of pants from her. I had it cut just below the knee, sewed hooks to secure the legs and it started a fashion trend. My friends thought I had bought the pants.
You may disagree with me but shoes are what I will not compromise spending my money on. A cheaper pair will wear out faster and you will end up spending more in the long run. They may not give you the right support. You may end up with more leg injuries or even posture-related disorder in the long run. Invest in good pairs which will last a much longer time and you will walk tall in them!
Educate Your Children on Spending Wisely
Before I gave my job up, I had started educating my son to make wise choices. He learnt that if he wanted me to have more time with him, I would have to take on a less well-paying job. He knew in theory that that meant fewer toys, fewer trips to restaurants and games zones.
When I left my job thirty days ago, both of us found it rather tough to walk past our favorite shops without batting an eyelid. Now, we enjoy our chats and fooling while waiting for the bus, even taking time to smell the roses! We spend more time at the zoo now as being members we save more on entrance fees. Having walks at the zoo is definitely healthier and more educational than going to movies and game zones. He has also learned to buy movie CDs instead of going to the movies as he realized he derived more pleasure from watching the movie many times over at home. Having also to save up for the toys he wants, he is learning quickly to make wise choices.
Recycling and Secondhand Shops
We discovered we were throwing away too many things that we could actually sell and make returns. By slicing off the top of 1-liter milk cartons, we could actually wash and dry them and keep them to stack old envelopes and letters, bills, advertisement brochures, any paper products and metal products that we could collect and sell to recycling centers. It may not bring in much but we learned the value of saving Mother Earth and ourselves!
Craft
If you have a talent, use it to bring in more dough. Many of us would have a hobby that we can turn into cash. Make some biscuits, cakes, crystal jewelry or cards to sell. My son now sees competitions as a means to more things he might want - without having to pay. Make unique gifts for your friends such as ring-shaped soaps and a heart-shaped candle with lots of hearts embedded into it!
Guard Your Wallet
I would give my son a budget when we go out. For example, I would say that we have only ten
Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:
My mother's tricks to make ends meet is highly applicable sixteen years down the road. My mother had five to bring up while
by Ms Jodz
Sometimes it's not only a matter of making sacrifices to make ends meet but also finding ways to make a little extra without
Of course it depends on how hard up for money your family is, but I'd start with: find your nearest food bank, health clinic,
by Diana Claude
Now that you are a single parent, you are going to faced be with the nearly impossible task of living on less money. Even
When my husband and I first split up, the kids and I were doing okay financially. About two months later, my husband decided
View All Articles on:
Single parents: What to do when you can't make ends meet
Add your voice
Know something about Single parents: What to do when you can't make ends meet?
We want to hear your view.
Write now!
Featured Partner
The Goldwater Institute was founded in 1988 by a small group of entrepreneurial Arizonans with the blessing of Senato...more
hide