I was looking for information about how single moms can manage on a low income budget. It’s easy to find information for two parent households but rarely for one parent households.
I found something that might be helpful for single moms (with one child) who make less than $25k a year. The following image shows the percentage that could be spent for three income amounts. They are broken up over about 10-15 categories.
If you make more or less you could still take the percentages and apply it to your situation. Amounts shown could increase because of Earned Income Credit, government assistance, child support, or food stamps.
From Crown Financial Ministries
How to Budget on a Low Income
If you are struggling on a low income or think you can’t possibly live on a low income budget, take a look at this video series. I describe exactly how I was able to survive on $12,000 a year when my kids were young. It is totally possible but I encourage you to make a decision and plan to increase your income. It is totally possible to make as much money as you want to make. Living on a low income is a temporary situation if you want it to be.
Budget Worksheet for Single Moms
Be sure to grab my Budget Sanity Worksheet so you can create your own budget. It’s not your typical worksheet that you print out and fill in the blanks. With the Budget Sanity Worksheet you simply enter your paycheck amount in the first field and then your budget is created for you! Here is a video that shows you have it’s done:
Stretch Your Budget with More Income
I believe it is easier to add to your budget than subtract from it. You can only cut things out so much. Depriving yourself only leads to feeling defeated which can lead to depression. Being a single mom on a low income is hard enough without the added pressure of cutting out things you probably need. Choosing between food and diapers or shoes for your kid is a decision no one should have to make.
The best thing to do is add to your income. It might feel challenging at first but with determination and creativity you can add an extra $100 or more to your monthly budget. To add to your income start off babysitting, baking and selling cookies, creating wonderful smelling lotions or soaps, or being a virtual assistant. Sell to family, friends, and co-workers at first then learn marketing so you can attract new customers. Don’t forget about using Facebook Marketplace and other online sources to make sells too.
Making extra money will help relieve any pressure you are feeling. It will also make you feel happier and more in control of your life. Now that you know how to budget on a lower income you will have no problems budgeting your higher income.
If you want to learn how to attract larger amounts of money in shorter periods of time you should check out my book The Magic Money Manifestation Formula. I used money manifestation techniques to attract $10,000 in less than a week. I believe you can to if you follow my steps.
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.
“All the thoughts and dreams of people throughout history, and all you need’s this little card to borrow ’em for free!”
Other children of the ’90s might recognize this lyric from the classic tune “Library Card,” rapped by the cast of the cartoon show Arthur. It’s a silly song, but it’s a solid reminder that libraries can be amazing sources of entertainment and education. And unlike a credit or debit card, swiping a library card doesn’t cost a thing.
But exactly how much can you save by choosing your library card over a credit or debit card?
I recently overhauled my budget, and in the process, I decided to put my local library to the test. The exercise saved me nearly $700 per year in dodged subscription costs—money I now use to make $57 of extra student loan payments per month. Here’s how it worked.
Cutting Back on Entertainment Subscriptions
I’m decent at setting and following a budget. But there I was, facing another month where my family netted $0.
Specifically, I was bugged by how many frivolous entertainment subscriptions we had. I subscribed to a video streaming service here; my husband signed up for a premium account there. Although each account seemed affordable or even cheap, they added up.
Upon review, I realized that in the past year or two, we’ve paid for a number of entertainment subscriptions:
$12 per month for Hulu Plus
$9 per month for Netflix
$15 per month for Audible
$11 per month for online newspapers and magazines
$10 per month for Spotify Premium
We’d mindlessly signed on for $57 per month in subscription fees that added up to $684 per year.
Don’t get me wrong, I think entertainment subscriptions can be a savings-savvy alternative to pricier options like paying for cable or seeing movies in theaters. The problem wasn’t the subscriptions themselves—it was the mindless spending they reflected.
Finding Free Entertainment at My Local Library
I thought I could find better uses for that cash if I canceled those services. But I didn’t love the idea of quitting cold turkey.
My Audible subscription caught my eye first. It cost me $15 per month. But I already used the OverDrive app, available through my local library, to request, check out, and listen to audiobooks for free. So I killed my Audible subscription and gained an extra $15 per month right there.
