hey everyone, back after a bit. rosa’s 13 months now and the math is just not mathing for my bank account. maternity leave is officially over in three weeks and i’m starting to feel that actual, cold panic set in. i knew this day was coming, obviously, but it feels like it’s hitting me way harder than i expected.
my job is great, i love being a vet tech, but the pay after taxes and deductions… well, it’s not exactly enough to cover rent, daycare, food, and all the other costs of keeping us afloat, especially with childcare being so insane. i’ve been trying to crunch numbers for weeks, looking at savings, trying to figure out if i can cut back more, but it feels impossible. i’m looking at paying almost half my take-home just for daycare for 3 days a week, and that doesn’t even touch the other bills. i’m so used to having that steady income from my job, then the mat leave top-up, and now it’s just… vanishing.
i had this vague idea that maybe i could pick up extra shifts or something, but with rosa still being so young and my husband’s family being so far away, i don’t have a lot of flexible childcare options. honestly, the thought of going back and still struggling to make ends meet, or having to put rosa in full-time care when she’s still so little, is making me want to just curl up and not think about it. how did you all handle this financially when your leave ran out? specifically, the gap between mat leave pay and the actual cost of living?
edit: forgot to add