How to Get Financial Help for a Father Raising Children
Although the number of single fathers in the United States is far less than the amount of single mothers, many single male parents are left trying to find a way to provide for their children through tough financial times. Unfortunately, many resources are set up solely for single mothers. More organizations are starting to recognize the vital role of single fathers in the family, but financial resources are still few and far between. Single fathers can help themselves by taking a close look at their monthly budgets or by contacting government agencies or community groups devoted to single parents.
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Instructions
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Keep a daily budget in a notebook, detailing your income and your expenses for a defined period To get an accurate reading on your budget, you should maintain this budgetary notebook for at least one month up to as much as three months.
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Change your spending habits to cut out unnecessary costs. Don't worry about curbing food or shelter costs, unless you believe you can cut down on eating out or you can move to an apartment or house with a lower monthly payment. One possible way to cut expenses is by restricting your cellphone plan to the most basic features.
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Apply for governmental financial aid programs for low-income families. These programs include food stamps and free or reduced price school lunches, both available through your state and overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Heating assistance for low-income families is available through the Department of Health and Human Services through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. Contact a local office of any of these agencies to apply.
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Contact organizations dedicated to providing resources to single fathers. These include Parents Without Partners, the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, and United Fathers of America. Many of these groups offer financial resources to single fathers who need money to provide for their children.
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Utilize community resources offering financial assistance to low-income families. These include food banks; pawn stores, which may offer some money for items you no longer use; and local YMCAs, which may offer shelter if your family cannot make ends meet. You can identify community resources such as these by calling the "2-1-1" health care and human services referral phone number active throughout most of the United States.
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References
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