Ok, first off, the primary financial assistance programs available comes down to the following: grants, scholarships, loans, and government (welfare) programs. But this list is by no means comprehensive. This article will try and cover all the major financial help for single mother options, though by no means is the information all inclusive.

Grants for Single Mothers

This topic has quite a bit of misinformation written about it. Grants are considered need-based awards. This means they are given out to people or organizations with financial need. Now first off: most government grants are given out to organizations and not to individuals. Government grants for individuals, at least from the federal government, are unusual, the exception being school grants and business grants.

If you are looking for business grants (which you may, if you are trying to start a business as a single mother), you may want to visit the government business website. You can also view a list of some of the government grants here.

Government grants, as stated, are usually for businesses, organizations, or students. You may be able to find state grants that are given out as financial assistance.

A Quick Look at some website giveaway programs of interest

You can however find a wide range of private scholarships for individuals. These are given out by schools, non-profit organizations, and even businesses. You may find specific scholarships just for single moms in the private sector. One recommended program is the 10k Scholarship for Working Adults. This is a free-to-sign up sweepstake giveaway offered by a website that gives out $10,000 each month to single moms, dads, or any working adult for school expenses. Considering that it only takes a couple minutes to fill out, it’s worth the time. There is even a similar program for dads, called the 10k Scholarship for Dads. And if you want one more such program, the 10k Scholarship Zone program is another.  These are only three such scholarship programs you can find in the private sector.

There are some other “private” programs that you can sign up for to get some help. I recommend signing up for the free PlanningFamily.com membership. Doing so will get you free baby stuff, printable grocery coupons, a parenting newsletter, helpful parenting articles and a chance of winning free diapers for a year. Worth signing up for that free stuff as there is no cost and every bit “helps” when you are struggling.

Another means of getting a chance at some “free stuff” is to fill out a quick survey for a website and get entered into a draw for some prize (you usually get some discount coupons too). If you have a bit of time, here are some “mom-related” giveaways you can take advantage of:

• Fill out a simple survey and get entered into a $50k scholarship draw for school
• Do You Have a CuteKid? Submit photo for a chance to win 25k if you’re kid is the cutest!
• Complete a brief survey out for a chance to win a $3500 shopping spree
• Fill out a survey and get a chance to win a $1500 gas card
• Win a $3500 dollar nursery makeover for you baby by filling out a survey
• Get a Free $250 Gift Card to your Favorite Baby Store
• Get ready for school with $1,500 shopping spree — short survey

How to Apply for Government Grants

This is a topic that merits a post itself. Well here is the basic process:

1. Find a grant you qualify for and is still currently available
2. Fill out the grant application, providing all request information and any supplemental information required (you sometimes may be required to write a proposal or essay about what you will do with the funding, etc). You should buy a book on grant writing to help guide you through this process.
3. Send out the grant proposal and wait.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with other grants you may qualify for

And that’s how you apply for a government grant. Now the main questions people ask here is WHERE to apply for a grant. Good questions indeed.

Here are a few sites to start with:

• Grants.Gov (THE place to go for government grants for organizations and business. Not for individuals though)
• http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ (The source for government student grants)
• http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/grants.jsp (Another source for student aid grants)
• Free Grant Approval Guide (sign up for a free (yes) guide that will help you find grants)

How to Apply for Private Grants

Private grants are harder to find, but potentially more lucrative in that they are given out to individuals. Your best bet is to do a web search for some of the private grant programs. I’ve already mentioned a few private grant programs like the 10k Scholarship for Moms.  You also might try looking at a scholarship searching website like scholarships.com or grab a list of scholarship programs for a college financial aid office.

NOTE: BEWARE OF GRANT SCAMS. There are a hideous amount of grant scams out there that take advantage of the desperate. I want to make this clear: there are no such thing as OBAMA GRANTS. There are government grant programs that are legit, but as stated, most federal grant programs target businesses and non-profit organizations, not individuals. So be very wary of any website or organization offering you some type of government grant. Very very few federal grants of this nature actually exist. Any website asking you for MONEY  to apply for a grant or claiming to offer guaranteed grants is flat out lying! You’ll simply lose the money you pay out for this “grant.”

