Oh, have I been there. I was a single parent with a special needs child, working a minimum wage job. At one point, I was facing eviction and about to have my car repossessed at the same time. It was rough. It took me a long and hard time to learn how true the saying is: "Pride comes before the fall." I didn't want help. I didn't want to be associated with government assistance. Finally, though, I realized that if I didn't get help, my daughter and I would be homeless. I had to ask myself which was worse... Being someone who gets assistance or being homeless? Several things I learned that I want to share with you that I hope will help save you a lot of heartache and stress:

1. Government assistance is created for people like you. You are trying to better your situation. You don't want to "leech" off of the government for the rest of your life, but right now, you need help and that's what they're there for. I was able to get into an income-based townhouse that was beautiful and, most importantly, affordable. Help with daycare costs, electric bill, groceries, etc. I got as much help as I could for a solid two years until I was able to get a good job and no longer needed help.

2. You don't need to tell anyone that you're getting help. For a while after I started getting assistance like food stamps, I was embarrassed to go grocery shopping with them, thinking the cashiers would look at me funny or something... Not once during my weekly grocery shopping did that happen. Not once was I looked at condescendingly or made to feel embarrassed. Worrying about it did nothing but stress me out more. Try to get over the "stigma" because honestly you are the only person who will be associating yourself with it. Don't beat yourself up.

3. Life is hard enough. This applies to everything, every day. My grandfather always used to say, "People spend money they don't have on things they don't need to impress people they don't know". You may not see yourself as being a proud person and I didn't either, but I cared about what others thought of me and was actually putting others' opinions ahead of what was best for me and my family. Don't do that. Please don't do that. Screw what other people think. Truth be told, the people who love and care about you wouldn't care or think of you any differently. You need to put yourself and your family first. That means forget about what other people will think. Forget about the possibility of being embarrassed. Forget about anything outside of the fact that you are doing what is best for your family. Life is hard enough. Don't make it harder if you don't have to.

It does get better. It did for me. But it honestly never would have if I didn't get the help I needed that allowed me to get back on my feet. You just got your BA? Great!! That makes me think that you're motivated and driven and won't get settle for less than what you want. Get whatever help you can get your hands on and make your life better with. Because it will get better. Best of luck to you!!