I wondered if I could replicate those results for other subscriptions. I dove into my library’s digital catalog and quickly found out.
Magazines
My library partners with RBdigital (formerly Zinio) to offer a range of digital magazines. I used the service to replace a subscription to ESPN The Magazine ($2.50 per month) and found lots of other reading material worth browsing.
Newspapers
The New York Times digital pass that’s part of my library membership grants me access to New York Times apps and unlimited articles at NYTimes.com. That meant I could cut $8 per month from my budget and still support an outlet I love.
PressReader is another decent replacement for subscriptions to periodicals, and I can access it for free through my library.
TV and movies
I took the plunge and ended up canceling my $9-per-month Netflix membership of more than eight years. Now, my family accesses documentaries and movies through Kanopy and OverDrive, thanks to our library accounts.
For my 4-year-old daughter, Nickelodeon shows on Hoopla are all the rage, so I was able to cancel my subscription for Hulu Plus and save $12 per month.
Music
My library card granted me access to music streaming and downloads through Hoopla and Freegal. Bye-bye, $8 Spotify Premium fee.
In all, I found $57 worth of monthly fees to cut from our budget. My family easily saves $684 per year while enjoying much of the same entertainment and content we’ve always loved.
5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Library Card
Like most budgeting decisions, trading in your subscriptions doesn’t come without sacrifice. I’ve learned a few tricks along the way to make the most of my library card.
Don’t Forget Analog Entertainment
My main goal in cutting costs was replacing my entertainment subscriptions. However, I can’t always find a decent digital replacement. In many cases, I request a physical copy of the book, movie, TV show, or music album and pick it up during my next library visit.
Get Comfortable with a Little Delay and Inconvenience
A huge benefit of paid subscriptions is instant, convenient access to any content you want on a particular platform.
With library services, there might be a limit on how much content you can check out or access at a time. You might get put on a waiting list for a book or movie as well. It can be an annoying adjustment, but remember that you’re saving money.
Find Other Cost-Saving Materials and Services
Some library districts offer free tutoring services as well as resources to help students study for the SAT or graduate placement exams.
I also found out that my library card gives me access to Lynda.com’s online educational training. This allowed us to replace a $29-per-month membership my husband had been using to brush up on his web development skills and brought our annual savings up to $713.
Take a look at some of the streaming services available with your library card. You might have access to free workout videos, which could replace a gym membership.
Watch Out for Late Fees
Of course, it’s important to watch out for library card fees. One of the reasons I prefer digital library content is that it’s automatically returned when the time is up, so I never get a late fee.
But I’ve racked up some significant late fees and replacement fines for physical items I didn’t return to the library in a timely manner. If you’re not careful, your library fine could wind up in collections and damage your credit.
If you do check out physical copies, get in the habit of keeping track of them and making regular trips to return them on time.
Know When to Keep a Subscription
Some library districts are well-funded and have great selections. Others, not so much. If your library’s pickings are slim, you might decide you’d rather keep your paid subscriptions. Even a big library district with awesome options won’t be able to offer you everything you could hope for.
Although my library offers a robust selection of services, I decided to keep a few subscriptions. My Amazon Prime membership offers tremendous value for its $99-per-year price, including access to free shipping and streaming services for music, movies, and TV shows. My husband loves podcasts and decided he wanted to keep his $5-per-month Stitcher subscription to support the platform.
Take the challenge to turn to your library card before your credit card, and you might be surprised by the savings. And remember: When you cut out monthly subscriptions, you’re saving money not just once, but also every month thereafter.
You can take your new cash flow even further by using it to pay down credit card debt—a smart option, considering the average credit cardholder owes over $4,000. Or you could look for other ways to build lasting wealth, such as saving for retirement or building a side hustle. Find more ideas on how to save money without depriving yourself at Credit.com.
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.
Can you believe it’s already back to school season? Once we pass Independence Day the back to school shopping advertisements begins. We get into back to school prep mode in anticipation of a new school year. Ironically, in this day and age of bullying, suicide, and random shooters in school hallways, there is much more to prepare your children for than just having the right clothes and supplies.
