From Panic to Plan: Thriving as a Solo Parent on a Budget

From Panic to Plan: Thriving as a Solo Parent on a Budget

From Solo Parent by Solo Parent

April 27, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

The episode discusses practical financial strategies for solo parents facing economic challenges.

This week we're discussing From Panic to Plan: Thriving as a Solo Parent on a Budget . For a lot of solo parents, the finances were never really theirs to begin with. Someone else handled it, and then one day that changed completely. No transition, no training, no runway. Just a pile of bills, a household to run, and children depending on every decision you make. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, and Elizabeth Cole, single parent, sit down with Shirley Baldiris, a single mom, Solo Parent community member, and emerging financial coach trained through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Shirley woke up one morning facing four months of back rent, a home in foreclosure, and debt she didn't know existed. What she built from that starting point, and how she built it, is what this conversation is about. Most financial advice was not designed for the single income, single parent reality. Shirley's approach was. And the practical steps she shares are ones solo parents can actually use. Key Insights from This Episode: Start with your four walls, not your full financial picture. When everything feels urgent, protecting your roof, food, transportation, and utilities first…

People in this episode

Host: Robert Beeson

Guests: Elizabeth Cole, Shirley Baldiris

Topics covered

  • financial planning
  • single parenting
  • budgeting
  • debt management
  • financial stability

Keywords

  • solo parent
  • budgeting
  • financial advice
  • debt
  • financial coach

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University

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