One of the biggest scams is to get you to sign up for a grant program (which really offers you nothing you can’t get for free or do yourself), then get rebilled 50-100 bucks a month. While these are not really “scams” in that you don’t get ripped off, you are paying for something you don’t need to pay for and if you don’t cancel, you end up paying each month.

Scholarships for Single Mothers

These are like grants in the way that they are free money that does not need to be repaid. They differ than grants, however, in the way that scholarships are given out. A scholarship in the truest definition of the word is a merit-based award. Grants are need-based. Now there may be scholarships that are a combination of need and merit based, but a traditional scholarship is given out for something like academic excellence. Scholarships are usually offered either by schools themselves (many colleges have entrance scholarships and high GPA scholarships for students) or by scholarship Foundations. Some corporations may give out scholarships to employees who want to go back to school too.

You might look at applying for a web sweepstake giveaway like the ScholarshipZone’s 10k Scholarship. Note this sort of scholarship is NOT a “scholarship” but a sweepstake though.

How to Apply for a Scholarship?

It can be tricky getting a scholarship. Basically, you need to fill out as many scholarship applications as possible. This can be time consuming, but potentially lucrative. You also need to (usually) have good grades. While you may be able to qualify for some scholarships without good grades, the vast majority of the traditional scholarships reward academic excellence. You should start by educating yourself how to properly fill out a scholarship application. There are web tutorials on the subject and there are countless books written on how to write a scholarship application. Indeed, do yourself a favor and buy “how to get a scholarship” book on amazon or check one out from the library. There is quite an art to applying for a scholarship; knowing what to do can do a great deal towards helping you qualify for one.

The one sure piece of advice I can offer to you moms looking to get a scholarship is that you need to apply for as many of them as you can. Don’t apply for a couple and thing you are going to be assured any money. You need to get your hands on as many applications and start shooting them off. You should be able to grab a list of current scholarships from any college financial aid office (call them or visit the school’s website). And don’t forget to try your hand at the web-based scholarship giveaways either.

Government Financial Help Programs for Single Mothers

No doubt as a single mom, you are looking for some concrete financial aid programs that you can apply for. There are a lot of websites out there that just give fluff information that doesn’t help you get the help you need. Now, are there some legit government aid programs? The answer is yes, the government makes available some aid programs for the needy. The thing is, many of these programs are scattered around and it’s up to you to find one that you qualify for. There is no one stop financial help for single mothers application you can just fill out and get home assistance, food assistance, and monetary assistance (in the US…Canada has the welfare program which covers the basic financial and housing needs of every person…),

Food Stamp Program

This is the cornerstone of America’s unofficial welfare program. Each year, millions are given out in food stamps to financially needy families. Chances are, if you are a single mom in need, you will qualify for food stamps from the government.

Note these are only some of the government financial help programs out there. You can find out how to apply for these programs at your local Department of Human Services office. Note that each state has their own DHS website.

Families First/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

A very popular program that gives out small cash funds to families who are in need of money. The program specifically targets families that are struggling to make ends meet. Families that qualify usually have children. Keep in mind that this is not just “free money.” A parent must either work or train for a job for at least 30 hours each week and kids must be put into school and receive all the usual vaccinations kids at that age receive. So you might think of this program as a sort of supplement income for struggling families.

CHIP Program

Stands for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This is a government insurance initiative to provide insurance for every child in every US state. The program is really designed for parents who simply lack the financial resources to pay for medical insurance for their children. The CHIP provides dental, vision, and medical coverage for kids. You pay a very small fee or no fee at all, depending on the situation.

Free or Reduced Meals Program

A large percentage of children only ever eat a properly nutritious meal at a school lunch. The government recognizes this and has developed a meal program to ensure kids get the proper food they need – even if they don’t get it at home. If a family makes less than a certain figure each year, they may qualify for this program. Children of qualified families will get either free or greatly price-reduced meals at lunchtimes.

WIC Program

The Women, Infants, and Children program is one of the more popular and successful government funded programs out there. This program targets financially needy moms. The way the program works is each month, coupons are given out for free items. These coupons can be traded in for basic necessities that children and pregnant/nursing mothers might need. The government backs this program with more funding than most other programs, so it’s easier to qualify for the WIC than other programs.