Since this is a personal finance blog I will share my back to school budget tips, but I also want to share my radical parenting tips for bullying prevention and bulletproofing your kids. Hopefully, this will prepare you and your child for a financially, emotionally, and physically safe, healthy and happy school year. Grab your coffee or tea (my favorite) and settle in for an eye-opening, yet empowering read.
7 Back to School Budget Shopping Tips
According to the National Retail Foundation (NRF), “families with children in elementary school through high school plan to spend an average $696.70. That’s up from $684.79 last year.” That is a lot of money on a single income. Fortunately for you, I have seven things that you can do to budget-proof, save money, and cut your spending in half on back to school clothes and supplies.
Tip 1 – Create A Spending Plan or Budget
When you know what you want to spend for each child you have more control of your money and can make better buying decisions. If you have one child you will probably spend less but if you have more than one, then you definitely need to have a spending plan in place. This plan will hopefully include the clothes that they will be wearing, school supplies, lunches, and any activities they’ll be involved in.
Tip 2 – Buy in Bulk With Others
Buying in bulk with others will save money because you’re buying large quantities from a warehouse club at a lower price. You divide the order with everyone who contributed to the purchase. This is great for buying items that you probably never thought of purchasing, and also great for developing a cooperative relationship with other parents that can go on through the rest of the school year.
Tip 3 – Shop Top Sales
There are going to be plenty of sales but you want to be strategic about the sales you follow. Make sure that you’re only getting things that your child really needs for the school year. It’s easy to get sucked into buying unnecessary items on a whim because the price is just too good to pass up. Buy supplies for the entire school year on sale and use coupons for additional discounts.
Tip 4 – Create A Uniform or Capsule Wardrobe To Save Money
This might sound new and different but it can be a money and time saver, especially if your child is not going to a private school or school that requires uniforms. Clothing can be very expensive and even though our kids want to be the most fashionable and wear the latest styles, creating a uniform, or capsule wardrobe will definitely save you money. Create your own uniform with jeans or khaki pants and different color shirts for each day of the week. Use accessories for girls to mix things up or create a unique look.
Creating a capsule wardrobe or uniform that you can mix and match keeps you from spending crazy amounts of money on clothing for the school year. The added benefit is your kids, always know that they never have to wonder about what they will wear to school each day. It’s also important to know what your child wears daily should the unthinkable happen.
Tip 5 – Shop Consignment and Thrift Stores for Gently Used Designer Clothes If your child wants and craves designer clothes because they are fashionistas, you’ll want to help them find quality clothes, without the sticker shock. Head to a consignment shop like Plato’s Closet and look for designer clothing in their size and fits their taste. You can also find gently used clothes at thrift stores. Often there are tags still on the clothes. If you go on specific days you might even get up to 75% off the already discounted price!
Tip 6 – Say No to Excessive Requests
Fundraisers – During the school year, especially the beginning of the school year, there are fundraisers for everything. The PTA is always putting on fundraisers, the school has their fundraisers, the band or sports clubs have fundraisers as well. Every time you look up someone is asking for more money. Decide at the beginning of the school year how much you plan to contribute to a fundraiser. Making this decision early will save your budget and sanity.
Teacher Requests – Another type of excessive requests are classroom supplies. Teachers, with the help of the school, should be providing the cleaning supplies, tissues, hand sanitizer, etc. for the classroom. But somehow the parents have been made responsible for buying these items for the entire class. If this request will bust your budget, you can say no and tell them that you are not willing or not able to provide extra supplies for the entire classroom. It is too much for you and your budget. It’s okay to say no.
Tip 7- Choose 1-2 Extra Curricular Activities For The Year
Your child does not have to be in every club or every activity that’s available during the school year. You can decide at the beginning of the school year that your child will only be involved in one or two activities. Setting limits will cut down on the amount of money you have to spend on uniforms, equipment, instruments, and supplies outside of what you already spend for the regular school year.
So there you have your back to school budget tips and tools to make sure you both have a financially safe, healthy and happy school year.
7 Bully-Proofing Tips to Empower Your Child
Now let’s move on to bully-proofing and prevention. Bullying is a very important topic that has been spotlighted in the media and for good reason. I’ve had to deal with bullying as a parent and when I was a child. I equipped my kids as best as I knew how to deal with bullies at school. Statistically, 49% of children in grades 4–12 reported being bullied by other students at school at least once during the past month, according to StopBullying.gov. As a parent, you want to prevent bullying as much as possible for you and your child to feel emotionally safe, healthy and happy school year.
