I am about to become a single mom of a 12 month old and am 26. My relationship with my boyfriend is over (and really has been for a while now). I don't know what to do. I had planned on returning to college in January and I don't see how I can now. My credit is awful! I don't even know how I am going to be able to get an apartment, let alone make my car payments. And insurance..bah..I don't have any family or friend resources for help. Are there any single parents out there that are working, going to school and raising their child full-time?!? Please help! I have no idea what to do. I can not in good faith stay in a relationship anymore just for my child.

hi,

i'm 26yrs with a six year boy and it's scary at times. i just graduated from college last May. it took me a while but i did and worked as well. i know i got alot of help through the state to go through college. being a single mom can be a blessing when it comes to education. check and see what welfare can do for you or where they can direct you. i know it may be deeming but it helps with the education costs. i know was thankful for it. there a alot of grants out there as well that can help you. gives those a try and see if they can help.

as for family support it gets hard when you have none of that. i have my mom but thats for babysiting if i have to work overtime and my daycare is closed or if i have to work on a holiday and my daycare is closed. if my mom can manage it she'll help me out with a five here and there but here bf seems to put a stop to alot of it sometime. he not a jerk but his theroy is if i had the kid then i should be able to support it. basicly i'm left on my own for everyday life. it get so tuff somedays.

good for you for getting out of the relationship it it was bad. i don't believe in staying in a relationship for the children. it makes everyone unhappy in the end. know what i mean. it tired and it so did not work out.

feel free to email if you need someone to chat with. VTangel27*aol.com

smvt

Hi,
Start with the basics. Apt, Job, Car. Then work on your credit. Make a plan, divide your bills into 2 halves. 1 half for the first pay day, the 2nd half for the 2nd pay day of the month. Do not get debt relief from a credit service. It looks very bad on your credit and counts against you almost as much as filing bankruptcy. Figure out which ones have the highest interest, pay the most on those...pay minimum on the others until the hig ones are paid off. Then apply that money to the others. TIME...it takes time to recover from everything, especially credit.

Thanks for the advice. Luckily, I have a few weeks to get everything in order. My ex-boyfriend is really nice about stuff usually and doesn't want to do anything to me that would affect our daughter. I'm really lucky that I was with someone who could think through their actions on the important decisions. It's just going to be so hard to save for an apartment when I don't have a job. I live in the middle of NO WHERE. And I had totally forgotten about welfare and the like. That will certainly help since I really will need it. Hey - I'll be paying it all back later when I finish school and begin a successful career!