But he said he was worried his efforts still would not be enough to counter a constant rise in the cost-of-living, especially with this month's back-to-school expenses.

The father-of-two said he wished there was more government assistance available for single parents.

Mr Torpy said even working a full-time job wasn't enough to put his mind at ease.

"It worries me how I'm going to juggle the costs of school fees on top of everyday living expenses," he said.

"But as a parent, it's something that you have to do because all I want is to provide the kids with a great education and a sense of worth.

"I feel I have an obligation to make sure my children's lives are better than mine, so what my children see as normal were my miracles growing up."

Mr Torpy said he had been living with his mother while having sole custody of the children because it was too expensive to rent his own home.

"I've had trouble obtaining a house due to being on a single income," he said. "Schools should supply books and stationery. It's problematic that we are paying school fees and the additional cost of everything else.

"I've even thought of changing professions to a higher-paying job."

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It was the same story for Thurgoona parents Chloe and Josh Grant, who have had numerous conversations about how they would be able to stretch their budget.

"The cost of food, especially dietary requirements and fresh fruit, worries us," she said.

"Uniforms and stationery are other things.

"Our mortage has doubled and I hope it doesn't get worse."

Mrs Grant said she needed to figure out how her family would cope, especially if there was another increase in living expenses and their mortgage.

The mother-of-three said they had had to sacrifice other areas of their budget and become more self-sufficient to lower their stress levels.

Mother-of-two Tania Worrall, of Wodonga, said there were so many more costs to factor in.

"It's not cheap to put your kids through school, whether it's in the state, Catholic or independent system," she said.

Bonnie-May Jones, of Wodonga, who has a blended family of six, said she was in fear of the ever-rising cost of living. "Food costs are huge for us," Ms Jones said.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet.

"Although we will always make sacrifices to give them the best start in life, school fees don't include stationary, uniforms or lunches."

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