If you worked full-time before LO's, please come in.

Re: If you worked full-time before LO's, please come in.

• ijustcantthinkrightnow

  January 2012

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) I personally would never go without health insurance if I could prevent it in any way. Medical bills can quickly drown you. DH carries our health insurance, if I was the carrier and DH could not pick up insurance I don't think it would be an option for us (but again that's just my opinion).

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH? Major changes were fun money & savings, my paychecks prior to SAHM were savings and fun money. So we needed to decrease fun money and increase our savings. Limiting eating our etc.

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes? Start trying to live off of just you DH's salary and/or what your part time salary would be. Bank the rest and see if you are able to make it work, at the same time you'll be builiding your savings. And keep the line of communication open with your DH, he has to be on board with this or it can harbor a lot of resentment from both sides.

  Mom to preemie b/g twins born 14 weeks early after 3 years of IF, 8 clomid cycles and 1 IVF.

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• lisamoe member

  January 2012

  I worked full time before staying home.  We stopped using my income for a while before I quit to see if we would do OK.  We did, and do, but it involves some pretty big sacrifices.  We don't go out or eat out very much at all anymore (we use to a couple times a wk).  Sometimes we have to save for items, instead of just going and getting them.  For us, the sacrifice is worth it, but at times its trying for me, I never realized how much I spent without thinking about it.

  But I say, if you could swing it, its the best thing in the world (for me at least).  We use health ins thru my DHs work, so that wasnt an issue.  Im a RN and can do per diem, so I am considering that. Can you do per diem shifts since you are in healthcare?

  

   

  

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• MAprincess member

  January 2012

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) We are on DH's insurance.  I'd never go without.

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH? Prior to me SAH, we had paid off all student loans, credit cards, and our cars.  We don't use the credit cards (unless they'll be paid off at the end of the month) and I coupon/look for deals more.

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes? If you are not going to be able to swing it financially or if your family will go without insurance as a result, do not do it.  You also need an emergency fund- in our house, we had $10,000 of unexpected repairs/expenses in the last three months.  You have be prepared for those things.

  

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• Mom2Mack1 member

  January 2012

  AFanch1127:

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) H covers the entire family.  I would never go without, accidents happen to anyone.

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH?  Nothing really, we had already cut back on eating out, and spent $$ wisely.  I guess we just cut back on what we can save, right now we're carrying two mortgages but that will end hopefully next month then we can go back to saving ALOT monthly. 

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes?  Figure out your finances first, and don't use credit cards to make it work.  I feel very blessed to be able to SAH but if it was not financially fesible I would go back to work in a heartbeat.

   
  

      

  
  
  

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• Dochas member

  January 2012

  AFanch1127:

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) I would never consider living without health insurance.  My DH went to school to change careers when we got married.
  

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH? Right now we are not traveling, no babysitters and we rarely eat out.  We traveled, ate out and went out ALL THE TIME before we had a baby so it's huge for us.  We have a vacation house that we're planning (hoping) to keep and I do classes with Daniel.  I couldn't give up absolutely everything.
  

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes? I don't see how it's possible with both of you working part time to be completely honest.
  

  Thanks in advance for your advice.  I know that if staying at home is a priority, then it can be done.  It's just hard to wrap my mind around the idea.  H is not sure about the idea & I'm not trying to force him into it, just want to have all the info I can as we continue to discuss.
  

  TTC since September '08 After 2 m/c - lap for stage 3-4 endo Oct '09 Bravelle w/Ovidrel trigger - iui on 11/07

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• Sammysu

  January 2012

  ijustcantthinkrightnow:

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) I personally would never go without health insurance if I could prevent it in any way. DH carries our health insurance and always has even when I was working.

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH? Major changes were no more daycare, Eating out way less, grocery budget completly re-adjusted & less savings and no more spur of the moment vacations that we would take.

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes? Start trying to live off of just you DH's salary. This, to me, is the best way to begin and see how things would be like. Bank the rest for savings so that you have that to help you when you are getting started being a SAHM and you are adjusting as well as it will be nice to have more savings. Like PP said Definetely keep the line of communication open with your DH, he has to be on board with this or it can harbor a lot of resentment from both sides.

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• je2161 member

  January 2012

  Sammysu:

  ijustcantthinkrightnow:

  1.) How did you go about getting health insurance for your family (or did you go without?) DH's job provides insurance for us all. If we didn't have that as an option, we would buy private insurance.

  2.) What were the major changes that had to be made in your budget to allow you to SAH? No major changes, but we like to be savvy spenders anyway. We've never been reckless with purchases, and we still save for the future.

  3.) Any words of advice as we're looking at making these major changes? Figure out if any sacrifices that need to be made will be worth staying home with your LO. Try living on just DH's salary for a few months and see how it goes. Consider getting a job that allows you to work from home OR start a business from home.

  

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• MrsBalletStar05 member

  January 2012

  We have, and always had, insurance through my husband's employer.  I could not imagine going without, especially with a small child.  I know how much we owe and have paid on medical bills WITH insurance, I couldn't imagine paying the cost without it.  Children need to go to the doctor a lot, even healthy ones.  No way would I go without....

  Big changes was less driving (so we'd turn down even free or low cost activities) and our groceries.  Started eating less meat, couponing more, ect.  
  

  Adrian 7.6.07 - ADHD, Disruptive Behavior Disorder, Learning Disability-NOS
  Cam 6.6.10 - Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Mixed Receptive/Expressive Communication Disorder
  

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• Dr.Loretta member

  January 2012

  1. There is no way in hell I would go without health insurance. Ever. We get it through DH's work

  2. Some things worked themselves out. I had major commuting costs before becoming a SAHM, so those disappeared. Food costs were our biggest hurdle

  3. If I were you I'd at least stay PT. And I'd look into private insurance, or see if your DH could find something through his church

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