Have your tried calling the county or state where you live in to see if you qualify for some emergency assistance for the basics, food,electric,shelter?
I am really not an adovcate for using the system but if you are a single mom that doesn’t get help from the father, I would give it a shot at least until you catch up. Because if you had help with the basics like food, etc then you could put what cash you do have towards the other bills. I am not sure what exactly you are needing extra help with. Also, look around your house…See if there is some stuff you really don’t need or use and then try maybe selling on ebay it is easy.There are lots of help on the ebay site to show you how. Or if where you live isn’t too cold out have a garage sale. IF there are any medical bills then give the doctors office a call and set up a payment plan or even some medical outfits have a medical credit card that you can use. These can be sort of high interest but may help for the time being.
These are some money saving things that I do because I too am a single mom. I cut coupons and look online for stuff the we buy and eat regularly it helps cut down on the expensive groceries. I turn the heat down in my home and have us wear just some warmer clothes because the heat costs are so high were we live. When shopping for groceries I always make a list and try to stick with just the stuff we need. I try some generic foods and medicines.
You said that you have a 15 year old. Could he maybe help out? Like work part time a fast food place, deliver papers, just to cover some of his stuff like clothes and extras? I don’t know but maybe he already doing this?
Sometimes, just looking at the whole picture in a different perspective helps.
I do not recommend the pay day advance places they can do more damage than help in the long run.
Picking up a temporary part time job on the weekends if time and circumstances allow.It is tax time and there are lots of tax credits for working parents that have limited income so handle taxes and see if you can get a return and use that towards paying those bills off.
Also, if you have credit card debit call the card company and see if you can work with them to lower your rate if possible. Tell them you have another card that is offering a better rate and you would like to stay with that card company.
Have you looked at your total income versus what you owe each month? Put away or cut up those credit cards. Do you have cable an extra phone line, club memberships? Cut back or ditch those items. You may not really need them after all.
Also, I don’t know your circumstanvces with the child support. If you cannot get the Dad to pay, have you tried getting the state to help you? Because darn it, that is the least the Dad can do if he is still on the earth with us.
I hope that this at least prevokes some thoughts or ideas for. Good luck, being a single Mom is a tough thing. Give yourself a pat on the back for being a good Mom and being there for the kids. We should get paid better for that, just kidding…LOL
Take care, things have a way of working themselves out.
med442