Single Mom Shares Reality Of Why She Can't Afford To Accept A Promotion

"Math isn't mathing."

A single mother who goes by just_angela_m on TikTok shared her reasons for not being able to accept a promotion at her job because she literally cannot afford to. She broke it down to fully explain the math of it all, and while many people in similar situations completely understood the struggle, there were plenty of people who came for her in the comments with negativity and rudeness.

After sharing her story on TikTok, Angela had to turn off the comment section on the video that has received nearly 700,000 views in one day.

"So, I'm a little upset right now. I was asked if I wanted to take a promotion at my job, and I would love to do it, I want to do it," she began her story. "Math isn't mathing. You wanna see what I came up with?"

She then showed her white board filled with her calculations. As a single mother of three, she said she needed to figure it all out.

"Promotion will pay me 60k a year. That's $28.85 per hour, which I would be salary based, so there's no room for overtime, which would bring me to $2,308 biweekly. Times that by two for the whole month, gross income, without taxes will be $4,616. But my take home after taxes, cause we all get taxed on everything, will be $1,910. You times that by two, this is how much I'm actually bringing home, $3,820," she shared.

"Now let's go and divvy up bills. Because right now, I'm on assistance, alright, so I get food stamps, I get healthcare, I get childcare, so things are subsidized, but with getting this a year (she points to the 60k on the white board) right here, I won't get any help, okay."

Angela explained that her bills will actually go up to $2,148 and she will have to pay for her own food. She estimated her food costs just for this explanation, as well as her healthcare and daycare costs to show just what she's dealing with once off of assistance. She then does the math and shows that after bills are paid, she will be left with only $28 a month.

Sidenote: And while she didn't specifically discuss this, let's remember she didn't estimate gas to get to and from work and daycare, clothes, or unexpected bills that pop up.

"I'm on government assistance and I only make $17 an hour, which is 35k a year," she continued. "So my take home biweekly would be $1,360, you times that by two, this is my take home (she points to $2,720 on the white board), this is before taxes. This is what they count on food stamps, childcare, all that stuff. They don't count what you're actually taking home, cause what I'm actually taking home is $1,160, times that by two and this is what I'm actually getting, $2,320."

She went on to say that making $17 an hour means she gets subsidized rent, help with daycare, healthcare and food stamps. She then said she is left with $245 at the end of the month versus the $28 she would be left with if she took the promotion.

"I hate this so much that this is the struggle that everybody's facing. Not me, not me, not just me because there's some people who are actually making this and can't get assistance, and I know that," she said. "I know the system. I know how it works, and if I take the 60k, I won't get any taxes back, for real. If I do the 35k, I will get taxes for my children so I have a cushion to get me through the year, just in case something happens."

Angela said she just can't take the promotion.

"This is the reality of a lot of people and it's so sickening," she said. "I can't take the promotion. I can take it and struggle, and my mentality and my mental state, and my kids won't have a happy mom because I'm struggling. This is ridiculous. This is America."

Angela created another video to discuss the comments that were left for her after sharing her story.

"The whole point of that video was to let people know that this is the reality of everyday life for many people, not just me," she explained. "And then the people who are coming at me about the fact that I'm living on assistance, I've been on assistance for six months. Six months. I have a college degree. I pay taxes. I've been paying taxes since I was 16-years-old. I paid into assistance, so I'm going to use it."

She further explained why she used the promotion to break it down in numbers to prove that it's not livable and it's about survival. She wants people to understand that so many are struggling and people should show some empathy.

"This is life, unfortunately," she said. "Am I going to struggle to be a happy mom for my kids and to work constantly, absolutely not."

Angela left the comment section open on her second video and many viewers shared their stories and support.

"It was a great example of reality. Ppl need to see that even $100K in this economy is not “rich”, let alone $60K. It’s really sad!" one person wrote.

Anther added, "Your video was 100% correct. I have a good job and I make good money. I'm a single mom, don't qualify for anything, and I struggle to make it."

Another single mom shared that she's going through the same situation. "Girl I cried watching your video bc that’s me as a single mom with 2 kids. I’m stopping myself from growing at my job bc I just can’t afford to."

A mom of three shared, "I have a masters degree and can’t work because my entire check would go to daycare and health insurance costs. I have 3 kids."