Here’s how to create a bullying proofing or prevention plan.
Tip 1 – Set Expectations With The School And Your Child At The Beginning Of The Year
You want to let the staff and faculty know that if there are any incidences of bullying, you will report it to the police and that you expect there be full repercussions to anyone, teacher or child, who attempts to harm or bully your child. Set expectations ahead of time so that everyone knows, including teachers, faculty, as well as the principal and staff that your child will not be a bullying target. In PTA meetings, make a declarative statement to all parents present that bullying is not going to be tolerated. Let everyone know you have a contingency plan for it, and that you expect that everyone will be in cooperation and speaking with their children about bullying and preventing it.
Tip 2 – Teach Your Child Verbal Self Defense
Bullying activity usually starts with words. If you teach your child verbal self-defense, you can equip and empower them to diffuse difficult situations.
Verbal self-defense is using one’s words to prevent, de-escalate, or end an attempted assault. (Wikipedia). If they’re being bullied or a hateful person is spreading rumors/ lies or is verbally abusive, teach your child how to stand up to the perpetrator. Teach them how to look the bully in the eye and let them know that you will not be bullied or listen to the abuse, and walk away.
There are other things that you can teach them about verbal self-defense. Practice saying something like, “Oh that’s all you got?” or “Is that right? Let’s settle this right now!” Once you teach your child to confidently give a rebuttal, then you and they will feel more confident moving forward in the school year. There is no guarantee they won’t be bullied, but it will help them see that they have an option to respond in a way that’s empowering for them.
Tip 3 – Teach Physical Self Defense
If you’re able to put your child into a self-defense class, then do that, whether it’s karate Taekwondo or boxing. You want to give your child a sense of empowerment to defend themselves in case someone decides to physically hurt your child.
Tip 4 – Agree on Limited Social Media During the School Year
Limiting social media during the school year is a very important tactic because this is where a lot of bullying starts online which turns into cyber-bullying. You want your child to understand that social media will be limited or off limits during the school year because they need to focus on their schoolwork. Involvement with peers is important, but not to the point of it hindering their studies. It also sets a precedent for letting their friends know what’s more important. You are proving that knowledge is power.
Tip 5 – Create a No Social Media Policy
Implementing a no social media policy is a way to ensure good mental health and focus. Explain to your child that the academic plan you’ve created for the school year will go off the rails if social media is distracting them. It cannot help them advance in their goals or help them stay on course for their projects, their homework, their applications to different organizations and or colleges. Social media is not a priority. It has to go on the back burner until all academic goals are met. In essence, eliminating social media can eliminate opportunities for bullying.
Tip 6 – Create an Open Door Policy/No Judgment Zone to Discuss Peer Issues
An open-door policy is very important because you don’t want your child to hide the fact that they are dealing with harsh situations, whether it’s bullying or cyberbullying. You want them to be able to come to you so you know what’s happening and how to help them deal with it. They may not want you to get involved, but you can be a coach for them to help them deal with the situation.
Tip 7 – Build Their Sense of Value and Self Worth
Building their self-esteem and helping them understand their value will build their confidence. They’ll be able to let peer pressure and bullying, as long as it’s not physical, slide off their back and not be emotionally affected by it. Building up their self-esteem is crucial because with high self-esteem they know another person’s opinion has nothing to do with their success or failure. It is simply a character issue with the person who is being the bully.
Note: In order to build self-confidence in your child, you have to have self-confidence and have a sense of value for yourself. Parents who are confident usually raise confident children, so you must build up your own confidence. You have to deal with bullying issues you faced when you were in school and not live vicariously through your child. You don’t want your child to be defenseless or hopeless, because you felt defenseless and hopeless. You need to build up your own self-esteem, your sense of self-worth and cultivate that in your child.
