Its hard being a single mummy and making the right choices!

[happyhappymummy]

Im a single mum to 3 children and at the moment not working.
When my husband left i was forced to give up my job as I was paying out more in childcare than i was earning.
My ex has stopped paying his half of the mortgage and pays me £9.98 a week maintainance.
The children go to him every other weekend and thats the only input he has for their upbringing.
Im now in arreas and have a certain amount of time to start paying my mortgage, int only is out of the question as Iv been on this for 3 years and they are not willing to extend.
My youngest starts school in september and was hoing to complete a hairdressing course to be able to earn money when qualified.
I cant work aswell as the course is full time. If I do
Do I give up on my hopes of being a hairdresser and work instead? (no qualifications) so it will be a super market or warehouse or something. This line of work I have always done whilst bringing up the children and was waiting for the opportunity (youngest to go to school) to do something want to do.
I have been looking forward to starting college and one day was hoping to teach hairdressing, long term goal.
At the moment I get my int paid for me so going back to college I will still get this and just find the capital. If I work I have to find int and capital.
Hmm anyone confused yet?
I make sense to myself.
I guess I would just like to here from some friendly single mummies who may have been in the same position and can give me some words of hope maybe?

Happy - you say everyone needs a hairdresser but not me, I cut my own in the mirror
But as it happens I was in the home of someone today who I don't know very well but she is a hairdresser and as the subject was fresh in my mind I took note of the fact that she has her own home and a nice car and takes foreign holidays etc so I would call that a good standard of living.
So when you are qualified you can come and tidy up my barnet

Haha you do? Good for you me too :)
Oh really? Ha see there is hope for me yet!
Ha of course I will :)

Happy.. Get a job, ANY job, as long as you are working at least 16 hours a week your financial situation will improve considerably because you will be getting tax credits and also help to pay for the childcare.

Some mortgage providers also consider tax credits income when calculating affordability. So, depending in your circumstances you may manage to stay put.

The fact that you are a school leaver also puts you in a good position to get additional funding for training (not because your are a school leaver but because you still have not used your "right" to get a qualification)

Piglet...Thanks :) If I work 16 hours I wouldnt be able to do my course at college, well I probably could but aswell as juggling 3 children it would be very hard as the work would have to be evenings and its difficult to get childcare then. I have asked my ex but he wont do it.
Also I will have to pay full mortgage as dwp wont pay if Im working and with 9.98 maintainance I could never meet the full mortgage.

I think it can be very difficult and there are always greater obstructions if you are a single parent. Like you my ex never paid towards the mortgage before and after she moved out even though she worked full time as well and I have always had the children to look after. She also went for every penny she could (even though it was her that had done wrong) and in 4 years she hasn't paid a penny toward the children. Thankfully, I had a good job so managed. However, my job was merged with another to create a higher paid job but I had to turn it down (and take a demotion) as I was already working 55 hours per week as well as looking after my DS with AD and all the meetings and extra work and difficulties that brings. Since then we have all had our hours extended with no extra pay so I am now having to go part time (50 hours per week!) just so I can fit everything in again. I think all anybody can aim for is do everything you can to increase the options open to you but

Happy, I wrote a long message and then it got deleted but please check the following to websites:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/DG_10033133

www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/entitlementcalculator.aspx (enter your info as a non working parent, and then do it a second time with information as if you were working (minimum salary for over 21s, working 16 hrs a week is £5060 aprox per year)

With the information on hand you can decide whether you want to study only, whether you want to work, or whether you want to do both in a part time basis.

The only thing I can say is that it is stressful to study and be a single parent, but things are a little bit brighter the better you are financially speaking.

Andy6.. Im sorry to hear its been a struggle for you too. I wish you all the luck and well done for doing it alone. Its a tough job :)
Piglet.. Aw thankyou so much I will take a look :)