Budget Questions for single parents

[Anonymous]

Hi! I’m a single mom of 1 and a public school teacher. First, do make sure you have the necessary licensures and qualifications for a classroom teacher job. Next—How many years of experience do you have? That will make a big difference. I have 15+ years of experience and more than just a single masters degree, so my salary is actually pretty good. I also inherited a college fund for my child and a large down payment for a house. I also have lived here most of my life and have friends who sometimes babysit or help out when I’m in a jam. Which I say just to point out that you shouldn’t look at other women doing it and assume you can too. Everyone’s situation is different. I just think that dose of reality is important. You can go on the websites for the different school Districts and figure out about what your salary would be. I think living in parts Fairfax, Loudon or PW is manageable on $70k but less than that would be an immense struggle. There are decent 2 bedroom apartments in very safe communities out in those suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi! I’m a single mom of 1 and a public school teacher. First, do make sure you have the necessary licensures and qualifications for a classroom teacher job. Next—How many years of experience do you have? That will make a big difference. I have 15+ years of experience and more than just a single masters degree, so my salary is actually pretty good. I also inherited a college fund for my child and a large down payment for a house. I also have lived here most of my life and have friends who sometimes babysit or help out when I’m in a jam. Which I say just to point out that you shouldn’t look at other women doing it and assume you can too. Everyone’s situation is different. I just think that dose of reality is important. You can go on the websites for the different school Districts and figure out about what your salary would be. I think living in parts Fairfax, Loudon or PW is manageable on $70k but less than that would be an immense struggle. There are decent 2 bedroom apartments in very safe communities out in those suburbs.

thanks so much. Yes those are all important considerations and you are definitely right, no two situations are alike.

[Anonymous]

So much is dependent on where you get a job/live. Do you have money to cover you for the time between when you move back and when you get a job? In my city, there is an online calculator for teacher salaries that shows the salary at each step and you can add in additional certification to project salary.

This is what I do
phone service: I pay $52/m for a t mobile plan that is fine
internet: $60/m for a basic plan
cable: only rich people do cable now. I have a roku with netflix and amazon prime, it's plenty
car: I bought a 2007 honda with 170k miles for $2000
groceries: $75 a week is fine for 1 adult and 1 younger kid

Things to consider:
-do you need to pay for aftercare or other childcare expenses
-who will claim the kid on taxes

I would not save for college during this time, make sure you are secure first then worry about college savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi! I’m a single mom of 1 and a public school teacher. First, do make sure you have the necessary licensures and qualifications for a classroom teacher job. Next—How many years of experience do you have? That will make a big difference. I have 15+ years of experience and more than just a single masters degree, so my salary is actually pretty good. I also inherited a college fund for my child and a large down payment for a house. I also have lived here most of my life and have friends who sometimes babysit or help out when I’m in a jam. Which I say just to point out that you shouldn’t look at other women doing it and assume you can too. Everyone’s situation is different. I just think that dose of reality is important. You can go on the websites for the different school Districts and figure out about what your salary would be. I think living in parts Fairfax, Loudon or PW is manageable on $70k but less than that would be an immense struggle. There are decent 2 bedroom apartments in very safe communities out in those suburbs.

I have two Master's degrees and definitely the correct license for Elementary in state of Virginia however my only actual experience so far in K-5 has been working as a long-term sub in an international school for two years. I have not yet had a class truly of my own.in an ES setting (I'm currently teaching adults).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends where you are (I can only speak to rent; I’m a single parent renting but not a teacher). Downtown DC, 2BR will be $3000/month but you won’t have to pay for a car. Further out it’ll get down to $2000/month (maybe lower?) but you’ll probably not want to rely on transit/walking/biking — MD and VA are not great without a car. I know single people who manage but I would not want to do it with kids. If you’re in a building with Fios internet can be pretty cheap — $40/month for the lowest level but still very good. If you’re in DC proper some places also have DC Access with is free or very cheap. Smartphones are more expensive; not sure what it would be for one person since I gave my parents on my plan too, but it’s over $100/month for three adults and the smallest available data package. Ignore the PP who says not to save for college. I’m not saving now (kids are in daycare) but I hope to start when they’re in elementary. I think there’s some online calculates that can help you to determine how much. In your position, I would only try to save for in state public; privates are insane and you need to eat.

I'm sorry, I just don't understand this logic. DC public transportation is atrocious. This isn't NYC where nearly everything is accessible via public transit. Example - I am a single parent living in Van Ness DC. I have a kid in daycare and a kid in DCPS - daycare kid gets dropped off at 7:30, then I drive to before care for the DCPS kid. I work, live, and kids go to school/daycare all within a 2 mile radius. If I didn't have a car, I wouldn't be able to get them off in the morning and to work on time. Buses and metro would take longer than walking. As it is now, I leave the apt at 7, get to work by 7:45. 45 minutes to literally go less than 3 miles, 3 stops total. If I walked, that would take me an hour and 45 minutes - not to mention being out in any weather. If I waited on buses and metro with a combination of walking, it would take over 100 minutes, and that's if they're arriving on time, which we know doesn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much is dependent on where you get a job/live. Do you have money to cover you for the time between when you move back and when you get a job? In my city, there is an online calculator for teacher salaries that shows the salary at each step and you can add in additional certification to project salary.