7 Radical Bulletproofing Tips to Empower Your Child
Finally, let’s discuss bullet-proofing your child. We live in a society where, unfortunately, school shootings are regularly occurring. In 2018, there were 82 school shootings, the highest on record, according to the Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS). These acts of local terrorism have become a part of our culture. Despite the fear and hopelessness around school shootings, It’s important to believe that you can bulletproof your child and to know that it doesn’t require you getting a gun. It also doesn’t require you to stand guard outside of the school every single day. Fortunately, there are things you can do that will keep your child safe and give you a sense of peace.
Tip 1 – Cultivate a Positive Mindset
Start with affirmations to cultivate a positive mindset. Why? Because your mindset and your attitude will determine how your child feels about going to school, and about how to deal with different incidences that happen at school. Having a positive mindset will set them up for a positive day, and positive life. Negative energy will draw more negative energy, which will keep your child in a state of fear. You don’t want them to be frightened of everything but want them to have a safe, healthy, happy existence at school. Cultivate a positive mental attitude.
Tip 2 – Pray for Your Child
Even though prayer has been taken out of school, there is nothing stopping you from praying for and with your child at home. You want to pray and bless your children before they leave, and when they return from school. We were created by the Creator, the source of all life, who is the ultimate protector. Give the Creator control and the opportunity to protect your child.
While you are praying for your child, pray for and bless the school and employees. Pray for the building and for everyone that comes in and out of the building. Pray for a wall of protection around the school, so that no perpetrators can enter the school with any ill intent. Your prayers have power. What is even more powerful is praying with other parents with children going to the same school. Your combined prayers are a powerful force against evil.
Tip 3 – Decide and Affirm That Your Child Has a Safe and Successful School Year
You can do this before school even starts. You can start saying this right now and begin making the affirmations over your child’s life, every single day. Do this in a thankful way, not in a begging way. There’s a difference. You are trusting that God, the universe, the Source of all life has your child’s best interest at heart and they have sent the angels of protection around them, to keep them safe. You have to pray this over your child because you are their parent and you are the one that has a vested interest in them living a safe, whole, successful life.
Tip 4 – Create an Emergency Plan
You are praying for and blessing your children, but we also want to take action and create an emergency plan. If anything does happen at the school, you’re able to contact your child, you’re able to contact the school, and you have a safe word or a safe place they will go. You also want to make sure that you are staying calm during any emergency situation so that you can make your child feel calm as well. Department of Homeland Security computer forensics expert, Kevin Tillman, suggests parental apps that monitor communications are a great tool to have in your arsenal. Some apps are free and others have a cost. He also says having parents on speed dial is critical.
Tip 5 – Teach Them to Pray For Themselves and Their Peers
School prayer has been banned but you can still teach your child to pray on their own in school. And it doesn’t have to be a group or school-mandated activity, but they can pray, while they’re in class. You can teach them how to pray prayers of protection to keep themselves safe. You can teach them positive affirmations and help them cultivate a positive mindset. They will be a source of light and positive energy to children around them.
Just think, if every parent who’s reading this article will teach their children how to pray, then prayer will be back into schools. It won’t be a mandatory thing that the school determines and dictates, but it is simply what each individual has a right to do. Think how much safer the school will be, because there are individuals inside the school praying every day. Every day and pretty much all day the school is protected by the prayers that started at home then filled the school because the kids start praying before tests, for their friends, and for themselves.
Tip 6 – Teach Them the Stay Low, Don’t Be a Hero Method
If anything happens at the school, your child needs to know that they should stay low and don’t be a hero. They should basically make themselves invisible, and run away if possible. When they have this in mind, they will likely be safer. Teach them to follow the stay low, don’t be a hero methodology, and you’ll likely see your child safely at home. “Parents should also be aware and familiar with any active shooter training the school provides”, says Tillman. This will help them know the school’s procedure if such an incident occurs.
Tip 7 – Adopt an Arrive Alive Visualization Practice
See you children coming home safe and happy every single day. When you are able to see yourself greeting their child at home and see them safe and happy, you are creating this reality. You’ve just adopted an arrive alive visualization. Know and trust that you and your children will always arrive home safe every single day. I’ve done this regularly through the years with my children and they’ve come home safely every day so far. Release any thoughts of tragedy or pain coming to your children. Speak goodness, peace, and health over their lives daily. Remain in a good mental place and keep a positive mental attitude every moment of the day to see positive things happen for your children.
