Do you ever feel like you should have stayed married (to a emotionless a-hole) because life is a financial struggle? How do single parents live?

[Leapoffaith00]

Working tax has been scrapped and the more I earn the more they take.
Today is one of those days I want to escape for a few hours but I know I can't - Left my 2 dd's arguing to pop to the shops....now sat in the supermarket carpark - checking my bank balance (for the 5th time this week) before I go in to get some food. I could cry!
I have absolutely no savings. Christmas goes on a credit card which I never pay back.
I sometimes wished I'd stayed married to have two incomes - then I'd be able to take my dd's on holiday - afford to go out and buy something they needed when they needed it. It's depressing.
Is this it forever?
I don't want to sound like a moany pants. We have our health and a roof over our heads but its exhausting trying to keep up. Especially when my dd's friends have the newest pair of trainers, going on holiday, shopping etc etc....

Can you find ways to increase your income? I am a single parent. My dc share a room and the 3rd room is rented out. I have a small part time job on top of my regular job. I sell stuff we don't use any more. I do a bit of cash in hand work occasionally. It all helps.
I feel your pain I really do! But I'd still rather this than my marriage.

Does your ex pay maintenance? I'm a single mum but I do get tax credits (not a lot) but if I went full time I would get nothing so I'm better off working part-time. I get maintenance from my ex but its not the full amount but I manage ok.
Do you own or rent? Could you get something cheaper?

Thankyou for your messages :)
I do recieve maintenance.
I have recently qualified as a mental health nurse but not found a job that fits in with childcare. I don't have any support in that way. So now I'm banking in nurseries which is slightly above national minimum wage.
I have lowered my interest rate on my mortgage so saved 100 pound however pay out a bit on credit cards. I don't have the space to rent a room out otherwise I would. I'm trying to set up an eBay account to start selling things as this is a good idea.
I feel guilty that I can't offer the things that some of my dd's friends do. There is always something to pay for. Sometimes it all gets too much.

I've never been married and brought my teen up entirely alone, work full time with no maintenance. Always skint, no money for holidays, tax credits constantly being cut back. It's difficult but I can afford the necessities so in that respect I'm better off than some. Always hearing of other people's fancy holidays, meals out, expensive household items, makes me feel inadequate.
No advice sorry but I feel your pain! X

I feel your pain leap as also a lp and have had a couple of terrible months as I didnt realise and have just gone over the threshold so can no longer defer my student loan which now I am repaying it means I have £130 per month less. My tax credits have also gone down a lot.
I have been seriously skrimping this month and doing online surveys has saved my bacon. I have made about £50 in the past 3 weeks £20 in cash to my bank account and the other £30 in Amazon vouchers. it's quite time consuming but am doing it for a couple of hours a day and its building up nicely. Money saving expert has a link to swagbucks where if you get a certain amount of point in 4 weeks then you get a £15 bonus so is definitely worth doing that. I am planning on storing up the Amazon vouchers and using them for Christmas.
The £20 cash I've had to use to stop my bank acct going overdrawn but will try to save money in PayPal for xmas/birthdays too. I am using swagbucks, prolific and panelbase and would definitely recommend as you can fit it in to everyday life and are not committed time wise.
I am also considering doing matched betting but need a spare £10 to start that and dont have that at the moment.