[crunchyconmomma]

What do you do to survive financially as a single mom? I'm particularly interested in the stories of those of you in really tight situations who get next to no support for your children but find ways to make ends meet.

The support payments have been gradually dwindling, and I know his ultimate aim is to get out of paying altogether. He is certainly not above unlawful means of getting out of it, like skipping town or finding an under-the-table job. So I have to figure out what I can do to make some money.

It's only been a year since this all started, and during the school year I get the GI Bill, so between that stipend and whatever support comes our way,we scrape by. But I have no GI Bill right now (I am in school over the summer, but don't get the money during summer session) and less than $575 in support to live on each month. We get food stamps, so we have plenty of grocery money.

I want to find creative things that I would be able to do to make some extra money, and preferably things that wouldn't have to be reported for taxes. He would take me to court for a reduction in support and I can't afford more legal bills for the few hundred bucks I could make at a McDonald's drive up window, KWIM?

 

[happyhippiemama]

I've been a stripper, on and off, for several years, to supplement my "real job" income

It sucks.

But knowing the potential for money is there, I feel irresponsible NOT doing it just because I hate it. Twisted, huh.

I'll stop back in later to add in some little things I do to make money outside of the adult clubs.... I'm at my "real job" now.

 

[straighthaircurly]

I'm not a single mom, but I have done a lot of tutoring for high school and middle school kids, math and reading mostly but also a lot of chemistry and also study skills. Summer is an especially great time. Prices vary in different parts of the country, but here I charge $40 an hour.

 

[crunchyconmomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyhippiemama I've been a stripper, on and off, for several years, to supplement my "real job" income

Oh if I only had the body for that!

But I don't know, give the conflicting emotions this brings up, on one hand I think your lucky that you have that option, and on the other hand I think maybe I'm lucky that I don't .....????

 

[crunchyconmomma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by straighthaircurly I'm not a single mom, but I have done a lot of tutoring for high school and middle school kids, math and reading mostly but also a lot of chemistry and also study skills. Summer is an especially great time. Prices vary in different parts of the country, but here I charge $40 an hour.

Are you a certified teacher or anything? How'd you get clients? I especially would LOVE to know how you do it if you are NOT a certified teacher or anything that people would assume would "qualify" you.
I could do that, at least for younger grades, but I don't have any quals so I don't know how that would change things.

 

[Dragonfly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crunchyconmomma I want to find creative things that I would be able to do to make some extra money, and preferably things that wouldn't have to be reported for taxes.

There's really no such thing. Sure, you could work under the table, but it could get you in a lot of trouble. The only exception would be where you're selling things (on e-bay or whatever) that you already own and not for more than what you initially paid for them.

As for the tutoring: A friend of mine who is a writer (not a certified teacher) tutors for a private school in Boston and makes a load of money doing so. He can make enough in two weekends to pay all of his expenses for a month. You might approach private schools in your area and see what their requirements are.

 

[WhaleinGaloshes]

I have also tutored and the money can be quite good. It is also a flexible job, something at which you could set your own hours, do out of your house etc. I'm not a certified teacher and see no reason why you should need to be. Since you are a student, I think this could be a potential opportunity for you; being a local college student will 'qualify' you in plenty of people's eyes.

FWIW, I tutored SAT test prep; there is good money in this if there is a market for it in your area. We could discuss this more if you'd like.

You could put some flyers up in local spots like the grocery store, local schools or your church? Once you get a student (really parent) or two who likes you the word-of-mouth referrals are where it's at in tutoring. I don't know what you're studying so I'm not much help on ideas, but I'd be happy to brainstorm with you if you wanted to explore the idea.

 

[Jyotsna]

I tutored on a very voluntary basis at my kids school and just wondered...what ARE the qualifications?

I am constantly thinking of things I can do to make money, (and I couldn't do the stripping), but I have often wanted to tutor. I don't want to tutor math or science. Is there a need for reading and basic tutoring?

Thanks,
Jyotsna

 

[incorrigible]

.

 

[SoulJourney]

I nanny full time so that I can be with my DS.

