Sometimes we need the universe to give us a push to make those really hard decisions, like quitting a bad job or leaving an unhappy relationship. In the case of today’s Home Economics writer, a layoff the day before she went on maternity leave turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The job made her miserable, but she was scared that she and her husband wouldn’t be able to make ends meet on one salary.
Six months later, the family of five is still adjusting to this new life and budget. And they're preparing for another big financial change later this year: Thanks to Portland’s Preschool for All program, their three-year-old will be able to go to preschool for free, and the couple will save close to $2,000 a month on child care costs.
Read on for their full story, which dives into much of the good and the bad of transitioning to stay-at-home motherhood and living on one salary.
Want to share your Home Economics? Fill out the form here! We’ve been crossing off new states recently! This is our first from Oregon, and last week we published one from New Hampshire. We still need entries from South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island!
Age: 35
Location: Portland, Oregon
Relationship status: Married
Age of partner: 35
About me: I’m a married mom of three young kids living in the Pacific Northwest. I was laid off from my well-paid but extremely stressful tech job late last year. It was the day before my maternity leave was due to start. After the layoff, I decided to delay my job search and stay home with my kids for at least a few years. We are a month or so into living on just my husband’s income, which is a big adjustment for our family.
Income:
- Your job title/salary: Homemaker; I was previously a product manager in tech making ~$150,000 plus equity.
- Partner’s job title/salary: Product manager, $125,000
- Your monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): N/A
- Partner’s monthly take-home pay (paycheck amount after taxes and other deductions): ~$7,300
- Total monthly income: ~$7,300
