Author Topic: Self-funded maternity leave  (Read 1869 times)

clairebonk

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 93
  • Location: East Bay, CA
  • Wear a mask
Self-funded maternity leave
« on: January 06, 2019, 11:25:20 AM »
My husband got laid off (or quit?) while I was pregnant and during unpaid maternity leave I got laid off (I was contract). We spent 6 months with neither of us working (part of that time was me job searching) and I'm starting a new job in a few weeks. It is 95% remote, meaning days of pumping and commuting are few and far between, yay! I took a huge salary cut for the remote job, but am very excited about the company, the team, and the role so no regrets there. I honestly don't think it will put us that far behind in FIRE because I'll be so much happier being able to run over lunch and have meals with my family that maybe my partner can start a side gig when he's not entertaining our 3 little kids.

Anyway, the point of this is just to vent about how excited I am after a lot of worry the last year through a pregnancy, lay-offs, newborn baby, and an unknown future. I tried being a stay-at-home parents and let's just say I AM SO EXCITED TO GO TO WORK.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7124
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2019, 01:21:28 PM »
Congrats on your new baby, @clairebonk! It sounds like your partner is going to going the SAHD route and you are going to breadwin, but in a baby-friendly way?

That sounds really exciting. Good luck! 

wordnerd

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1156
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2019, 01:38:23 PM »
Congrats! Hope the new job is great. 95% remote sounds like a dream!

Cassie

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7946
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2019, 03:42:17 PM »
What a great situation. Congrats on the new baby!

reeshau

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2508
  • Location: Houston, TX
  • Former locations: Detroit, Indianapolis, Dublin
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2019, 01:40:50 AM »
Wow, @clairebonk --I am floored to see someone just checking in with a happy report.  Congratulations!

So often it seems like this is a troubleshooting board, not just answering questions but solving problems.  Nothing wrong with that, but I think if more people stopped to report the successes they have had in life, maybe the power of FI would be more obvious.

Millennialworkerbee

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 90
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2019, 01:43:26 PM »
This is awesome! and I agree with reeshau - so awesome to just post a happy story! We had something similar happen this year (not nearly as badass as you though).

DH got into a really tough toxic situation at work in the spring. He put off leaving for a few months because Baby #2 was set to arrive in September.

Eventually he said screw it and quit! So he has been out of work for 7 months now. He just got an offer and is headed back to work next week. But he was home with me on my maternity leave which was so amazing and definitely made for an easy transition from 1-2 kids.

The time off together made us realize that #1 we will actually like to retire together, sooner rather than later and #2 frugality gives you OPTIONS - we had the luxury of him quitting his job but still sending the kids to daycare because we normally live well below our means and had extra cash saved up.

It feels so good to go through life’s unexpected moments and not have finances be a concern. I am 28 and hooked on frugality for life!

clairebonk

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 93
  • Location: East Bay, CA
  • Wear a mask
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2019, 12:01:13 PM »
Thanks everyone, for the positive outpourings, congrats, and stories. This is what the FIRE movement is to me- to have extra money from living below your expenses so that when life gives you hardships the money aspect of it doesn't stress you out.



Vasilisa

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 114
  • Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Re: Self-funded maternity leave
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2019, 10:48:55 AM »
Congrats! It is great to hear some good news and the freedom that heading towards FIRE allows. Thanks for some hope for the rest of us!

We're on the slow road to parenthood but it felt good realizing the other day that if current stressful job implodes or if I need to quit work to take care of medical procedures, we've gotten our expenses down and our savings up to where we have options.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!