Caught off guard by a surprise tax bill—what now?

So, I was gardening away this spring, trying to keep my head above water, when I got hit with a surprise tax bill from last year. Turns out, some freelance work I did fell through the cracks, and now I owe about $2,500 that I hadn’t planned for. It’s not just the money, but the timing that’s rough - I’m already juggling some credit card debt and trying to save for a new lawn mower.

I’ve been trying to set aside a little extra from my part-time job, but it’s slow going and I’m worried about racking up late fees. I called the tax office, but they said I need to pay up or set up a payment plan, which I’m not sure I can handle without falling behind on other bills.

Has anyone else dealt with an unexpected tax catch like this? How did you balance the payment without sinking deeper into debt? Also, any tips on negotiating payment plans that won’t leave me scrambling every month?