T.
R.,
Have you considered looking for work as a nanny? They make decent money and if you could find a live-in arrangement that would really help financially. Many folks wouldn't have a problem with you bringing your daughter to work. And if you found a family with older kids, they'd be gone at school some of the time too. Oh, and don't forget about child support and that type of thing. If your soon to be former partner has a job with benefits, make sure that him providing insurance for your child is part of the child support arrangment. You should also check out WIC and some of the other "welfare" type programs. They are there for people who need them so don't be shy about it. It can be a good tool to help you get on your feet. My best friend's sister got WIC for quite a while after she had her son (his dad left when she found out she was pregnant) and she also got a daycare subsidy that helped her a lot. If you former partner can't provide insurance, there is some sort of a state program where low income families can get state funded insurance for their kid. You should check out all of the free programs because, as you said, it is expensive to live here. Take all the help you can get. Good luck to you!
T.