Being notified that your child support or alimony is being lowered or eliminated is usually a shocking and scary situation even when you knew it would happen "one day". That money becomes part of the household budget just as much as a paycheck does, therefore it is like getting a huge cut in pay.
It is almost like being laid off except that you cannot get unemployment. If your job skills were put on the back burner during your marriage you are probably still not earning up to par with your peers who did not choose a career in motherhood so the cut is going to hurt.
You may have to move to a smaller place which may feel horrible if you currently provide room and board to your children. The truth is, most of us spend what we earn. Unless you're one of the 5% of the population earning over 250K a year, we spend our money on what we call the basics. But how much of your expenditures really are basics? How much are just things we're used to paying for?
Most of us with income from a job plus child support and/or alimony spend what we bring in.
Possible cuts from your current budget could include:
Cable TV and Internet
Check to see if you can get free wireless in your area. Many areas offer this now.
Cell Phones
Believe it or not Cell Phones are not necessities. Not for each person to have their own with unlimited talking and texting. You can get a couple of pre-paid phones and only use them in emergencies. This could cut huge chunk out of your monthly budget.
Car Pool
Get rid of any extra vehicles or pay off the ones you have. This will further save money on insurance because you will no longer need full coverage.
Allow working kids to pay their own way
Most kids in America do not get free cars from mommy and daddy. This is actually a rare occurrence. Encourage your children to save their money from jobs to buy their own vehicle. Not only will this save you money, this will create responsible adults.
Stop Eating Out
Create a Junk Night at Home instead of eating out. Eating out is bad for not only your wallet but for the scale too. Make eating in fun by getting everyone involved. Make personal pizzas, have a bake potato bar, be creative.
Downsize your home
Most people live in homes and apartments twice the size as most people raised huge families in during the depression. You can save on energy costs, mortgage costs, rent, and more by downsizing to only what you need.
Go back to school
If your income is low enough you may qualify for financial aid. More education could increase your earning capabilities. Also, if you have children in college, it could increase the amount they get for financial aid too by having more members of the family in college.
Get a part time job
Get a waitressing job on the weekends. If your children are older they're likely not around much anyway. This would get you out of the house and bring in some extra money too.
Remember, there is nothing wrong with asking adult children who are out of high school to contribute to their own costs in terms of, cars, insurance, cell phones, food, and rent. This will teach them responsibility and truly make them adults.
Furthermore, since your ex has now gotten a raise in what they're used to having each month, the children can now go to their other parent for extra needs that you cannot afford.
Tips for Dealing With Money Issues
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