 

[mmace]

I have three sources of income other than child support (and I am a stay at home mom, for the most part)

1. Rental income - 1/4 of our house was turned into a 900 square foot apartment - this brings me in $450/month ($50 of that ear-marked for the gas bill). It works out great for me - everything was done brand new six years ago, and it's an 80-something year old lady living there, so I think I've done *maybe* $500 in repairs/improvements over the six years she's lived there, and the biggest of those improvements (a new ceiling for our shared front porch) benefitted me as much as her.

2. Cleaning income - I clean our church. Takes me 4 - 5 hours per week (there are some things I only do once a month, and it also depends on if my older kids are home to help me out - my younger two gather up garbage/dust pews/etc. and my older one can help me sweep/clean Sunday School rooms/etc.) I make $340/month, so I guess it averages down to about $17ish an hour - not bad considering my kids are with me (usually just the little one and I do it while the big two are at school, but it's summer vacation right now) and I can do the job any time I want during the week, as long as it's clean for Sunday services. Oh, and the church is less than half a mile away (but unfortunately it is a busy road I don't feel safe having the kids walking on) so I usually break it up and go over two mornings a week so the kids don't get as bored being over there.

and 3. I babysit. I watched my best friend's little boy from the time he was two months old until he went to school full-time, I even kept him for six months while she was deployed. Now that he is in school I just have him part time when she is on her drill weekends (PA National Guard) and a few days a week in the summer. I'm estimating that I will bring in about $800 this summer with him. The money I make this summer is going to be play money - since it is just a part-time gig until he goes back to school - we're going to use that money to go to a nearby amusement park, go camping several times, etc. I wasn't even expecting to have him at all this summer, so this is non-budgeted money. AND my other close friends are in the process of adopting from China, so when their little girl gets here I'll watch her (probably) three days a week.

 

[crunchyconmomma]

Dragonfly,
What did your friend tutor, do you know? And, I know that technically everything has to be reported, but I'm saying I don't want to just go out and get a job that has my social security # right off the bat. If I can find cash-paid things right now, I don't plan to worry about reporting. I wouldn't make enough to be noticeable, and if I did, then I wouldn't mind having to go that route. But I want to supplement maybe 2 or 3 hundred bucks and only for the summer when I have no GI Bill.

easy goer, I would love to have some brainstorming help!
I'm going to PM you right now!

 

[Twice as nice]

I sell Discovery Toys VERY part time. Its a home based business that you can work as much or as little as you want, and ofcourse the benefits reflect how much time you put into it. You do have to go out and meet people, but its really simple once you get going (I was REALLY shy about it at first, but now have absolutely no problem talking to people- it actually turned out to be a very good experience for). I do most of my "networking" when I take my DC to play grounds, to the beach, grocery shopping, the beach... you get the idea - everyday stuff, and the kids can be with me.

Check out my website and see if its something you may be interested in. Its alot of fun & you can make really great $ doing this (I know SEVERAL local moms that were able to quit their full time jobs b/c of DT and now stay home with their kids) The site is www.discoverytoyslink.com/natalya

 

[Bad Mama Jama]

I work full time and I wish I could work only part time, but the bills won't allow for such a thing. I have a little part time money wagon that I'm about to get back onto that is nice. But, I, too, am at work, so that's all I can say about that one... PM me for details if you're dying to know.

Also another avenue is waiting tables at the strip bars. Once upon a time in college, I worked as a waitress in a strip club. That I found to be profitable and I somewhat enjoyed the atmosphere. There! I said it!

:

 

[brogansmomma]

I have a full-time job (shiftwork) with benefits so that is VERY handy. We receive $50 bi-weekly from B's dad. It's a very long story but given that I don't need that money to survive and it was a gesture that blew me away after other circumstances, I let it accumulate for a few months and then deposit it into an RESP for B. The government also gives a few hundred dollars a month (Family Benefit Supplement, Child Tax Credit, Daycare Supplement, etc) to families meeting various criteria.

 

[vloky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twice as nice I sell Discovery Toys VERY part time. Its a home based business that you can work as much or as little as you want, and ofcourse the benefits reflect how much time you put into it. You do have to go out and meet people, but its really simple once you get going (I was REALLY shy about it at first, but now have absolutely no problem talking to people- it actually turned out to be a very good experience for). I do most of my "networking" when I take my DC to play grounds, to the beach, grocery shopping, the beach... you get the idea - everyday stuff, and the kids can be with me. Check out my website and see if its something you may be interested in. Its alot of fun & you can make really great $ doing this (I know SEVERAL local moms that were able to quit their full time jobs b/c of DT and now stay home with their kids) The site is www.discoverytoyslink.com/natalya

wow,theres a lot of cute stuff on there, I think I'll send the link to my mom as a hint* I've let her know that I prefer either homemade or toys that support wahms.