This is what I do
phone service: I pay $52/m for a t mobile plan that is fine
internet: $60/m for a basic plan
cable: only rich people do cable now. I have a roku with netflix and amazon prime, it's plenty
car: I bought a 2007 honda with 170k miles for $2000
groceries: $75 a week is fine for 1 adult and 1 younger kid

Things to consider:
-do you need to pay for aftercare or other childcare expenses
-who will claim the kid on taxes

I would not save for college during this time, make sure you are secure first then worry about college savings.

Do you incur costs for health insurance each month?

If for example I am making $4665, net monthly, after the usual taxes, based on a 75k salary, will I pay also for health insurance on top of that? How much would end up coming out of my paycheck?

[Anonymous]

Make sure you are legally allowed to relocate before thinking too much about this. Local laws will vary, and where you live now will likely determine custody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi! I’m a single mom of 1 and a public school teacher. First, do make sure you have the necessary licensures and qualifications for a classroom teacher job. Next—How many years of experience do you have? That will make a big difference. I have 15+ years of experience and more than just a single masters degree, so my salary is actually pretty good. I also inherited a college fund for my child and a large down payment for a house. I also have lived here most of my life and have friends who sometimes babysit or help out when I’m in a jam. Which I say just to point out that you shouldn’t look at other women doing it and assume you can too. Everyone’s situation is different. I just think that dose of reality is important. You can go on the websites for the different school Districts and figure out about what your salary would be. I think living in parts Fairfax, Loudon or PW is manageable on $70k but less than that would be an immense struggle. There are decent 2 bedroom apartments in very safe communities out in those suburbs.

I have two Master's degrees and definitely the correct license for Elementary in state of Virginia however my only actual experience so far in K-5 has been working as a long-term sub in an international school for two years. I have not yet had a class truly of my own.in an ES setting (I'm currently teaching adults).

In Fairfax, if they were generous (which they might be given your other qualifications) and gave you credit for 3 years of experience, you’d be making $60,094, on the 2022 pay scale for Masters +30. I know many teachers in Fairfax who are able to have their kids go to their assigned school with them and avoid before and after costs. On a limited budget and without a social network I might avoid working in a different county than where your child attends school. The differences in holidays and snow days are a real headache.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much is dependent on where you get a job/live. Do you have money to cover you for the time between when you move back and when you get a job? In my city, there is an online calculator for teacher salaries that shows the salary at each step and you can add in additional certification to project salary.

This is what I do
phone service: I pay $52/m for a t mobile plan that is fine
internet: $60/m for a basic plan
cable: only rich people do cable now. I have a roku with netflix and amazon prime, it's plenty
car: I bought a 2007 honda with 170k miles for $2000
groceries: $75 a week is fine for 1 adult and 1 younger kid

Things to consider:
-do you need to pay for aftercare or other childcare expenses
-who will claim the kid on taxes

I would not save for college during this time, make sure you are secure first then worry about college savings.

Do you incur costs for health insurance each month?

If for example I am making $4665, net monthly, after the usual taxes, based on a 75k salary, will I pay also for health insurance on top of that? How much would end up coming out of my paycheck?

I'm not a teacher in one of the districts you specify. Maybe through friends of friends you could try to track down some teachers who would share that info. In my district benefits packages can also be viewed online. For me, I pay no monthly health premium and my child is covered by her other parent. Honestly, I don't think you are going to be able to answer these questions accurately as such a granular level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much is dependent on where you get a job/live. Do you have money to cover you for the time between when you move back and when you get a job? In my city, there is an online calculator for teacher salaries that shows the salary at each step and you can add in additional certification to project salary.

This is what I do
phone service: I pay $52/m for a t mobile plan that is fine
internet: $60/m for a basic plan
cable: only rich people do cable now. I have a roku with netflix and amazon prime, it's plenty
car: I bought a 2007 honda with 170k miles for $2000
groceries: $75 a week is fine for 1 adult and 1 younger kid

Things to consider:
-do you need to pay for aftercare or other childcare expenses
-who will claim the kid on taxes

I would not save for college during this time, make sure you are secure first then worry about college savings.

Do you incur costs for health insurance each month?

If for example I am making $4665, net monthly, after the usual taxes, based on a 75k salary, will I pay also for health insurance on top of that? How much would end up coming out of my paycheck?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are legally allowed to relocate before thinking too much about this. Local laws will vary, and where you live now will likely determine custody.

While that is true I am trying to see whether or not I could have a case for the child and I potentially having a much better quality of life in my home country and if the evidence to suggest it were strong enough I would consider petitioning for it (at least for during the school year)

[Anonymous]

I pay $158 a paycheck for Kaiser HMO (family plan) every two weeks. (NOVA school district). Very few copays and almost no out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

Can your child stay on your husband’s health insurance?

I am a teacher and have Kaiser health insurance. About $300 comes out of my paycheck each month for health insurance for my child and me. That is the cheapest plan, and it is more than adequate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you are legally allowed to relocate before thinking too much about this. Local laws will vary, and where you live now will likely determine custody.

While that is true I am trying to see whether or not I could have a case for the child and I potentially having a much better quality of life in my home country and if the evidence to suggest it were strong enough I would consider petitioning for it (at least for during the school year)

If I were OP, I would definitely return to the US to file for divorce. I have a couple of friends who were abroad for spouse jobs and started divorce proceedings while in a foreign country. Not good. Do not file for divorce in a country where you can't work legally, because you will get stuck there and have no means to support yourself.

[Anonymous]

College savings to pay full pay for a private college is $1,000 a month.

For public college, more like $600. But you likely wouldn’t be full pay.

Still, Europe. Always Europe.