Hi everyone,
I’m currently working full-time and doing my best to stay on top of my responsibilities, but I’ve reached a point where my monthly expenses are more than what I’m able to comfortably manage.
After rent, car payment, and basic living costs, there is very little left over. I’ve been staying current on all my bills, but it’s becoming harder to keep up.
I’m not looking for anything large—just a bit of support or advice to help me get through this rough stretch while I continue working and try to improve my situation. Even guidance on budgeting or options I may not have considered would mean a lot.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Trying to stay afloat financially while working full-time and raising my child
byu/anonymousma0 inpersonalfinance
Posted by anonymousma0
4 Comments
The usual suggestions for this problem are:
1. Increase your income via second job, higher paying job, and/or selling things you don’t need.
2. Eliminate non-essential expenses.
3. Eliminate debt that may be sucking up a portion of your monthly income.
4. Re-evalute your housing situation and try to lower that cost.
This is honestly one of those situations where tightening visibility on your cash flow can make a big difference before anything else. A simple first step is mapping everything into fixed vs variable expenses so you can clearly see what’s actually flexible each month. Even basic budgeting sheets (income vs essentials vs discretionary) can help reveal small leaks that add up fast, subscriptions, overlapping costs, timing gaps, etc. A lot of people also find it easier when they track it in a simple spreadsheet instead of apps, just because it’s more transparent and customizable. Tools like those shared on spreadsheet point can make that setup quicker without building everything from scratch.
Start here: https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/commontopics.
Budgeting: https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/budgeting
I have. Tried everything. Looking for a second income. Which it would be hard in itself. I have no one to watch my girl. It’s just me and her. Pulled back on subscriptions, petty expenses. I do nothing (even toddler activities) that would cost money. I don’t understand how to change anything with what I’ve already changed. I know I’m not the only one in this situation. How do people get out of this, get ahead or stay better at floating. I just literally look at my daughter and think how I could give her more; even if it’s just of me. I’ve been so absent while I’m present with her. How do single moms find a way? Feels like they’re stronger than me at this. I don’t know.