How would you get out of poverty if you were me?

[Fedupandpoor]

I am 36, two children under 6 and a single parent. Ex DP is useless. I have no family, no proper qualifications and no savings of any kind.

I am so fucking sick of being poor and struggling by on UC and minimum wage jobs. I want a good life for my kids, not rich but comfortable and not having to choose between heat and food.

What is the quickest and best way to dig myself out of this hole? My passion is fitness, yoga, meditation, sewing and alternative health. I have started teaching a kids fitness group that I absolutely love but it brings in pennies. I have another training booked in April to teach the same thing but to children with additional needs, however as I have no reliable childcare it is difficult to run many classes.

What would you do if you were me? Is there anyone who has been in my situation that managed to break out? Before anyone jumps on to lecture me about why I had kids and got into this situation, I know it was fucking stupid. I can only put it down to a horribly abusive childhood and then abusive ex partner as well as my own stupidity. But I've dealt with that shit now and it's time to move on

First, recognise that this level of poverty is temporary. You will have much more freedom once both DC are in school.

The kids' fitness club sounds like a good start. Use the club that 'brings in pennies' to refine what you do with them. Organise a weekly plan that shows growth and development, then market it in wealthier local areas for a much higher price. You could put togther packages for schools and youth clubs, youth detention centres, care homes etc, that combine yoga and meditation. Plan them carefully, try them out on willing guinea pig mates' children or offer to do a trial session at DC's nursery or school. Once the plan is slick, you can offer bespoke versions: 'Pre-exam nerve-calmer sessions' might be popular. Be flexible. Offer to run classes on-site but also look into hiring a church hall or community centre. Do one-off visits for a fee to Scouts, Youth Clubs, Drama groups. Apply to be a regular lunchtime tutor in yoga and meditation at local well-established private schools, were funding is less of an issue. Look out for ads for summer schemes and forest schools that need specialist tutors.

If it's your own fitness plan, you could consider setting up as a club and franchising. You'd need to sort out precisely what is done in each lesson and create some strong branding materials to do this, which will cost a lot of time and some money (not much money at first and grants are available for start up businesses in lots of areas) The franchisees will be passive income for you, eventually.

Another option is to join a big organisation and make it clear you are ambitious. Loads of people work at supermarkets or in chain shops and restaurants and see it as a dead end job, If you turn up early, well-groomed, switched on, charm the management, come up with ideas at meetings, always say hello to higher management when they visit and express strong interest in all training, then apply to the company as a management trainee, you could do really well, eventually. You;d need strong childcare in place for this.

A third option is to do fewer hours for more money than most people get.

Doh. Sorry - that third option looks like a joke. I meant to add. To do this, you could specilaise in a very niche but useful version of what you already do. You mention SEN yoga - that sort of thing might bring in a higher hourly rate, although you'd have far fewer clients. But if you are tutoring in yoga one-to-one you can charge at least double the minimum wage, so need fewer clients to bring in the money, if that makes sense.

I got my self out of poverty by working in a call centre from home. Not everyone fave job, but it pays well, can fit around my kids for the most part and some nice perks.

They are now paying my college tuition to study at night so I can progress, either with them or another company.

The best way to get out of poverty is to get secure dependable work. Passions are great, they are, but sometimes we have to suck it up and do what we can to first survive, then once you are in a tenable position, review.

I think seltab has it: marry a nice rich man. My friend is a lp of teens and has no interest in sharing her life with anyone but is seriously considering how to get a nice rich man as security for her older age.

OP, get the CV ready and keep applying for any part time job u can find on online portals within 10 or so miles from you, also look and register on companies websites that work by phone, eg insurance, customer service, travel etc to allow u to work from home.

@SnipSnipMrBurgess, snap :)

I've been looking for work & I'm finding more and more FT jobs advertised for 8:30 - 5:30pm

But if you had someone to get your school aged children breakfast and to school each morning and collected fed tea and ad their homework all done in the evening it would ease the pressure and make everything more doable.

I work for a psychic text messaging service from home. You don’t need to know a lot about tarot to be honest. Pays 36p per 3 text messages and they’re mad busy all the
Time. Also could try the sex lines if you’re up for a bit of filthy talk but never done that so no advice 😜

Should have said it’s psychic and tarot. Just realised my post doesn’t make sense!

@SuperMeerkat Could you pm me the details please? I am on Cloudworkers but its quite draining to be honest 😕

Lol at the people telling me to find a nice rich man! 😂 No thank you, I'll take the long hard slog before I move my kids in with some guy I'm only interested in for his bank account.

Some really helpful suggestions on here. I think I'm going to give the kids classes 6 more months, plus add some other things like swimming lessons, craft classes as other people have suggested. I have an awesome work coach through UC who is supporting me through the self employment and I haven't been hit with the minimum income floor yet. If its a non starter then entry level job and retraining it is