Here's What's Hot On CBS11TV.COM:
Nov 10, 2009 10:00 pm US/Central
Author: Single Moms Can Have It All "On A Budget"
NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
-
-
North Texas single mother Michelle Nickleberry.
KTVT / KTXA
Most parents will probably agree; raising children is a full-time job. Now imagine you're doing it alone. One single mom says you can do it all and still have the life you've always dreamed of.
Renee Rayles has never let single motherhood stop her from pursuing her dreams. "I've done anything and everything I've always wanted to do."
Rayles is raising her son, Xavier, while also working on her writing career.
Her latest project is a book called "The Super Single Sexy Mom on a Budget."
Rayles told CBS 11 News, "I want single moms out there to know that you can still go for all your dreams and goals out there. That life is not over, you can look good, you can feel good and you can still be a great mom." Her book offers budget friendly, cost cutting and lifestyle advice for single moms.
We asked Mandy Grazier of Granbury to check out the book and give us her thoughts. "It just felt good to know that other single moms are going through the exact same thing that I was," Grazier said after reading the book.
Grazier is raising two kids and studying for a master's degree. "I have to hold them, do the dishes do the laundry. It's hard to get anything done and keep the house clean," she said.
Rayles has advice to help lighten the load. When it comes to the family budget
she recommends a free website called The Beehive to help manage the bills. Rayles recommends identifying: "What is it that is really a necessity and then working from what is the necessity to what it is that I really can budget."
The website eHealthInsurance can help you find an affordable health care plan. "It's all your major providers and it gives you a way to look and see the different plans," explained Rayles. "If you just need major medical… if you need an insurance that's full coverage… if you need vision or dental."
For family vacations, Rayles says take a cruise. "I can go hang by the pool a little bit, get a massage and come together as a family and everything is already planned."
She says the website VacationsToGo offers some cruises for 50-percent off. And if you don't want to buy online, the cruise line will often match the deal.
Michelle Nickleberry of Forney also read the book. "It has very relevant information," she said.
Nickleberry is raising twin girls, Lexi and Tori, studying for a license in counseling and working as a flight attendant. She says, "There are some days where I need more hours in the day."
Rayles says it's important for single moms to set aside some "me" time every now and then -- to decompress. And Nickleberry recalled one of Rayles' suggestions. "Maybe planning the girl's night out at your house so you don't have to pay for the babysitter and maybe have the kids in another room."
When it comes to dating, Rayles says don't feel guilty. Try lunch dates around your work schedule, and be sure to set some boundaries before you introduce a new man. "Make for certain that it's monogamous and it's serious that it's not just somebody that you're not sure how you feel about."
And our North Texas single moms who read the book say Rayles' advice is right on the mark. Grazier said, "Hold your head up high and know that you're doing what's best for your kids, even if you have to do it alone."
"You're making a better life for you and your children when you go and further your education and you do complete your passions and dreams and goals," Nickleberry added.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Shocking Celebrity Suicides
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
No. 1 Seed Kansas Falls To Northern Iowa 1 hr 1 min ago
Baylor Beats Old Dominion 76-68 In 2nd Round 4 mins ago
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments