Having been a single mom for several years now, I have finally acclimatized myself to my status. It is indeed hard carrying the responsibility of children on my shoulders alone. But I do love the perks I am able to monopolize. I am the sole beneficiary of the kids’ hugs, kisses, and love.
As a single mother, I face a lot of challenges. Most I can handle very well, but the immediate concern that I always have to resolve are financial problems. Missing due dates on debt mean additional costs and having insufficient funds can cause a lot of stress. We don’t want to be worrying about paying for the basic needs of the children. Thus, financial stability is important for a single mom.
The first step on the road to financial stability is debt management. Whether you’re an individual or a corporation, debt can be your downfall. In this day and age, almost everyone has debts because of credit cards. It can go further with mortgages on houses and vehicles. There is nothing wrong with debt because it does give us the opportunity to acquire things with only the prospect of future earnings. Nevertheless, it is necessary to manage our debts and only incur those that we can afford.
If you’re already deep in debt, is there a way out? Yes, there is. And the faster we remedy the situation, the better. The goal is to minimize the interest expense or penalties that we will incur before it reaches a point that we can no longer make the monthly payments. For single parents, this is very critical because they will not have anyone else to rely on but themselves while the children depend on them for sustenance.
The first thing to do is list down all your debts, the corresponding monthly payments, and the interest rate for each one of them. The interest on each debt is important because we need to determine which of the debts are more expensive. Now, match these with your monthly earnings. After all the estimated expenses, do you have enough to pay your debts regularly? If it is insufficient or even tight, then it’s time to reduce your monthly payments. You can reduce your monthly installments by (a) partial debt payment with savings, (b) consolidating your debts at lower interest rate, or (c) restructuring any of them by extending the terms to reduce the monthly payments.
What would be the best option among them? It will depend on what your current status is and what options are available to you. If you can consolidate them into a single debt at lower interest rate, that would be the better option. However, those who are more confident in the security of their employment may opt to reduce debt through partial prepayment of the debt with their savings. When reducing your debt, prioritize those with higher interest rates.
Whatever option you choose, remember that the goal is to reduce the cost of debt (interest) or the debt itself. And of course, while you are deep in debt, stop incurring more immediately. Cut off those credit cards and start saving on your expenses. Financial stability is not a difficult feat for single parents. It only takes prudence and discipline. If you need motivation, just keep in mind that the reason for all your hard work is that tiny person who gives you warm hugs with milk and cookies.
All the best and much success!
Samantha a.k.a. Rich Single Momma
Author, 100 Secrets of Successful Single Motherhood
P.S. Did you get your Single Mom Survival and Success Kit? It's FREE and full of incredible information that will transform your life. So stop fooling around and get your kit now! Did I mention that it's FREE!
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So what is Samantha Gregory all about? Well, I am passionate about a lot of things from single mom empowerment to consulting about building an internet presence. The core of my passion is people. I love helping people be their best selves and reaching their highest potential.