You may also find more financial help programs at the official government help website. Most of these programs will require you too look at your state assistance website to apply. I’ll try and post a list of state assistance contact info later, but for now, you’ll just have to google for your state’s state assistance info.

Private Financial Help Programs

If you’ve exhausted your government supply of financial help, it’s a good idea to look at what the private sector can offer you. I want to make this clear: you are far more likely to get “aid” in the form of goods and not money. It’s rather unlikely that you are going to find a private organization that’s just going to hand you a wad of cash. It may be possible through some sort of private grant for single mothers, but don’t bank on this. It’s far more likely that you will get  food items, clothing, counseling , job-training, and maybe even a temporary place to stay while you get your life on track. But direct cash? Unlikely.

Here are some potential “private” aid sources you can seek out.

Web-Based Giveaways

I talk a lot about these because it’s a legit way to get some “free stuff.” Now to be clear here, many of the websites that offer something for free are doing so because they eventually want you to buy something. That’s fine, but you can certainly sign up and get the free stuff and not buy anything.

I’ve mentioned the ScholarshipZone 10k Scholarship already, in which you enter into a draw for $10,000 to be used for school.

You can also get free stuff like baby samples of stuff, grocery coupons, etc. by signing up for a FamilyPlanning.com membership (don’t panic, it’s completely free). There are a number of other such website giveaway programs you can find online. It’s worth your time if you can get something free out of it.

Some more web-giveaways that may appeal to moms:

• There is another web giveaway contest where you fill out a survey and then get entered into a $50k scholarship draw for school
• Another survey giveaway where you  get a chance to win a $1500 gas card
• Win a $3500 dollar nursery makeover for you baby by filling out a survey
• Get a Free $250 Gift Card to your Favorite Baby Store
• Get ready for school with $1,500 shopping spree — short survey
• Do You Have a CuteKid? Submit photo for a chance to win 25k if you’re kid is the cutest!
• And here’s one where you fill out survey and get a ton of grocery coupons for online savings

Financial Help for School Programs

If you want to go back to school, it is possible. It’s going to be hard as a single mom to go to college, but if you are willing to put in the work, you can do it. Realistically, as much as we’d love to just say there’s a sure-fire way of getting financial help to pay for ALL of your school, there really isn’t. You are going to probably have to get student loans, government financial aid, work a part time (or full time job), and apply for every scholarship under the sun.

A good place to start is the government financial aid website. Here are a couple useful links to help:

• Government Student Loans
• Government Financial Aid
• FAFSA Website

One possible alternative is to look at getting a degree online. I’m not talking about those bogus degrees where you pay money and get a “degree”, but a real, accredited online university. You can do your coursework from the comfort of your home (at more flexible hours) and it’s MUCH cheaper than attending a regular college. If you are a single mom, you should look into this. We recommend looking at Classes and Careers to help you find an online school. They also offer possible financial aid assistance for students too.

Food Banks for Single Mothers

If you need food and don’t have the cash, you don’t have to starve. One certain way to get some food as a single mother is to visit your local food bank. What is a food bank? It’s basically a center where people donate food. That food is given for free to people in financial need — people like yourself. These are a great resource for moms who need to feed a hungry family. Where to find a foodbank? I’ll compile a list in the future, but for now, you can go here to search for a local foodbank.

Charities for Single Mothers

There are a number of private charity programs. These programs aim at lending a helping hand to the needy — be it in the form of food, clothing, or advice. Many are religious-based.

• Catholic Charities USA
• Salvation Army USA
• The Nurturing Network (Pregnancy Assistance)
• Angle Food Ministries (buy foods for discounted price if you are in financial need)

This list is not exhaustive but rather gives a good overview of some of the more popular charity programs.

Your Local Church/Religious Organization

Many church organizations do offer assistance in the form of women’s shelters, charity aid, free foodstuff and so on. You should do a search in your area for churches and contact them (phone or website) to see if these services are offered. Don’t be too proud to seek out help! These places are a good way to get a helping hand when you need it.

Our Resource List

We have compiled a seriously HUGE resource list for mothers (and single parents) including things like healthcare, food, daycare, and charity that you will no doubt find useful.

