkformula.com/fr...u... Free sample, mailing list for coupons and promotions

For Parent's Choice (Walmart) and Bright Beginnings formula coupons:

Call this telephone number - 1-800-410-9629 and ask for formula coupons.

They will sign you up and send you all sorts of great coupons. The wonderful thing about this is that you can call every 30 days and they will replenish your coupons.

Johnson & Johnson (Formerly Pfizer) 1-866-565-2229

New mom's kit: one per household.

Gerber Clothing http://www.gerberchildrenswear.com

Regular emails with printable coupons.

American Baby

Free magazine subscription (no strings):

https://secure.americanbaby.com/bhg/stor...

Free Circus Tickets: Good for single babies and multiple births

Free ticket to use any time during child's lifetime. Complete the online form for a free circus ticket; when the voucher is delivered (via mail), redeem it at any arena box office when the circus is in town. The FAQ explains the exemption to the one-per-household rule for families with multiples. http://www.ringling.com/offers/babyfaq.a...

http://www.babiesonline.com/members/crea... Free online birth announcements

www.babyzone.com Has a section for free baby stuff!

www.babycenter.com Free newsletter, offers, etc.

www.babiesrus.com Register for their mailing list to get coupons and notification of special promotions.

Maybe check out these mommy blog:

http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2007/...

Answer 3

u can cut out cable and internet and cell phone, and verizon offers a low income phone plan and i think pg & e does too. call all your houesold bills phone, electric, gas and water(not the extras like cable and cell phone) and just ask if they have a low income plan many of them do. if u have credit cards u can call and ask them to lower your a.p.r. they do it when u ask sometimes. since we dont know what extras you have its hard to help, if u buy coffee from starbucks everyday u could stop that, move to a smaller/cheaper place. contact social services and see if you qaulify for any other program other than food stamps or  when u have the baby u might qaulify because having a 3 person household making 1800 amonth might consider you low income  good luck