Home Money Management Rich Single Momma’s Road to Self-Sufficiency and Financial Independence, Part 1

Rich Single Momma’s Road to Self-Sufficiency and Financial Independence, Part 1

by Samantha Gregory - Jun 18, 2011

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.

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Samantha Gregory

Editor at Rich Single Momma

Samantha Gregory has been encouraging single moms to learn how to thrive and not just survive the single mom journey. She is a coach, mentor, writer, mobile app developer, and mom of two. Hire her for your next project by calling 404-939-6179 or email samantha at richsinglemomma.com. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest.