Putting life in order helps keep harmonious households
December 28, 2012
Have you ever gone to the store to buy something, only to come home and find the same product tucked in a random corner of the kitchen? Or maybe you replaced something you thought was broken but it turned out it was just in need of new batteries? Keeping a neat, organized household can be hard for single moms trying to balance home, school, work and kids, but it's also essential for making sure that budgets are maintained. Buying the same thing two or three times can put an added strain on family savings if there's no need for more than one such item.
Grants for single parents can help keep school on track, but an organized home is what's needed for a well-balanced budget. Letting things get messy or out of hand means extra time spent later trying to wrangle the chaos, which amounts to fewer hours spent studying, playing with kids or getting work done.
The benefits of a well-kept home
Living On A Dime wrote that a disorganized house can even be a detriment to a single mom's job. If there isn't an established place for keys, purse, wallet and coat, finding these things every morning before heading out the door will take longer, causing mom to feel rushed, ill at ease and possibly late to the office. Showing up after scheduled start times enough can put that position at risk. The same goes for school - not all teachers will tolerate persistent tardiness.
Getting the house in order doesn't just mean tidying up and putting everything away. It can also include making shopping lists, cleaning out the fridge and reducing bills that don't need to be so high. The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) recommended cutting cable and home phone balances by removing services that aren't frequently used or required for daily life. Some moms may work remotely or take classes online, so internet access may be the only thing they actually need. Using energy-efficient bulbs, hanging laundry instead of using the dryer and having a regimented shopping list can ensure that not a penny is wasted in monthly budgets.
Lastly, if there are already outstanding debts, the CBN wrote that it's best to work those into existing budgets and plan to pay them off as soon as possible. While financial aid for moms can go a long way, having a bad credit score or too many unpaid bills can make getting additional education loans difficult.
