When I was facing single motherhood I did not know that one day I would be self-sufficient and financially independent.

I didn’t have too many high hopes but I kept moving forward even through severe depression, financial hardships, and bad relationships.

But I had a dream of being in a place where I would never have to depend on the government or child support. I believed my dreams would become a reality despite how things looked at the present time.

Starting With a Good Foundation

I’m a big reader. Someone told me many years before that if I learned to love reading I could do anything I wanted to do in my life. I would never be ignorant and subject to the power of others. I could control my destiny.

I also learned the importance of broadening my horizons because if I did I would never be stuck in one place mentally or physically. I lived in a one stop light town for most of my life and I knew I did not want to stay there forever. I saw what staying did to people so I wanted out.

I was born and raised in the church so I had knowledge of God and learned bible scriptures and how to pray. I read the bible and other religious books so my foundation was set.

Detoured by Bad Decisions

My decisions in life weren’t always good, that is how I became a single mother, but my foundation and all I learned made me return to God time and time again. He was faithful and kept me and showed me how to live successfully even though I was single parent and despite what others thought of my and what they felt I deserved.

When I got pregnant with my first child I moved in with my parents. They were a blessing to me and were a great source of support. I also got on the WIC program and Medicaid. When my daughter was three months old I moved into my own place under the Section 8 program.

Working and Training for Success

I was working for the Probate Judges office making a little above minimum wage; $7.65 an hour to be exact. I received food stamps at the time as well. With this combination of work and assistance I was able to live well enough and be comfortable.

I had a car that I purchased with my tax refund so I didn’t have a car note. My dad is an auto mechanic so he helped me find a suitable car. I drove that car for five years.

I eventually got another job at a large insurance company in the IT department. I was making just over $10 an hour and was getting benefits.

I learned as much as I could on the job through the training programs they offered and the online courses they had. I sought out every opportunity to learn about computers, which eventually paid off years down the road.

Yet Another Detour but Recovering

During that time I got pregnant with my second child. I was devastated and scared to death. I made a bad choice in the man I was with, which eventually became evident when I told him I was pregnant.

At the same time he was fired for sexually harassing another woman. He had emotional problems and became a stalker. My dad helped me out regarding him. At five months pregnant he disappeared and I haven’t heard from him since.

After my son was born I began thinking about relocating. I knew I could not raise two children on my salary. I needed more for myself and for them.

I wanted to go back to college and get my bachelor’s degree. I felt I could get a much better job to support us with more education.

I decided to move to the city my sister lived in. I researched jobs and through a friend I found one along with a great apartment.

In part 2 I’ll share more about my journey toward self-sufficiency and financial independence.

Samantha Gregory

Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.

Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.

She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.