I was a single divorced mom with no child support, not gov’t support, for 10 years, I made to much @ $3.50 an hr in a wire harness plant to qualify for even food stamps.
So we lived off rummage sales for clothes, only new things I bought were on sale shoes, socks and underwear.
And of course the better stuff came off the minute they came home from school and play clothes went on. They slept in their under wear in the summer, and home made flannel pj’s in the winter.
And they had sack lunches of Pb & J, with a small bag of cheap chips...from a larger bag, and money paid weekly for a half pint of milk.
Mine are grown now, and grands are getting grooming aides that I bought for the Register Rewards, which I bought toilet paper with, or other items needed. None of the things cost more than a $1 or more with the use of coupons. But will amount up to a lot by the time Christmas rolls around, they may not like it, but the ones in their 20-30 age range will, as it will be less out of their pocket for those items.
Right there with ya.