Mom Shares A TikTok Of Her $9.28 Paycheck After Working For 70 Hours As A Waitress

Only your iron will is keeping you away from the mocha with whipped cream on top for six dollars. A paycheck is on the horizon, but there’s only one coffee to last you until then, and it’s filtered. Living on a tight budget is like standing on a ledge. No matter how hard you try, you’ll get tired and will start craving a treat. When the big day arrives, you finally see your holy paycheck only to find out... it’s 9 dollars. This is what happened to young Texas mother Aaliyah Cortez. After having worked 70+ hours as a bartender, the woman was left in disbelief: “I cannot afford to live off of $2.13 an hour, so I solely rely on the generosity of my customers." So, the next time you’re on a night out don’t forget about Aaliyah, me and yourself—we’ve all been there. Scroll down below to see what Aaliyah Cortez told Bored Panda in an interview about the situation.

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When speaking to Bored Panda, Aaliyah Cortez was very honest about her current life. “It’s tough being a working mom for me right now just because I’m going through a custody battle. I would love to spend time with my son, but I have to make a living so we can have a good life once the custody battle comes to an end.”

Monthly paychecks don’t make her life any easier. “Honestly, every time I open a check I just chuckle a little bit. My coworkers and I will compare checks to see who got the least amount and we’ll just laugh because it’s ridiculous how little we get paid.” Aaliyah still tries to stay positive: “I would just like to add that I love my job and I’m fortunate enough to make enough to get by, but it’s tough to think that if an emergency comes up it could really hurt me financially. I just wish we all had stable and consistent paychecks.”

“It’s important to tip because we literally rely solely on those tips. We’ll be greatly appreciative and it’s just nice to be compassionate and understanding that this is just how laws are set up, and if you’re going to restaurants that do abide by these laws, you are feeding into the broken system. We don’t like relying on the customer but until the laws can get changed, we still need to be paid.” Whatever you do, Don’t. Forget. To tip.

“My advice to fellow moms is just keep being badass. Being a mom alone is a full-time job, so I would want them to know I’m supporting them!” At the end of a day, being a mom is the most precious job of all.