Next Steps
We’ve discussed budget-proofing, we discussed bully-proofing, and we discuss bullet-proofing your child for the upcoming school year. All of these strategies are within your power as a parent to enforce and complete. I hope that as you go forward through this new school year that you will have both a safe, healthy, and happy school year for you and your children.
Back to School Safety Parental Resources
Spyzie – A mobile phone monitoring and tracking app. Monitor your kids’ phone activity to make sure you know they are safe online. Also, track where they are at all times which is especially important if there is an incident at school. Available for both Android and IOS.
Qustodio – A parental control software to monitor your child’s activity online and on the go. Block numbers, websites, and see who they are talking to on the phone and online. Available for Windows, Android, IOS, and Kindle.
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.
Being a mom is a full-time job. This is especially true when you’re a single momma! Between work, taking care of the kiddos and keeping the home from being a disaster zone, it can be pretty exhausting. That’s why it’s incredibly important to take a break from the regular routine and go on a vacation.
Yes, vacations can be expensive. But, if you plan them out in advance, you can save quite a bit of money. Here are some single mom travel ideas to help you have fun without burning a hole in your pocket or your bank account.
Use the buddy system
Between lodging and gas prices, going away for a week or even a weekend can really add up. One easy way to cut the costs while still managing to go out of town is by doing the trip with another single mom. This way, you can share the hotel and gas costs.
Another advantage of this plan is having another adult around to help wrangle the kids. Sure, you’ll have their kids there, too, but you’ll have the support of another mom to help lay down the law when the kids start to get unruly.
If you plan on leaving your kiddos with family, getting a group of friends together will help you cut the costs even more. Just think, if you can get three girlfriends to come with you, you’ll be able to split the hotel and gas costs four ways.
Travel during the off-season
If you’re thinking of going to a beach town or a ski town, you may want to consider going during the “off-season”. Hotels and other local attractions often mark-up their prices during the most popular months to increase their annual revenue. On the off months, these businesses are looking to increase their cash flow, so they offer the same amenities for a lower price.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to be stuck with poor weather to get better prices. You can visit these popular destinations during what is called “shoulder season”. This is just before or after (think weeks instead of months) the heavy tourist season. By delaying your trip by just a week, you could save big while still being able to enjoy the optimal weather for your destination.
Take advantage of rewards
Whether it’s a rewards credit card or a membership discount program, be sure to take advantage of the discounts and points that you have readily available. Rewards programs used to be tricky to use for vacations due to blackout dates. But nowadays, these companies are straying from the restrictions and making it much easier for you to cash in on your points.
Rewards programs also often allow their members to redeem points toward amusement parks and other attractions, so research what’s available to you when you’re determining where to take the kids on vacation.
If you have a particular hotel chain or airline that you like to use, you may want to see if they offer their own rewards or frequent user program. This especially pays off if you ever have to travel for work.
Another discount source is AAA. If you’re already a member, be sure to stop in and see what travel discounts they have available for you or your kids. If you’re not a member, you may want to still research the discounts. You may find that the discounts you can get for your vacation pays for the membership fee.
Look for single parents month promotions
Many resorts are now offering single parents promotions. These resorts often charge a per person price for their rooms. When there is just one adult in a room, they often will charge one of the kids at the adult price. But during single parents promotions, they charge just one adult fee and the kids are all charged at the kids rate. This can be big savings, especially if choose an extended stay.
Another bonus to single parents promotions is that you will be vacationing at the same time as other single parents. This helps build instant camaraderie with the other vacationers.
House swap
If you are willing to open your house to strangers, a house swap vacation may be a great option for you and your kids. In a house swap, you stay in someone’s house when they stay in yours. This is a nice solution when you have kids with you because you have access to a full kitchen. Also, if you find the right house, everyone can have their own bed and you can score your own bathroom.
While this option does mean opening your house to a stranger, it cuts out the lodging costs from your vacation. This enables you to allocate more funds toward fun activities and excursions for your kids. It may even make it possible for you to bring a babysitter with you on your vacation to help with the kids.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce
Virtually every town has a Chamber of Commerce office. These organizations are available to help you plan your trip. Contact them in advance for family friendly travel tips and recommendations. They may also be able to help you locate deals and discounts for the area.
