Single Moms Hit Hard as Gas Prices Surge, Squeezing Already Tight Budgets

The sudden jump in gas prices after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran has slammed single mothers across the country, exposing the harsh realities of economic vulnerability under an administration that ignores their struggles. Luna Rosado, a single mom of three in Connecticut, now pays about $40 more weekly just to fill her tank for work and her kids’ activities. That means $160 less each month for groceries and essentials — forcing her to constantly rework a budget that was already stretched to the limit.

“I can’t keep up,” Rosado admits, echoing the frustration of many single moms who live paycheck to paycheck. The price of regular unleaded gas has surged past $3.97 a gallon nationally, with some states like New Mexico seeing increases as high as 40 percent. For families earning around $40,000 a year — the median income for single mothers working full time — this spike translates into a significant portion of their income going just to fuel their daily lives.

Chastity Lord, CEO of the Jeremiah Program, hears these stories daily: single moms crashing on friends’ couches to save on gas, gig workers cutting back hours because driving is no longer profitable. “Gas cuts through everything,” Lord says. “For single moms already underwater, it’s like weights on their feet.”

The economic squeeze is especially brutal for Black women and Latinas, who make up the majority of single mothers and face median incomes about $17,000 less than single fathers. Despite working at higher rates than married mothers, they pay disproportionately more at the pump, with little flexibility to absorb price shocks.

Economist Sara Estep from the Center for American Progress explains, “With only one income supporting a family, single moms are extremely sensitive to price changes. There’s very little room left to pivot.”

For many, the choices are grim. Rosado has stopped driving for Uber and Lyft on weekends, losing supplemental income that helped cover phone bills and groceries. Heidi Dragneff, a Navy veteran and single mom in Virginia Beach, faces rising rent, doubling energy bills, and the looming loss of child support — all while gas prices climb. She’s had to pause her 401K contributions and agonizes over whether to repair her broken car or buy a new one.

“We look strong on the outside but are struggling just as much as anyone else,” Dragneff says. “Our kids are counting on us to keep it together.”

This crisis isn’t just about gas. Single mothers have weathered unpredictable spikes in grocery prices and energy costs in recent years, compounding the financial instability. With no safety net and little political attention, their plight highlights the broader failure of leadership to protect vulnerable families from the fallout of reckless foreign policy and economic neglect.

As the midterms approach, the administration’s disregard for the economic realities of single moms — who represent a significant voting bloc — could have serious political consequences. Meanwhile, these women continue to juggle impossible choices, proving that for many, survival is a daily battle with no end in sight.