Loans for Single Mothers

I generally advise single moms to stay away from loans unless they have a very specific reason why they are taking out a loan: starting a new business or going to school or some sort of temporary emergency. Outside of these reasons, you can land yourself in a world of trouble if you get a loan and don’t repay it. So beware.

Loans and Your Credit History: What’s the Relationship
Loans are also linked with your credit history. Basically the relationship between loans and credit history is this: if you have good credit, you can get hassle free loans with very good interest rates; if you have bad credit, you will (usually) have trouble getting a loan and/or your will get stuck with a very high interest rate. If you have any plans on getting a loan other then a payday or student loan, try,try,try to maintain a good credit score. Generally, good credit is considered a score of 640 and higher. A credit score of 620 is generally the dividing line between good and bad credit. If you don’t know your credit score, you MUST find out to see where you stand. You can check your credit score for free online or you can write a request to all 3 of the major credit score agencies and ask for a report to be sent to you (this can take a while, but it’s free at least). You can request one free one each year from all three major credit agencies (equifax, etc).

There are generally a few basic categories of loans out there.

Payday Loans

These are a big one and popular. These are also called cash advance loans or paycheck loans. In principle they are to “tide” you over between paychecks. You usually write a post dated check to the payday loan company and the company cashes the check at that period. Sometimes you simply take out the loan and make the payment directly. Payday loans do have their place – you can take out a cash advance to pay for some emergency medical/dental procedure or fix up your car so you can go to work. One online payday loan lender that has a good reputation is 60 Minute Payday which is a no credit check online payday loan lender.

Now, it’s imperative that you repay your payday loan as soon as possible. Payday loans have the highest interest rates out of any loans and if you miss payments, it only takes a few months for your interest to overtake the actual principal amount of your loan! If this happens, payday loan consolidation is about the only way you can get out of financial difficult here.

An alternative to a payday loan is to take out a credit card cash advance, which functions like payday loan. However you still pay high interest (usually 19-23 percent or whatever rate your credit card gives out).

The best solution is to usually take out a personal line of credit which has the lowest interest rate. But you ability to do this will often depend on your credit history and relationship with a bank.

Auto Loans

These are loans you can get that will help you buy a car. You get these from an auto loan dealership, bank, or online auto loan company. Credit history here is pretty important since it will determine your interest rate on the loan. If you have bad credit, you may find you cannot take out a traditional loan from a bank or car dealership. If this is the case, you can use an online bad credit auto loan lender.

Home Loans

Also called mortgage loans. It used to be easier to take out these kind of loans, but the 2008-2010 recession has made it extremely difficult to get a mortgage. These days, you need to have really good credit and a solid employment history to get a mortgage loan. There are options if you have bad credit, but very few. If you have good credit and a stable job, then your best bet is to talk to a bank you’ve had a relationship with about your loan options. It’s hard to get credit in this economy with the Great Recession still in full force, but loans are still possible if you meet the now strict requirements.

If you have bad credit and you want a mortgage loan, your best bet will probably the FHA Home Loan. You can check with LendingTree.com to see if you qualify.

If you are a single mother seriously looking at a mortgage, we suggest you read our full blown mortgage guide for single mothers.

Student Loans

The only loans I suggest single moms get are student loans. This is because you don’t have to have any sort of credit history to get a federal student loan (in both Canada and the US). A student loan is also an investment in your education – you get a degree which will help you qualify for a better job and better support your children. Federal student loans have the lowest interest rates out of any loan and have a flexible repayment schedule.

If you are an American, you can apply for federal student loans by filling out the FAFSA application. If you are a Canadian, you can visit the Canada Student Loan Program to apply. There are also a host of private student loans you can apply for such as Signature student loans and Chase student loans (both in the US). Keep in mind, if you want one of these loans, you generally either need to have good credit history or have a cosigner with good credit cosign for you. US Federal Student Loans (and the Canadian version of them) don’t require good credit.

If you have bad credit, then you can look at a private student loan lender who may lend to you despite your credit problems. You can use a service like PrivateStudentLoans.com to help you find such a student loan.

