Single Mom Who Works 'Every Single Day' & Only Gets $300 In Child Support Says She Can't Afford To Live
"I am tired of working myself to death just to pay bills."
@tfnymomof2 / TikTok via Canva Parenting as a single mother is arguably one of the most difficult tasks to take on, and those who were raised by one know that having any semblance of financial stability was something out of a fairy tale. Unfortunately, fairy tales don’t exist, but the real world does — and it’s been pretty harsh on single moms like Tiffany Barker who hardly get a day off from work just so she can support her two children.
Barker, a single mother of two, works ‘every single day’ but says she can’t afford to live.
Florida resident Tiffany Barker, 34, recently shared a video on TikTok expressing her concerns about the current state of the U.S. economy and how it has made it acutely difficult to navigate life as a single parent with two children.
Trying to balance work, leisure, and family time without a partner to pick up the slack undoubtedly comes with its barrel of challenges, and Barker is no exception to the rule.
“When are things going to go back to where you can work and support your family without [expletive] stressing out?” Barker says. “Seriously, my bills alone are 3,000 dollars a month.”
Additionally, Barker only receives $300 a month in child support meant to account for both of her children, but when considering the fact that, on average, groceries can range from $250 to $550 a month for just one person living in the U.S., one could hardly call this a means of support.
“I can’t do this anymore. I work every single day. I get, maybe, a day off,” Barker states, and if she’s lucky, she might even get two days off during the week.
As if dealing with skyrocketing living expenses isn’t enough, the 34-year-old contends with other out-of-pocket medical expenses as expressed in her video, claiming that she forgot to pay for her daughter’s braces, which typically costs around four to seven grand (and that’s without insurance). She says, “And now I have to bring her in for them to remove them because I can’t afford to pay it all off at once.”
The mom declares that ‘something needs to be done’ regarding the U.S. economy’s detestable inflation rate.
Barker lives in Cape Coral, Florida, where housing expenses have been reported to be 18% higher than the national average along with utilities, which are 3% higher, plus the upward cost of groceries.
Overall, things don’t seem to be going in Barker’s favor, along with the majority of Americans and other single parents who are struggling to make ends meet.
Barker extends her argument into another video, stating, “Everything is too expensive — that’s my point. And yes, I am tired of working myself to death just to pay bills. But I’m not the only one that feels this way.”
Inflation has made it harder for single parents to raise their children.
Simply put, inflation is the rate at which the prices of goods and services rise and become, as Baker explains, “too expensive.” In the U.S., the rising inflation level has introduced an array of obstacles for single parents trying to provide a stable upbringing for their children.
On top of that, many single parents, moms in particular — 80% of single-parent households are run by mothers — have been faced with the repercussions of receiving little to no child support to provide fundamental necessities for their kids. This subsequently leaves numerous mothers to come up with ways to minimize costs in order to stay afloat.
In essence, people are worried about what the rising costs might mean for their ability to raise their children. That’s why it’s important to offer support, compassion, and solidarity, because let’s face it, times are tough and it’s hard doing everything on your own.
Xiomara Demarchi is a writer based in New York and a frequent contributor to YourTango’s news and entertainment team. Keep up with them on Instagram.