Finances

[Rose-Roget]

Anyone else freaking out about finances? I am - to the point of tears, today. I think some of it's hormonal, but there's definite basis for the fears. The economy isn't helping any. Even though this dc was planned, it's been part of the reason we've held off for so long. I feel like we got in over our head when we could afford it, and now we can't afford to change. Ugh...

Weighing the cost of childcare, it doesn't make sense for me to work part time, and I honestly can't bare the idea of sending a new babe off to a daycare FULL time. But how can I afford preschool for ds if I don't work? I know it seems like if I'm that worried about finances, I should just suck it up and do the f-t daycare route...but I haven't been able to come to the acceptance, personally, of doing that yet. I respect people who can balance full-time jobs and a family well, but it's just not for me.

We have 8 months to figure all of this out, officially. But since I'm in the schools, I actually have to sign or not sign my contract in the next month or so, so I need to have a preliminary plan laid out SOON. Ugh. Thanks for listening to my hormonal vent.

[kirstenb]

I'm not freaking out yet but I am starting to crunch numbers in my head. I would love to stay home and having two LOs in daycare would eat up most of my salary anyways. Right now we need my salary so we'll have to figure something out. Good thing we have until Nov!

[zookeeper]

Why does your ds have to go to preschool? He would develop just fine without it.

[Rose-Roget]

Originally Posted by zookeeper

Why does your ds have to go to preschool? He would develop just fine without it.

I've been thinking about that, and it'll be a possiblity. He's actually a kid who really thrives in a preschool environment and benefits from a little time away from home and with other kids. Plus, he's been in a preschool setting for a while and it's routine for him. I'd hate to take him away from the familiar and enjoyable to stay home with me tending to Baby. There are a lot of details to weigh, but I'd like to keep things as normal as possible, if we can finagle finances to work, kwim?

While I'm still stressed, I'm not AS freaked out as I was earlier. I took a nice long nap and that helped me relax. People make it work...we'll make it work.

[Nature]

There might be some programs in your area that would work for socialization and structure, playgroups at the library perhaps? Those are usually free to low cost.

[Juliacat]

I am completely and totally freaking out about finances. That's the main reason we weren't going to have a second child. I am NOT quitting my job--I love it--it's my key to sanity. But I don't make enough to pay for daycare for 2 kids plus health insurance too. If they increased my hours, I would be in the OP's position of not wanting to leave my baby full-time. (I could do it with a one-year-old, but not with a baby very much younger than that.)

Plus, our house is already too small, our car is already too old, dh still has a job (as far as I know) but sales are down and he makes most of his money on commission...I just have no idea how we're going to swing it.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by Juliacat

Plus, our house is already too small, our car is already too old

This is us too. Things will work themselves out.

[Shell_Ell]

I'm trying to put it out of my mind. That was one of the reasons that this news was such a shock. We are paying a ton out of pocket right now for my oldest son's autism treatment and therapy. My DH just got a little raise and my business has been doing well, so we are almost to where we *might* break even some months. Obviously, one cannot doula while heavily pregnant or with a small infant. So, this will change things a bit, but I'm trying not to get too stressed out. I went through that a few months ago and it did me no good. We just do the best we can.