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Being a single parent isn’t easy, especially when the other parent isn’t around to help with the bills. So, how can you do your best to not rely on outsourced income? Take a look…
Being a parent can be tough sometimes, and potentially even tougher if you’re doing it on your own. Because of this, single parents often rely on benefits to see them through. It’s no bad thing, and often much needed.
That said, some people in this position may not want to rely on benefits for a number of reasons. Whether you want to remain independent, or don’t want to have to beware of benefit fraud, there are plenty of reasons. So, how else can you support yourself and your children?
In this post, we’re going to aim to help you to avoid relying on benefits as a single parent. Take a look…
4 Tips for Avoiding Benefits as a Single Parent
1. Simplify your budget
The first thing a single parent needs to do to avoid going on benefits is to save as much money as possible. This means starting a monthly budget and sticking to it.
If you’re not the best at writing up budgets, you can always use a budgeting app to help you. All you have to do is plug in your finances and away you go.
However, finding these finances is another situation altogether as it not only involves your direct debits, which are relatively easy to find if you use a banking app, it also includes all the little things you spend every month that you don’t think about. When you’re drafting this budget, try your best to think of everything you spend money on so you can see how it adds up over a whole month.
Once you have this list together, it’s time to cut out anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. This way, you can see what your maximum possible monthly savings would be. The sorts of things you should consider are:
- Meals out
- Streaming & other subscription services
- New clothes
- Takeaways
- Shopping list
- Phone contract
You obviously want to keep something you enjoy so you can take care of your mental health. That said, try cutting them out first to see what you could save and add back in the things you miss the most.
2. Make more money
Once you’re in the process of saving as much money as you can, the next thing to work on is how much money you make. Obviously saying ‘make more money’ makes it sound easier than it is, but there are ways to do it as a single parent.
With the coronavirus pandemic turning office jobs into work-from-home jobs, there’s honestly never been a better time for a stay-at-home single parent. If your child is of school age then this becomes a no brainer, but even if your child is young, you can work around it.
High-paying jobs that would’ve been restricted to a certain metropolitan area only a year ago are now up for grabs for people who live out in the sticks. Also, you no longer have to be and pay the extortionate cost-of-living those places demand.
If you don’t fancy changing your job, single parents can make extra cash from home in other ways. You could:
- Fill out online surveys when you have some free time
- Use cashback sites
- Become a virtual assistant
- Rent out your parking space when you’re not using it
- Double up and look after someone else’s child whilst they’re at work
- Cook or bake things to sell
- Become a proofreader if you’ve got a gift for grammar
There are tonnes of things you can do in your spare moments as a single parent who doesn’t want to be on benefits. You just have to look for them.
3. Get childcare help
Another option for single parents, especially if they have a job that requires them to be out of the house for most of the day, is to use childcare.
This is only recommended if you make enough money to cover the childcare costs and can see an actual monetary benefit once the fees are taken off your earnings. There are programs that help parents with this but, at the risk of relying on benefits, it’s up to you.
There’s always the cheaper option of asking your parents or friends to look after your children for you. This is especially true if your child is old enough to attend a public school and you only need them to help you after school until you get home.
4. Support from friends and family
There are lots of single parents who want to do everything on their own. Not relying on benefits is one thing, especially since it means you’re using taxpayer money, but taking money from your family and friends is different.
Even if you only borrow the money to get you through a slump, or until you can find a healthier paying job, it’s better than having to struggle.
You can still do most of the work on your own, for example, if you set your budget and realise that you’re only £50-a-month short of having everything you need to make you and your child financially stable, then just ask for that amount.
£50 might be nothing to a friend or relative, and everything to you and your child. So, if you need it, just build up the courage and ask for help. I’m sure you’d do the same for them if they were in your position.
Ready to Become a Self-Sufficient Single Parent?
In this post, we’ve shared some advice on how to avoid relying on benefits as a single parent, so you can be proud of the fact that you’ve done it alone.
If this advice isn’t enough, and you’re still struggling with your finances, you need to either find some more advice or consider going on benefits. It doesn’t have to be forever, but these schemes are there for people who need them.
Relying on benefits isn’t fun for anyone, but providing for your child is the most important thing and you can always work hard to get off them in the future.
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