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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.
If you watched Beyonce’s Homecoming documentary on Netflix, you know she spent 8-12 months working her body to the bone to get ready for her show at Coachella. I’m betting she got massages and other pampering services weekly, if not daily to soothe her aching muscles.
I’m also willing to bet she went on a spa retreat after the show to get some much needed “me” time to recover. She can do that since she is rolling in the cash, but what can a single mom with not much disposable income do when she needs to be pampered?
Getting a massage can easily cost $65 per hour per session. If you don’t have that kind of money to splurge it sucks when you just need your body cared for. But wait! There is good news! You can get pampered and treated like Beyonce’ but for far less. Stick with me and I’ll tell you all about it.
Years ago I learned about how to get luxury services for less for me and my family, mostly because of my mom. My mom went to cosmetology school when I was a teen and I learned about the discounted deeply discounted services including hair care, nail care, and facials.
The students were under the supervision of a licensed cosmetologist so their work was done carefully and meticulously. Granted it took a little longer but the results were good.
Much of the time we feel that because we have a limited amount of money we can’t (or won’t) pamper ourselves because. Despite the perceived limitations, there are ways to get luxury services at an affordable price.
There is more than one way to get what you need, whether it’s spa services whether is beautician services, whether it’s healthcare, car care, by simply visiting a training center.
You can go to a beauty school and receive deeply discounted hair care. This includes shampoo and set, blowouts, chemical treatments, or deep conditioning.
These services start at $5 or $6. Can you really can’t beat a $5 shampoo?. If you want to add a set, you can probably add five more dollars. If you want to get a color that might be $25.
Compare that to going to a regular beautician and paying $40 to $45 for a simple washing set or paying $100 to get your hair colored.
How do you find these services? You can search online for a list of beauty schools in your area. It’s that simple.
Manicures, pedicures, and gel nails are a pampering ritual many women practice weekly, monthly, or on special occasions. We love getting our nails done because it makes us feel pretty and pampered.
My favorite nail treatment is the SNS nails because it lasts for weeks and looks brand new every day. You can go to the same beauty school like the one you went to get your hair done to get your nails done.
A basic manicure can be as low as $5, a pedicure for $5 or a mani-pedi spa treatment for around $20. All the services are completed under the supervision of a licensed cosmetologist so you don’t have to worry about damage or poor service.
The next thing is facials which are one of my favorite beauty treatments. When I get a facial it is like I’m in heaven because I’m getting my skin cleansed and massaged, my neck massaged and my scalp massaged.
When I go through that process is so relaxing, especially with the warm towels and wonderful fragrances. You can get your facial through an esthetician school or cosmetology school.
You can get a facial for $20 or $25 which is really inexpensive compared to going to a private company. You can also get your eyebrows while you are there if it is a service the esthetician offers.
Another place to go for us to get a luxury experience for an affordable rate is a massage therapy school.
My best friend went to massage therapy school and she said that they had their clinic open and they would actually work on patients. Clients came in and paid $20-25 for a one hour massage.
Now you surely can do that right so what it takes really again is doing the research to find out if there’s a massage school in your area. Call them up, make an appointment, and actually go get the work done at a deep discount. This is luxury for less.
I’m a big fan of all these little ways to get what you need. I think once you start doing the research you will find there’s a lot out there for you and you don’t have to break the bank in order to get the services.
I don’t know if you realize it or not but if you need health services you can go to a community or technical college to get checkups, dental care, and etc.
Programs that offer physician assistant, dental assistant or dental hygiene, even phlebotomy schools often have a clinic for students to practice.
Call the school or visit online to see if they have a clinic, hours of service, and number to call to make an appointment.
Then the next thing I want you to kind of tap into is dental services. So if you happen to have a dental school near you, you can go to their clinic and get dental work done for a deep discount.
It may be a dental hygiene school, a community college or technical schools with a dental program. You can go to the associated dental clinic to get teeth cleaning, teeth whitening, or even x-rays all at a deep discount.
You can pay a very low price and get quality service because these students are more than likely going to be advanced students. They will give you quality service because their grades depend on it.
They are under the supervision of a licensed and certified instructor who guides and checks the student’s work. Definitely check it out and make sure that you are tapping into these resources near you.