Work at Home Jobs

Another source of financial help for single moms is…the single mom herself. If you can supplement your income with a part time job of sorts, it can make a world of difference. Now, if you are working full time, you might not have time to get another part time job, but there are some work at home opportunities to bring in some extra coin. Here are some ideas:

• Web Content Writer — you write articles for websites. You can hire yourself out on places like RealWritingJobs.com. It’s easy to build up a part time income if you write articles for web sites. If you are a good writer, you can build up a good list of regular clients. It’s freelance work, but you can pay the bills. Keep in mind when you start out, you are going to have to hustle for some work.
• Work At Home Programs (Paid surveys, Online businesses etc)– there are plenty of work at home programs out there that you can try out. Most are complete crap and scams, but a few are legit. I personally recommend looking at the Paid Surveys program. This is basically a program where you are hired online to fill out surveys. Each survey you fil out nets you a certain amount of money — the more you fill out, the more money you make. It’s not a passive income, but if you spend the time, it’s money. Be leery of anything else — I haven’t seen too much out there that’s legit and doesn’t just take your money and offer nothing in return.
• Website Development — this takes some training, but it’s possible to learn how to develop websites and work part time on the side. If you can’t go back to school or do night classes at your local community college, then consider an online university which offers more schedule flexibly than an ordinary school. Websites like FindMyDegree.com are great for matching you with an online school that you can training for a new career (such as website development).
• Internet Marketing — this involves creating websites and marketing products of some sort on them. This is a growing field today with lots of information available online about the topic. It’s takes a lot of time and effort to generate an online income from websites, but it’s possible if you know what you are doing. Again, internet marketing requires some real work ethic and creativity on your part in many cases, but the payoff can be a new, lucrative career. There are a ton of such programs around, but frankly, most of them are crap and scams and you’ll never make a dime. One LEGIT program, if you are keen, is The Keyword Academy. You’ll pay 30 bucks a month to be a member, but it’s the only real online training program out there that actually teachings people how to make a legit living online.

So there we go, probably the web’s finest and most comprehensive article on getting financial assistance for single mothers! I hope you moms found it useful! If you have any more suggestions as to work at home programs of financial aid programs, let me know! Be sure to check out some of the other helpful pages, such as the single mother resources page.

If you are a single mother, you need to decide what sort of help you are looking for. Do you need some quick finanical help to pay off some emergency bills? Are you aiming to go to college or start a business but find yourself unable to because you simply don’t have the money to do so? Or maybe you simply are unable to pay your bills and are living from month to month without knowing how you are going to keep a roof over your head and food on the table for your children.

There are some things you can do to get some single mother aid. Keep in mind that there is NO sure-fire solution out there for you, but you can get some help that might make life easier or make it possible for you to accomplish something to help get you out of your finanical problems.
If you need to get some quick money, consider getting some sort of loan for single moms. Single mother loans are basically payday loans that you can give you some quick money. These are useful to pay some quick bills — maybe fix a car that just broke or cover some emergency bills. However, remember that loans much be repaid. Never take out a loan if you won’t be able to repay it and certainly don’t take out a payday loan if you can’t repay it within a month!

If you want to accomplish something that could change your life — say going to college or starting  business, consider looking at getting some sort of single mother grant. You can get grants for college, grants for business, etc. Grants are offered by the government or by non-profit organizations. You can spend some time looking online for single mother grants — check out any offer you see. It may take a while before you find grants you qualify for, but there certainly may be some out there for you.

You can look at getting some federal welfare aid as well. Welfare can help you make ends meet, if you don’t have enough money to pay some of the bills. Keep in mind there are specific sets of criteria that you will have to meet if you want welfare assistance. Welfare is only temporary help as well, so don’t bank on it as being a long term solution to your finanical woes.

There may also be some charity programs you can look at. Charities may offer single mothers in need things like toys, food, clothing, and even shelter in some cases. It can be difficult to swallow your pride and seek help from a charity, but that’s what these programs are for. It’s more important that you give your children comfort and clothing than keep pride.

You might want to consider getting some part time job. There are different job opportunities out there. While you may already be working full time, you can look at getting into some sort of work at home job opportunities. The internet does have jobs for moms that you might be able to find, if you do some searching online. Remember, if you feel like there is no single mother assistance available, don’t give up!
Single mom assistance is there for moms in need, you just have to search. Whatever you do, don’t ever give up!

