Financial Provision after separation: strategies and challenges of single mothers

After a separation, single mothers often face considerable financial and organizational challenges. However, little is known about how they actually make financial decisions, particularly with regard to long-term provision. This study examines the financial decision-making of single mothers in Austria from their subjective perspective, shedding light on the role of financial competence and financial self-efficacy. The results show that although financial provision is perceived as important for security and independence, in everyday life it often takes a back seat to short-term financial requirements and child-related obligations. At the same time, many women have strong everyday financial skills and rely on informal sources of information. Financial self-efficacy, which is strengthened by their own experiences of coping, proves to be particularly crucial for financial empowerment.