How Do You Do It? - Romeoville,IL

I don't have any answers for you as I'm fortunate that DH has a good paying job w/ benefits to cover us so I can stay home. Only one suggestion: Can you go to part time? Sometimes 30 or 32 hours/wk will still get you the full time benefits. Sorry I don't hv any more suggestions. It's so hard being caught in the middle of all these wants and needs.

When I had to go to work outside my home after my divorce, I got a job at Osco Drug Store. They were able to give me very flexible hours and only required a minimum of hours to qualify for health insurance. Though I sometimes took a full forty-hour week, I never declared myself full-time and was able to cut back my hours when necessary, then pick up more hours when it fit my schedule. I commend you for wanting to put your children first. Good luck, D.!

Do he belong to a carpenter's union? Union carpenters have great benefits for insurance and if he works enough during his "on time" you won't have a problem with the insurance during the time he's off. He has to work a certain number of hours to receive insurance benefits, but they also carry over when they are in excess of the scheduled 40 hour work week. I would look into that. From my experience (my husband's a union worker although not a carpenter) the insurance benefits well exceed those of others.

All of us can do the "no way it won't work" when it comes to thinking about quiting our jobs, but it can be done. This may sound funny but it may be worth looking into. Talk to your local Health Dept. Talk to a county health nurse, tell her your dilema and ask her what solutions she can help you with.
Did you know that they do things like well baby check ups and vaccinations for VERY cheap?? I know that doesn't help when you have a sick child or someone gets hurt but maybe they offer other services that I don't know about.
My ex was in the military and when I got pregnant I put my foot down, I wanted to be HOME with my kids! It was tough! At the time he was only an E-3 and making $800 a month, MEEP! I got very tired of hotdogs, mac & cheese and ramen noodles. I learned to clip coupons (I NEVER do now, I hate them!) and watch for movies on regular TV (we didn't even have cable!). We spent a lot of time at local parks, had one car and shopped at Goodwill. We never seemed to get ahead even when my ex got premoted because we were always moving. Yes, the military provides for moving expenses but there is always more that isn't covered by what they would pay.
If you ask my old kids they will tell you they had a good childhood. They didn't miss things they never had and they appreciated the things they did have. My daughter (23) told me recently that the thing she remembers and appreciates most about her childhood is that her mom was always there. It was tough on the parents but so worth it for the kids!
Darlin where there is a will there IS a way. Be patient and keep looking for solutions. Good luck. *HUG*

We also do not have health insurance. My husband is a self employed trucker and I drive a school bus part time. Driving part time is how they get out of offering me insurance. Luckily in IL, they have the state insurance, which covers my children. I just pray that nothing serious happens to me or my husband. There are places that offer "low cost" insurance, but I have not looked into them yet. Some places like Blockbuster and I hear, Starbucks, offer insurance to part time employees. I am thinking of trying one of those places just for the insurance.

D. - I can totally relate to you. To make our long story a little shorter - I became pregnant on our honeymoon, so we were jumped into Parent Land Immediately without the ability to 'plan' financially. Plus, we bought a new house while we were planning our wedding, so that was another big financial issue. I made lots more $$ than my husband and had the insurance. My husbands job did not offer family coverage. Well, I decided to leave my job after not being able to work out a work at home situation which meant, we had no insurance and lost more than 1/2 of our family income. We got insurance on our own - it's not cheap at all, but at least it's available. We went with Blue Cross Blue Shield and decided to pick the plan where we picked our own doctors (which is a little pricier, but I won't compromise on doctor care). The healthcare is our main priority because I don't want my kids to go without medical. You can get a wide variety of quotes and wide variety of coverage. Use the internet and just start asking for quotes. Depending on what you need, it might not be so out of your reach.

