Hello, awesome readers!
Money and finances are a BIG thing for single mothers. Said another way, money and finances are a sparse thing for single mothers. BIG, because it’s on our minds. A lot. ‘Sparse’ because many of us don’t have any support from our respective Mr. What-Was-I-Thinking. And since we’re managing everything alone, we usually run out of money before we run out of month. It’s awesome.
As I write this, a memory that usually sits in a faraway pocket of my mind has surfaced. Brushing off some of the dust and cobwebs, the emotions from that day make me blush. Not from embarrassment but from remembering how overwhelmed I felt. Oh wait! Maybe it’s a hot flash …
Nope. It’s a memory.
Step into my time machine!
The year is 1990, and I’m 25 years old. My daughters, ages five and two at the time, are asleep in their shared bedroom. Me? I’m sitting on the living room floor. To be more precise, I’m sitting in a corner of the living room floor. I feel defeated. Perhaps “slumped” is a better word than sitting.
Looking at the wall across the room, I see shadows. The outline of a lampshade. The arm of the couch is a larger-than-life silhouette. None of the shadows outline my body. I’m invisible. I want to scream. Part of me wants someone to hear me, to see me. The other part of me is being considerate of my neighbors. My finger is bleeding a little. A paper cut. Some of my blood has smudged across the edges of the piece of paper in my hand. Ironic, I think. My blood is the same color as the angry words STAMPED across the top of the page:
It’s the electricity bill. Electricity is what heats my apartment. I have no idea how I’m going to pay this bill.
Outside, the first signs of winter are trickling from the night sky. Never have I felt so afraid of snowflakes.
Back to the present. (Thank goodness!)
I’m sharing this with you because I want to remind you that it really does take a village, and you are not alone.
I’ve been where you are, and there are resources to help you get through whatever it is you’re managing right now.
Speaking of resources, if you have children that will be going to college in the near future I had the opportunity of speaking with College Fund Specialist, Brad Baldridge on the Single Moms with Moxie podcast. Brad shares a ton of tips on how to crush college costs. Here’s a link to the episode.
Enjoy!
Expert tips for crushing college costs with Brad Baldridge
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Mona Andrei is an award-winning humor blogger, columnist, and author. In her most recent book, SUPERWOMAN: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, she shares her challenges and triumphs as a single mother as well as stories from other single mothers.
When Mona isn’t writing, you can probably find her dancing. As a member of a competitive hip-hop team, she likes to think that she’ll stay young and cool forever. She may be delusional.
Thanks for sharing this. I was mostly not a single mom, but I’ve been in that corner of the living room with those feelings.