The rainfall sound rattle is adorable.

 

[CherylE]

I don't have the body for a stripper either - I think it would just take a boob job though - I've lost tons of weight with the stress of all of this but don't have the money for that - so not an option here either.

I get child support - but here chid support does not take into account my income at all. period. It's % custody and the non-custodial parents income and number of kids only. Only spousal support (which I don't get) depends on my income.

However, i have to watch the amoutn I earn because I'm in subsidized housing and get child care subsidy (I pay on top of that though - it doesn't cover remotely near market rate). But child care subsidy - they want me working full time or close to full time to qualify. So I'm working (almost - varies from week to week) full time at Tim Horton's (fast food: coffee, donuts, soup & sandwiches. I'm hoping not to make enough to lose housing subsidy but work enough to still get my childcare covered. Fortunately my childcare is "in child's home" and done by ex's dad (not living with me or related me ME - so he still was approved) anyway - he's flexible with the days/hours that I work - so that helps. I pay him on top of what the gov't pays as I can. It's such a fine line there with all of it.

I'm also thinking about babysitting/offering overnight childcare down the road when my kids are a bit older and I'm a bit more healthy/not as wiped out. Because with the number of kids that I have - really another kid or two staying over every now and then - wouldn't raise red flags. I know I legally can't run a daycare out of my house - plus with all my kids and needing to transport to/from school - I can't really babysit other kids during the day. But to do occasional babysitting in the evenings/weekends - that might work - I just KNOW I can't handle anyone else's kids right now on top of my own.

I'm also getting income from child tax benefit (canadian) Stbx's income was low enough with us together for us to qualify for a few hundred a month from that - but we've been separated long enough that I've filled out an application to have it based on my income (which they said on the phone would be retro-active to the separation date) - so I'm hoping to hear back on that and hoping to get some savings from that. Because I'm scared to be as dependant on child support from stbx as I am.

 

[A&A]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crunchyconmomma Are you a certified teacher or anything? How'd you get clients? I especially would LOVE to know how you do it if you are NOT a certified teacher or anything that people would assume would "qualify" you. I could do that, at least for younger grades, but I don't have any quals so I don't know how that would change things.

http://providers.tutor.com/hwhinfo.asp

 

[happyhippiemama]

I don't really have the body for the dancing either - heh - I look like a tall lanky boy when I pull my hair back in a ponytail - but I make automatic customers from the "I hate fake-boobs" set.

I've often wished that I didn't know I could make money doing it, so I wouldn't be so dang tempted to pick up a shift everytime I get hit by financial disaster. Sigh.

 

[straighthaircurly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crunchyconmomma Are you a certified teacher or anything? How'd you get clients? I especially would LOVE to know how you do it if you are NOT a certified teacher or anything that people would assume would "qualify" you. I could do that, at least for younger grades, but I don't have any quals so I don't know how that would change things.

I have a college degree but no teaching certification. I started at a local private school that offered in home tutoring and it grew from there so that I ended up doing a lot of public school kids too. Tutoring is one of those things where you just need to get started (friend's kid or something) and then word of mouth gets you more (if you do a good job). Talk to friends who have school age kids or friends who are teachers. Get the word out that you are available. Find out the going rate charged at local tutoring franchises and then start by pricing yourself below them. Increase your rate as you gain experience and reputation. You can also advertise...if you have craigslist in your area that is a free way to advertise. The biggest thing is to exude confidence in your abilities to help a student do better...start by making a list for yourself of your strengths in the area of teaching and any experiences you have had in your life where you had an opportunity to teach something to someone, whether helping a fellow student or teaching something to a younger sibling. The best skill for a tutor is the ability to explain things multiple ways. Think of how many ways you can explain a skill like adding. This allows you to tailor your teaching to a specific student and how they learn. Do some reading on learning styles on the side and also study skills so that you can "talk the talk" a bit as well. Hope this helps.