Stuck in a financial rut

If you've just had a baby, hold on. Stay put, raise your baby and aim for work when you're ready, maybe around 1? Then get daycare and after school care and you can go to work. Or a few night shifts. It'll change when you get onto two incomes.
For now maybe you could put an ad up locally to do washing ironing mow yards and try to get an extra hundred a week when the time suits you.

There's a decent wage involved so there's money to budget. There's free simple budgeting websites online that show you some basic set ups and when you punch in your income and outgoing details and it shows if you're in the red or in the black each week, and it helps a lot to see where the money is going and where cuts can be made. I still go back and use them sometimes if I have a major purchase coming up, or considering a loan etc to make sure I can afford to lose the payment amount. Depending on where you are, the age of your kids and what's available, outings may still be achievable on a budget. Library for kids story time, vegemite sandwiches and cordial in the park, many museums have free days or at least free sections and you'd be surprised how many museums there are in the oddest of places. Op shop clothes are like brand new for me, if I haven't worn it before it's new haha, and kids grow so fast that second hand is a better way to go I reckon. I hate waste so I'll go op shopping for most clothes (except underwear, socks etc) before I even look at going near a clothing store. Food wise, again, what's in your area? I know heaps of people with chooks so free range eggs are cheap as, there's 3 meatworks in my area so I can buy meat at a fraction of retail costs, farmers markets/sunday markets for fresh fruit and veg - there are expensive stalls but there's gems amongst them, you've just got to get in early. Food banks are popping up all over the place and they know people are doing it hard so many have even cut the need for a concession card, our local ones offer food boxes from $15 up to food hampers for $65. Much of the food is just out of best before or close to use by but can easily be frozen. If you haven't, join taste.com for cooking ideas. If I can't think what to use something for, or want to do something different with a common ingredient I go onto taste.com and have a look at recipies for ideas. Like for instance I use turkey mince a lot and always do the same things over and over, rissoles or spaghetti. I saw a recipe the other day for turkey and apple burgers! Hell yeah, basically the same as usual for a rissole but add a grated apple. I'm making those today. I grow herbs to save money and the herbs I don't grow I buy cheaply and freeze, they make such a difference to your most basic of ingredients. Do what you can but don't forget to enjoy this time with your kids before you go back to work, money woes can be fixed, you can't get this time back.