I tried a few different work at home situations, in the 'consultant/home party' field. I am NOT a salesperson at all, my career before staying at home was in the computer field (teaching, fixing, supporting, etc = computer geek!) The first company I tired sold a variety of products which I thougth would reach a larger audience. Trouble with that is you need to advertise, get people to hold parties, etc. This is fine in the beginning, but once you go thru your family and friends, you REALLY need to sell and put yourself out there. Very difficult to do with a child, limited time due to husbands work schedule, and little extra income to blow on advertising. Then, once my first son was a little older, I took a job teaching cake decorating at our local craft store - LOVED IT!!! Trouble, my husbands work schedule is a rotating one, so even teaching on the weekends was hard because I needed to find a sitter, and if it wasn't family - that got expensive! So, when I became pregnant with my second son, I had to give that up due to lack of time. You needed to really prep for that job too. So, I'm back to being stay at home mom and just really really on a tight budget.
It's very hard but you need to figure out what you can really do without. Can you cut back any hours at your job to allow you more days off with your kids? How little hours would you need to work to still get your insurance? I looked at Jewel food store too because they offer healthcare, but they just changed their policy and only offer insurance to full time workers. I heard Starbucks offers insurance, but I'm not sure what their requirements are.
Think of it this way, whatever you decide to do as far as cutbacks and possibly not working full-time, it's temporary for 4-5 years. Until your littlest one goes to school. It sounds like a longer time, but it goes by quickly. Like you said, you don't want to miss those times.
Your InHouse Daycare you mentioned, I'd steer clear of that. I have a neighbor that does that and you need to go thru SOOO Much prep and certifications to get that going, it can get costly too before you start seeing any income.
I know I probably didn't answer your questions fully, but for insurance, really start using the internet and searching. There are so many different plans available for what you need. We added a maternity coverage in the beginning because we didn't want to get caught without it, but once my second son was born, we dropped it immediately.
You don't think you can swing it on one income, but.....you'd be surprised at how well you can.
Hang in there! I'd love to find a work at home job too that has coverage and the ability to make your own hours. I'd love sometype of computer or assistance job where I could do work on the computer and make some money too, but I haven't found that yet.
J.
Stay at Home Mom of 2

Dearest D.,
Your frustration and anxiety come across through your letter loud and clear. I do run a home-based business and would love to show it to you. No high pressure sales and you'd be able to take a look at it from the comfort of your own home very soon as long as you have a computer.
Let me know...........my e-mail address it attached..
I would be happy to share it with you and your significant
other.
If you have any sense of hesitation for safety sake, I understand. Let me tell you a little about me.
My name is D. and I live in Lemont, Illinois. I am a single parent with two children. My background was in the beauty industry and my original intention was to own and operate a salon/day spa of my own. But as fate would have it, this opportunity came along and now it is all I do.
Take a deep breath, please know that all obstacles in life make us better and show our children that life is meant to be lived in joy and not fear.
I hope to hear from you............and if you choose to pursue other options, good for you. Have a glorious day and I will say a prayer for you and your loved ones today.

D.
____@____.com

D.,

I understand your dilema. I am responding just to let you know that I work for an insurance agent in Naperville. His name is Tom. The phone is ###-###-####. If you talk to him, he can help you find an insurance plan for your family the may fit in your budget. It is NOT cheap by any means, but the most important thing is to have something. If you talk to him, I think he can probably help you, and he is not pushy. Also, as someone else mentioned, IL has the new kidcare available for the children. Separately, you can get a catastrophic plan for yourself and your husband.

Since my daughters (4 and 2 1/2) were born, I have worked part-time. My husband is a Project Manager for a small home remodeling company, so I have had the medical insurance. I work 30 hours per week, with 10 of those being from home. Most companies will offer full time benefits as long as you work at least 30 hours per week. Especially Jewel, any hospital, or most restaurants. You just need to specify upfront that you want part time. I am on my third job where they have allowed me to do this. I got laid off from 2 of them for other reasons, but am very happy with my current job. It's really tough, balancing between work and home, when you need the 2nd income. But stay positive, you will find something that works for you. Just remember that our children are precious gifts from God and worth every minute that we can spend with them. Good luck!