Being a single mother is one of the hardest jobs anyone can have, but it still doesn’t pay very well so you’ll need financial aid to afford going to college and attain a degree. Studies show that the more education you’ve received, the higher you’re expected to be paid. The problem is that there are many difficulties and obstacles blocking a single mother’s quest of earning a degree and having the quality of life they desire for themselves and their children. Teen pregnancies can disrupt finishing high school thereby abating your pursuit of receiving that all-important Diploma. And many postsecondary institutions require you to already have a Diploma before enrolling. Luckily, seeking an education from an accredited online school is a viable option to many single mothers. They’ll help you receive your GED as well as offer plenty of programs you can major in for a Degree. Sometimes this is the only option for working moms because of time constraints.

Still though, it can all be a very frustrating and end up being a huge hassle if pursuing a degree or certificate from an online institution is not all well-planned out. And If working minimum wage, the struggle of being able to afford postsecondary education is drawn out because the costs are too high. The good news is that there is plenty of financial aid available for single mothers if they’re willing to seek it out. There’s help available so that the mountain they climb isn’t so perilous and daunting, but instead easy and achievable.

Scholarships for Single Mothers

To award a single mother’s pursuit of a degree or certificate, there are many organizations who offer merit aid solely to single mothers trying to improve their quality of life. Scholarships for Single Mothers that give women a much needed financial boost are often from organizations who understand the tough situation many of these women find themselves in. First off, it’s still widely the case that on average men make more than women. These organizations aim to lessen the differences between the two genders in an effort to equalize dispersion of income. They want to ensure that the cash flow differences aren’t resulting from a lack of education. And since some scholarship programs recognize that single mothers may not have any available time to write essays, they offer random drawing scholarships so all you have to do is fill out an application and hope you’re the lucky winner. Easy Scholarships like these are great if time is an issue for you but can still use a bit of free money to fund a college education.

Pell Grants for Single Mothers

It’s all widely known that the federal government will also provide help to single mothers seeking higher education. If you’re in a lower tax bracket and have dependants to provide for and are the sole breadwinner (e.g. a single mother) then you’re in a prime position of receiving a Pell Grant from the federal government. A Pell Grant will pay for your college education, and if there are funds left over, can be used for books or other necessities. Just fill out a FAFSA at the financial aid office and you should receive an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number which will have the amount you pay to fund your own education (the government will pay the rest). Further help is available to Pell Grant recipients via the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program. These funds are set aside to those who have low EFC contributions and are in “exceptional need” of even more financial aid than what the Pell Grant can offer.

Practical Advice for Single Mothers

There are a few practical things single mothers can do to diminish the risk of spending more than they own. In order to know how much you can afford on various items, many people use the “envelope budgeting” system which makes it simple to plan how your income will be dispersed within a given pay period. You simply set a total amount for various categories like groceries, entertainment or dining out. When you have all your categories in place, the total amount can’t be more than how much you bring home in a paycheck. There’s free easy-to-use software available to assist you with the envelope budgeting system so you can keep your finances in order. Programs like Mint, Inzolo and AceMoney Lite help immensely if trying to dig yourself out of a financial hole. Using coupons and buying store brand items as opposed to national brand are other ways to save money. Look for more helpful tips on the College Money Advice page on this site to help with funding college.