Times are tough, money is scarce, and the economy is predicted to remain bad for years to come. Single mothers are some of the most vulnerable people to a bad economy. Why? Single moms typically don’t have good jobs and are burdened with the responsibility of children. For most mothers who are making their own way in life, the future can be bleak indeed. But, it doesn’t have to be this case. Single mother assistance is out there for moms who just need a bit of a helping hand.

Single mother assistance can come in the form of peer help, financial help, or just simple advice, such as this website offers. The one thing we have to stress to mothers looking for help is that YOU are going to have to take responsibility for your life. If you are waiting for handouts or someone to save you, you are going to wait a long time.

The best way to get assistance as a single mother is to find it yourself. If you are a struggling mother, you probably know this better than anyone else. Just because you need help, doesn’t mean the government or anyone else is going to bang down your door to offer you the help you need. You are going to have to get out there and seek out that help yourself.

Fortunately, for those mothers who are willing to spend time seeking the help they need, there is help. Many single moms have often been abused and are in need of emotional help. There are all sorts of programs that can help you – battered women shelters, religious groups offering aid for single mothers in need, and government-sponsored peer support. The best way to find these centers are to look online and search out what sort of single mother help is offered in your area.

If you are looking for single mother financial assistance, there is plenty to be had if you spend the time looking around for it. One of the best sources for single mother assistance is that actual government. You can get health insurance, grants, financial aid for school, and even housing assistance in some cases.

Let’s look at some of the options for single mother help.

Health Insurance for Single Mothers

No doubt as a single mother, the health of both you and your children is pretty important. If your kids get sick and you don’t have the money, it can be absolutely terrifying. The good news is there are some government health insurance programs that can give your children basic health care. There are also some cheap health insurance options offered by private companies  that can save you money off regular insurance.

For single mother health insurance programs, there are basically two government options:

• State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – This government program gives funds to states that have approved programs that provide health insurance to uninsured children. Children (who are not insured) up to the age of 19 may be covered with this program. For families that don’t meet Medicaid’s income requirements may qualify for SCHIP.

• Medicaid — The main government health-insurance for low-income families. To qualify you may have one of the following: high medical bills, you recieve Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you are considered a low income and meet the government-qualifications.

Government Grant Assistance for Single Mothers

Grants are actually a much misunderstood form of government support. Some people assume that grants are just freely given out by the government. This is partially untrue. Grants are free, yes, but you have to qualify for them first and then you have to apply for them. Even then, there is no guarantee that you get grant approval.

Grants are really designed for a single purpose – to help someone accomplish something specific. This is why you see many business grants, school grants, or home improvement grants. The government’s reasoning is that grants can be used to improve a person’s productivity in some way, or allow a person to accomplish something that will help improve their life in some way (and reduce the chance of needing future government help).

Now there are actually very few government grants for individuals outside of education. But there are a whole wack of state grants and financial assistance programs that a single mother, being a low income individual in most cases, may qualify for.

The best way to find government grants for single mothers is to look to see what sort of state assistance you can find. You can also do your own search online and check out any grant offers you discover on your own from private sources. It’s important that you look at as many grant offers you spot online as possible. The more grants you look at, the more of a chance you will find a grant that you actually qualify for, and the more grants you can apply for. Basically, the more grants you send out, the higher the chance you have of getting grant funding you need.

Here are a few well known state assistance programs single moms can take advantage of.

Families First/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families — A government program that hands out cash (usually small sums) to needy families. To qualify, you must work at least 30 hours a week or participate in some kind of job training program.

Free or Reduced Meals Program — The government believes that every child should have the nutrition they need to grow up healthy. Surveys show that for some children, the only proper nutrition they get in their diet is at school. The Free or Reduced Meals program provides low income families free or reduced school lunch meals.

WIC Program– For this program, the government gives out coupons each month to needy families. The coupons change each month and aim to deliver items that pregnant women or young children need.

Food Stamps–One of the oldest federal assistance programs and one of the most popular. Food stamps provide needy families with a means to supplement their food through government assistance.

