I am a single mum of three gorgeous children and have been for approximately 5 years.
My youngest is turning 8 this year and I will be transferred from the single parent pension to the dreaded newstart payments.
It's quite a lot of money difference for an already struggling family. (approx $180 less a fortnight)
My question is how did other single parents cope with this? What changes did you make to accomodate the drop in money?
I also live in a high unemployment area.
Obviously get a job is easier said and done with my current location.
Sole parent pension to Newstart
Sole parent pension to Newstart
Posted in:
Money
4 Replies
It's tough I watched my sister go through this. Luckily for her it didn't take much longer to find work.
Make sure if you are renting that your rental is as cheap as you can get it. Start living now as if you are on Newstart. Get out of any payment plans you can now, mobile phone, Internet, car, assess it all now.
Is there an industry in your area that is employing? If so train in that. If you can move to an area that has better employment with out upsetting care arrangements etc then do it.
Make sure you are claiming all the discounts your are entitled to. Rego, power etc.
Trying to work 3 or 4 days a week, five once all kids are in school. Will have to see what leaves me best off financially.
This was such a hard thing I went through and I worked but with pension I always got a little each fortnight as my work pay wasn't over the thresh hold to not get anything and then newstart happened.... which thresh hold is much lower so I would get paid $600 a week after tax and that had to pay a mortgage, bills, fuel, food. what a shock it was to live off nothing at all, living week to week and going days with $0
I can't get over the fact that they changed it from 12 to 8 as you can leave a 12 year old at home but you can't leave a 8 year old alone.
I don't have any advice, I would try any job even to working at a super market during school hours, its hard being a single parent. Hope it works out for you
I wish they would put politicians in our shoes especially ones who cut back on things like this, the poor old aged pensioners who have to pay rent... I don't know how they live!
There is a FB page called "parenting payments for parents kit Newstart" you might find more supportive answers there