Single mom living on food stamps shares why she has no retirement plans at the age of 41

Raising kids in itself is exhausting, and things get worse for parents who singlehandedly take on the entire responsibility. No one knows it better than a single mom (@my_untold_secret), who, at 41, had zero retirement plans and no financial stability. In a now-deleted TikTok video, she explained her awful situation and what exactly led to it, following a bad marriage and a series of setbacks.

The single mom had been living off of food stamps because of financial hardships for years. Sadly, anytime she made some financial progress, she had to face certain setbacks, and hence, at 41, she said she had no savings for her retirement. The woman had $14,000 in credit card debt and $83,000 in student debt loans. Moreover, the mom said she couldn't have a Master's degree despite attending the University of Phoenix, where she got scammed. "I am hoping to get my University of Phoenix loan forgiven, but that is still pending," she said.

Explaining further, the mom said, "I still owe $27,000 in loans because I ended up going to a brick-and-mortar school. So, I don't know when I am ever going to retire. I plan on dying in my cubicle." But how did she end up in such a terrible situation? Well, the woman had uploaded another video (now deleted) to elaborate on her transition from a traditional "trad" wife to a single mom. She got pregnant when she was 19, and when her daughter was a week old, she and her partner eloped at the courthouse. "My job was to be a wife and a mom. I wasn't supposed to have any time or any thoughts about doing anything other than that," the woman said.

She said she had no regrets about having kids early, but definitely regrets marrying the wrong guy. Her ex-husband used to make fun of her and always belittled her for nothing. The single mom also confessed that when she left her abusive husband, she knew the journey would be difficult and that she would have to face the consequences. Giving up financial independence after marriage could be the scariest step a woman can ever take, and just like the single mom, many regret their decision after facing the harsh reality. In fact, a survey by Netwealth found that one in three women regret not maintaining financial independence during a relationship. Moreover, just like the single mom, only a third of divorced women expect to secure a comfortable retirement. 

Meanwhile, the video went viral, and the single mom received an overwhelming response from people, particularly women. For example, @gh005tie wrote, "I'm 41 with a bachelor's degree and 20 years of experience with two separate careers and zero retirement. Welcome to the club." @tegucci1995 suggested, "Start a Roth IRA. I started last year and set it to invest aggressively. It's never too late. Now I have something to show for it, and it's only been one year. I'm in my 40s." @jennyjofrench commented, "I am 62; I have raised three boys on my own, and we always lived from paycheck to paycheck, so I have no savings, no retirement, nothing." @islandgirlinmanhattan said, "Wiser words were never spoken. I realized soon after marriage, which is unfortunate, that I had picked the wrong dad. And I was determined not to have kids with him. We are getting a divorce now." @love11..11 advised, "Ladies, don't ever stay home. It's a huge setback, and if you do it, get back to work as soon as you can."

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