Samantha, a single mother, spends 630 euros a month on her children: “I’ve had a fairly chaotic journey”

In this episode of “When we love, we count”, it is Samantha, a single mother of two children aged 5 and 6, who participates in the exercise and opens her stories to us.

The income of Samantha, a single mother of two children aged 5 and 6

• First name : Samantha

• Age : 35 years

• Work : teacher
• Number and age of children: two children aged 5 and 6 years

• Total household net budget: €3237

• Place of living: Brussels (Ganshoren)

Samantha is a single mother of two children aged 5 and 6 with her ex-husband. She has sole custody of him and the three of them now live in Ganshoren, Belgium, in an apartment where she is a tenant.

The town is quite quiet, but close to everything (schools, public transport, grandma, etc.). It is an apartment on the second floor of a small recent building. I have been a tenant here since 2023, but also the owner of a currently unoccupied duplex. The case is pending in court, it is the consequence of the divorce. The gentleman is against the sale and I’m just waiting!

The surface area is approximately 80 m2, and I chose to live here on the one hand for its geographical position, on the other for its recent construction and therefore its good insulation.

I’m not far from my mother who is the only one to help me when I need it (work, private lessons to give, etc.) and it’s quite practical. I am close to all amenities (tram, bus, metro, my work, children’s school, children’s activities, etc.)

Every month Samantha earns everything €3237including his salary of €2549as well as a complement of €150 for the private lessons he gives to students, €328 family allowances e €210 foods.

She spends 1090 € rent, e €995 repayment of a loan for your old house and another for your move. His current bills, including electricity and gas, amount to €215.

Expenses for the care and hygiene of two children aged 5 and 6

After explaining her total income, Samantha shares how much she spends on her kids.

When her first was born, the birth gifts were just clothes and a baby carrier, and Samantha had spent them €2000 for all childcare equipment supplies. She was able to reuse most of the things for her second child.

I fell in love with a vintage stroller I found online and it cost me €500, it seems to me. For the bedroom furniture (with two beds directly) I spent €1000. For clothes I don’t even dare to do the math… And for the rest, like baby bottles and various equipment, I spent around €500.

Hygiene sideSamantha estimates she spends a budget of €25 specific conditioner every month for children with atopic-prone skin. For the rest of the cleaning products they all use the same products.

For the HealthSamantha spends €11 of mutual insurance per month for his children.

The budget for clothes, toys and free time for two children aged 5 and 6

When it comes to budgeting for clothes for her kids, Samantha is a spender €50 per month :

I’m buying something new for my daughter. For my son, sometimes I get it and fortunately: he tears his pants at the speed of light.

For the toysSamantha estimates the expense €20 per month e €10 per month of books.

Regard hobby of her children, Samantha has an approximate budget of €1000 per year for internships for his children. Smoothed out over the year, this equates to €80 per month. In addition to these internships, her children each have a sport activityfor a monthly budget of €57.

My daughter does ballet for €290 a year and my son does gymnastics €390 per year. Equipment-wise, my daughter doesn’t need new clothes yet and my son wears gym clothes, so he doesn’t need anything specific.

They also add to this €200 monthly trips to restaurants, museums and parks.

Food costs for a family of one adult and two children

As for the budget DietSamantha explains that her children eat in the school cafeteria during the week €30 per month and that they eat the same thing as him when they are at home. Only for her children, Samantha spends herself €120 per month, fruit yoghurt in the morning before going to school, compotes to drink, various fruit for each day and snacks.

Samantha tells us that no special requests are made by her children when shopping with the family:

I won’t let myself be persuaded. I know what I need and I know what they need. Sometimes, though, I let them choose the snacks or fruit. And sometimes, due to lack of inspiration, I ask them what they would like to eat.

For family food, he prefers to go shopping at the supermarket:

I often go to the supermarket not far from home for the convenience, but also for the prices. Sometimes I also go to the market on Sunday morning. It’s more expensive, but better.

Even in big stores, I make sure to do this favor a minimum of quality.

Expenses for the care of two children

With her children in school, Samantha has no childcare costs. She never uses a babysitter, not even occasionally.

If there’s anyone who should look after my children, it’s my mother.

For the education of her two children, Samantha spends 15 euros per quarter and per child, which is equivalent, if you level out the year, to €7.50 per month in total.

Transmission of the value of money and pocket money

Samantha believes she manages her budget correctly, although she would like to pay lower rent. Of her latest “crush” on her children, she has difficulty evaluating several, but she admits that:

It’s true that I like organizing trips, so perhaps the latest madness for my children is the three-day stay at the seaside that came to mind €1000but we needed it.

Samantha tells what it was relationship with money in his familywhat was passed down to him, and his current relationship with his children:

We never really talked about money and I had a pretty chaotic trip. I worked from the age of 16 and therefore became financially independent very quickly. I had financial worries too early, I think.

Samantha tries to teach her children the value of things and money:

Sometimes I refuse them things by explaining why. I also teach them to save for what they really want. The little mouse passed by my son and kept his penny. Each of them has a piggy bank of yellow coins and another of red coins. They know not to touch piggy banks for stupid things.

Samantha opened a bank account for each of her children:

First, I put €25 a month, but for some time now I’ve only been posting €10 per month. Their account is blocked until they reach the age of majority, I want to guarantee them a small budget when they take off or have projects at heart…

Samantha talks openly about money in front of her two children:

They know that to have money you have to work. They know that if sometimes I work harder it’s to get more money.

Samantha begins to educate her children about money, but without giving them pocket money, because in her opinion they are too young:

After the markets we have already had, they receive some money to buy something that makes them happy.

At the end of the month it remains €560 to the family. When you add up all the money spent on just her kids, Samantha spend €630 monthly.

Thank you Samantha for answering our questions!