So far we’ve learned about beauty services, we’ve learned about luxury spa services like facials and massage and we’ve learned about health services.
The last thing I want to talk to you about are mechanics services. If you need a tune-up, spark plugs change, or a diagnostic test on your car because you don’t know what the problem is, you can go to a Technical College.
Find the school that has a program for auto mechanics or auto body service. Don’t be nervous about taking your car there because the instructors are licensed and certified mechanics and they know about the car and they can help you.
Go Ahead and Get Your Pampering On. You CAN Afford It!
Isn’t it exciting to know you can get all these typically expensive services for less? Now it is time to go try these different services out. Look for schools in your area. Search for the community colleges the technical colleges and find out if they have the services that you need.
There are lots of schools out there who provide massage therapy services, health care service, and car care service. It may cost you less than $50 to pamper yourself vs. $250. I’m sure you can find a way to spend $50 on yourself, right?
BONUS TIP
Another place to get health and beauty services and even car care service is Groupon or other group buying apps. I see massage, dental, and chiropractic care all the time on these sites.
You might be able to get gift cards from family or friend for your birthday, Christmas, or other gift-giving holidays. Sometimes all it takes is asking.
What services have you gotten from a school, a tradable or technical school, or any other school and pay rock bottom prices for?
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.
Affordable vacations can be difficult to plan. Maybe you have a dream destination, but you can’t quite save up enough for travel costs. Or maybe you can get yourself there, but you’d have to live on bread and water for the entire trip.
If your vacation expenses are just out of reach, a few adjustments can help you put aside more cash and reach your goal. Here are seven ways to save more for your upcoming vacation.
1. Start a Monthly Budget
If you don’t currently have a monthly budget, it might be time to take a hard look at your spending. Evaluate how much you spend each month on necessities like rent and discretionary purchases like movie tickets. Then, set a reduced monthly spending budget and put the money you save in your vacation fund.
Even after you take your trip, you might want to stick to your budget and keep saving.
2. Open a Bank Account
If your travel fund is mixed in with your general savings account or is simply a wad of cash under your mattress, you should open a dedicated savings account just for travel. It will be easier to put aside money specifically for vacation, and you’ll be less likely to dip into the fund for other expenses.
3. Stop Dining Out
Whether you prefer fancy dinners or fast food lunches, eating out is far more expensive than preparing your own food. Cook your meals at home, pack your lunches, and kick the money you save over to your vacation fund. It might hurt now, but you’ll feel better when you’re having a steak and cocktail by the beach.
4. Get a Side Hustle
If you need to boost your vacation savings quickly, a temporary side hustle can help get you there. You can drive for Lyft or Uber, rent out a room on Airbnb, or use your professional expertise for some freelance work. Just make sure to funnel your extra earnings directly to your vacation savings.
5. Sell Your Stuff
Spring is the perfect time to do some cleaning and sell your clutter. You can host a yard sale, take clothes to consignment shops, or list your unwanted stuff on eBay. If you value experiences more than things, let your old property help you get to your destination.
6. Ditch the Gym Membership
Ironically, hitting the gym to work on your beach body might be preventing you from getting to the beach. Cancelling an expensive gym membership will free up some extra funds for your vacation. You can still exercise outdoors, at a friend’s home gym, or make use of the thousands of free workout videos online. Before you do cancel, check your contract to make sure you won’t have to pay an exorbitant cancellation fee.
7. Get a Credit Card
With travel credit cards, your everyday purchases earn rewards that can be redeemed for airfare, hotel reservations, car rentals, and other common travel expenses. Many cards even have huge signup bonuses worth hundreds of dollars in travel redemptions. While you shouldn’t sign up for a credit card for a single vacation (especially if you have trouble managing debt), it’s worth a look if you’re already in the market for some new plastic.
Travel credit cards also frequently offer built-in benefits like car rental insurance, free foreign transactions, and trip cancellation coverage.
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.
Hi! Welcome to RichSingleMomma.com. I started this website almost a decade ago because I couldn't find any blogs back then that helped single moms with money. I was having some success in that area so I decided to share what I knew about side hustles, making extra money, and managing money. Read more...
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