The stress of being a single mom (or parent for that matter) just seems to be getting bigger these days.

Trying to support a child on one income is hard enough but to add a extremely crappy economy to the mix it is damn near impossible!

Currently Kidlet and I are living with my Mom and it is driving me insane. I have been looking at apartments but anything that is in my very limited price range are in the worst neighborhoods. Two bedroom apartments in ok areas start at atleast $650 per month and not include any utilities (Gas and Electric).

Even though I work 40 hours a week I get paid under $9 and hour after taxes and deductions there is no way that I could afford rent, utilities and food much less transportation, clothing and babysitting.

Even living here I do have bills for rent, food, phone etc. that I find hard to pay for while trying to keep my growing pre-teen in clothes and shoes.

The only help that I get from BD is that he will watch Kidlet each night that I have to work for a few hours until my Mother gets home. But, that will be stopping soon as BD is supposedly getting a real job so then I will have to figure out how to afford daycare or have to quit my job since day hours are only available to the manager.

Now that it is into July I have to start thinking about school supplies and school uniforms that Kidlet will need by September. The supplies won’t be so bad it will be the uniforms will be the budget buster. Kidlet’s school has never had uniforms before and this will be the first year that the new requirement will take place.

I need to figure out how to get ahead somehow.