Besides government grants, there are private grants to be had too – so don’t just limit yourself to looking at the government websites. Private grants are typically harder to qualify for – at least the popular ones are – but its well worth your time checking some of them out and sending in an application. If you really spend some time looking around for private grants for mothers, you can sometimes turn up grants few other people know about. These hard to find grants can really be golden because you stand a very good chance of getting the money. Grants, when used for the right purpose like getting an education, can be a great source for single mother assistance.

Education Assistance for Single Mothers

For single mothers wanting to get an education, there are a whole wack of programs out there to take advantage of. The government loves funding education because it’s one of the best paths to improving an individual’s economic situation while reducing reliance on government help programs. If you are a single mother in need of school financial aid, here area couple programs to take advantage of.

• Stafford Student Loans — The backbone Federal Student Loan program
• Perkins Student Loans — Another federal student loan
• Pell Grant — Free grant money for low income students

To qualify for government financial aid, you MUST fill out the FAFSA application.

There are also a whole range of private financial aid programs low-income students can take advantage of. For example, single mothers may look at applying for the ScholarshipZone 10k Scholarship program which offers a $10,000 draw every month.

Housing Assistance for Single Mothers

The government also provides housing assistance programs. These may be in the form of housing vouchers, grants for buying a new home, or even low-income housing options. For more information you should check out the government’s HUD webpage.

Final Word on Single Mother Assistance

As a single mother looking for help, you don’t need to be afraid that there are no resources to help you out. There are plenty of resources. Your best bet is to use the internet to aid your search for single mother help. Look for grants, scholarships, and other financial aid  sources. Make sure you visit website dedicated to giving free advice for single mothers. Join a community of like-minded mothers. You can find a lot of help out there if you just look. Single mother assistance is possible — you just need to look.

One of the biggest issues a single mother faces is the issue of money. As single mother, money is scarce – I know it was for me. The reason is that us single moms tent to be working jobs that pay minimum wage. Raising a family on minimum wage and by yourself is tough – very tough. Nickels and dimes mean a big deal if you are in this situation.

The temptation here is to look for some easy solution; some quick wade of cash that will solve your problem. However, most moms fail to look at the long term solution – how to fix your financial problems for good. It all comes down to having a better job.

If you can get a career job as a single mother, many of your financial problems will disappear. However, getting such a job can be all but impossible unless you go back to school or get some sort of job training program.

You may wonder how you can pay for this type of program. The answer is by seeking out single mother college scholarships and single mother college grants. I was able to attend school without paying a cent of my own money, just from the variety of scholarships and grants I found. I want to spend this article talking about how to pay for college as a single mother. Getting a college education is tough, but it’s also one of the best ways to ensure that you actually get a good paying job.

Basically, you have three financial aid for single mother options out there: student loans for single mothers, grants for single mothers, and scholarships for single mothers. Many people opt to take out student loans. The government, through it’s federal student loan program, offers some very good student loans. The Stafford loan and the perkin loans are very generous in terms of the interest rates. However, as a struggling mother, paying back a huge loan is not the ideal situation. An alternative is to look at getting both private government grants and scholarships. Some of these financial aid packages will be for single mothers and some will be general ones.

However, you need to apply for as many of these as possible to ensure you get as much funding as possible. I found the government grants for single moms particularly easy to apply for. You can visit the official government website to look for these. Private grants and scholarships are often offered by the college you wish to attend, or by some 3rd party – usually a non profit organization. I managed to receive quite a lot of grant and scholarship funding by doing a search online and checking out every single scholarship and grant offer I found, then applying for it. Most of the time, I did not get the grant or scholarship, but once in a while, I would. These “once in a whiles” really started to add up.

My advice for you all mothers looking for single mother assistance is to be proactive in your search for help. Don’t just sit around and wait for help to fall in your lap. Think about the long term solution to your problems and actively work for it. In my case, college proved to be what I needed to ensure a financial future for myself and my two children. Your situation may be different, but at the end of the day, you will need to take some decisive action – go back to college, look for a better job, actively hunt down grants and scholarships, etc. Don’t give up though – you can improve your situation!

If you are looking specifically for housing assistance for single mothers, we suggest you read our housing resources for single moms article — there is a huge list of links and phone numbers of organizations that can help you.