Creating and following a budget is hard for most people. But it can be particularly challenging for single parents. Between housing, groceries, childcare, transportation, and all the unexpected costs that come with raising kids, there may not be much room for error.
Plus, the burnout you experience from solo parenting might lead to bad financial decisions and neglected money management.
But a realistic budget can help you make the most of your income, prepare for surprise expenses, and make steady progress toward your financial goals. As a financial educator and former NFCC-certified credit counselor, these are my tips for managing your budget as a single parent.
Understand your starting point
The starting point for creating a budget is to pinpoint your monthly income and total monthly expenses. It’s normal for both of these figures to vary, so I recommend looking for your monthly averages. If your income varies by a lot, use the most conservative figure you expect to earn.
For your spending, the best way to pinpoint your total monthly expenses is to review at least three months’ worth of your financial statements and note what you spend in each category, such as food, utilities, gas, etc.
Note that if you do any significant spending with cash, you’ll also need to track those costs separately. Try writing down information for each of your cash purchases for 30 days to make sure you’re not missing anything.
For your income figure, you’ll also want to go by monthly averages. For example, if you receive a paycheck every other week (which comes out to 26 pay periods per year), you’ll want to multiply your take-home pay by 26 pay periods and divide the result by 12 months. So if you net $3,000 per paycheck, your average monthly income is $6,500: ($3,000 x 26) / 12.
Creating a realistic family budget
A budget lets you quickly compare your income to your expenses, and assign each dollar a job. If money is tight, a budget helps you to prioritize certain expenses so you can cover the items you need the most. Here’s how I recommend prioritizing your expenses:
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Necessities: The most important expenses to cover are necessities, or the key expenses you need to live. This includes rent, food, utilities, and medical care.
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Essentials: The next list of items to prioritize are things you need in order to earn income and keep your finances on track. Depending on your situation, they may include debt payments, childcare, transportation, and more.
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Unplanned expenses: Everyone has expenses that can’t be planned in advance, but are still inevitable. For example, car repairs or money for school field trips. The money you set aside for this category should go into your emergency savings.
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Nonnecessities: These are items you want, but can go without if you’re short on funds. Nonnecessities generally include costs such as dining out, entertainment, and travel.
Budgeting tips for single parents
As a single parent, you might have so many tasks to manage that your finances fall by the wayside. But there are simple ways anyone can make good money management an automatic part of their budget.
Here are some suggested strategies that parents can use to increase their financial stability:
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Pay down high-interest debt: High-interest debt (8% APR and up) is so costly that it can undo any progress you get from saving or investing your money. If you’re struggling to keep up with these payments, or you don’t believe you can afford to pay off this debt within the next two years, contact a nonprofit credit counselor for help putting together a debt-payoff strategy.
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Build an emergency fund: Expect the unexpected and save up for emergencies. That way, unplanned expenses won’t tank your finances or cause you to take on more debt. For single parents, I generally recommend putting at least six months’ worth of your monthly living expenses into an emergency savings fund. You might not hit that goal overnight or even within a year, but any amount you set aside will help.
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Automate savings and bill payments: For recurring expenses, set up autopay so you don’t have to worry about missing payments and incurring late fees. Make your monthly savings contribution automatic, too, so you never forget to set money aside.
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Keep a cushion in your checking: Always keep a small amount of money in your checking account that you never plan to spend. That way, you don’t have to worry about overdrafting. I generally recommend keeping an amount equal to one month’s rent or mortgage payment. You can consider this part of your emergency savings fund.
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Review your financial accounts monthly: Take a few minutes each month to look at what you’ve spent over the last 30 days. This will help you catch expenses you can easily cut, like a recurring charge for a subscription you don’t use.
Cutting costs for your family
You probably already feel like you need to cut your expenses. But this part is easier said than done, since it’s often time-consuming to hunt for discounts and freebies.
The truth is, finding the most affordable options takes some time. To find deals and subsidies, I recommend scheduling a time to sit down twice a year so you can do some research and planning.
Here are some cost-cutting options to look into:
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Childcare: Check to see if your state provides childcare financial assistance or if there are local organizations that provide Head Start or after-school care. You may also want to use a Dependent Care FSA to get a tax break for care costs, and ask childcare providers if they offer sliding-scale fees.
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Food: Find out if your child’s school or other local organizations have backpack programs where they send free food home. For groceries, see if your local grocery store has a pickup option and use it to help you save time and stick to a grocery list. For meals, don’t overlook affordable options such as basic sandwiches, rice and beans, or pasta with tomato sauce.
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Clothing and toys: There’s nothing wrong with using secondhand items. If your friends and family don’t have hand-me-downs to share, try local thrift stores or Buy Nothing groups online.
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Taxes: Make sure you’re taking advantage of tax credits for families, such as the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for Other Dependents, since they can reduce your income tax bill.
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Entertainment: Take advantage of programs that offer free entertainment for families. Your local library might offer free event tickets or let you check out toys and media. You can also check to see if you have free museum days as a benefit through your credit card issuer.
I also recommend checking with your employer to see if they offer special benefits for parents. Depending on your workplace, benefits might include anything from a childcare stipend to paid parental leave or the opportunity for remote work.