SAHM planning divorce in 3-4 years. What should I do?

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM and for various reasons I'm planning on divorcing my husband (he is emotionally abusive and acts like a spoiled teenager, among other things). We are planning on moving to my hometown in 3-4 years, so I'm waiting until then so I can be with family. We have one child.

My biggest problem is that I have very limited earning potential- we married when I was young and had to move often for my husband's work, so I've only worked dead end jobs and never had a real career. I have a science degree but many science jobs require at least a master's, plus no work history since I got it looks bad.

Obviously I need a career, but I'm unsure what to get into with my history. Grad school is also possible. Any advice? Also, what else should I do to get all my ducks in a row? I don't care about getting money from him, I just want things to go as smoothly as possible.

[Anonymous]

Go back to school and get a nursing degree.

[Anonymous]

How old is your science degree and what is it it?

I recently got a job with my 11 year old bio degree and I've done nothing but change diapers since I got that degree.

You might be underestimating yourself.

You need both a short term plan and a long term plan, what can you do that will start you in a job right now?

Could a quick class at a CC get you job offers?

I know someone else with an old bio degree who recently got a phlebotomy certificate, and was hired at a hospital lab to work as a lab tech just with that.

Phlebotomists with no degree can make 16+ an hour and their are a variety of schedules to work, so you can fit it around kids and school.

If you aren't into that consider daycare, call centers and retail. They are typically always hiring, you don't need a ton of experience, these might not be your passion, but you are just looking to get something on your resume.

After figuring out a short term plan to make money, figure out what you want to do long term.

[Anonymous]

ultrasound tech might be another option

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old is your science degree and what is it it?

I recently got a job with my 11 year old bio degree and I've done nothing but change diapers since I got that degree.

You might be underestimating yourself.

You need both a short term plan and a long term plan, what can you do that will start you in a job right now?

Could a quick class at a CC get you job offers?

I know someone else with an old bio degree who recently got a phlebotomy certificate, and was hired at a hospital lab to work as a lab tech just with that.

Phlebotomists with no degree can make 16+ an hour and their are a variety of schedules to work, so you can fit it around kids and school.

If you aren't into that consider daycare, call centers and retail. They are typically always hiring, you don't need a ton of experience, these might not be your passion, but you are just looking to get something on your resume.

After figuring out a short term plan to make money, figure out what you want to do long term.

Thanks for this! I have a 9 year old bio degree. What did you get your job in?

[Anonymous]

Another vote for phlebotomist. You can take classes one by one inexpensively. My cousin worked for a company that gave her a lot of flexibility with different locations and schedules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old is your science degree and what is it it?

I recently got a job with my 11 year old bio degree and I've done nothing but change diapers since I got that degree.

You might be underestimating yourself.

You need both a short term plan and a long term plan, what can you do that will start you in a job right now?

Could a quick class at a CC get you job offers?

I know someone else with an old bio degree who recently got a phlebotomy certificate, and was hired at a hospital lab to work as a lab tech just with that.

Phlebotomists with no degree can make 16+ an hour and their are a variety of schedules to work, so you can fit it around kids and school.

If you aren't into that consider daycare, call centers and retail. They are typically always hiring, you don't need a ton of experience, these might not be your passion, but you are just looking to get something on your resume.

After figuring out a short term plan to make money, figure out what you want to do long term.

Thanks for this! I have a 9 year old bio degree. What did you get your job in?

I applied to all the lab technician jobs in my area. I got hired to be their stock person, after a few months I started doing some things in the lab. It's entry level, but it's something to put on the resume and one job leads to the next level job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for phlebotomist. You can take classes one by one inexpensively. My cousin worked for a company that gave her a lot of flexibility with different locations and schedules.

If you go this route, look into getting national certification, that will come in handy when you move.

[Anonymous]

I'd get out now. You can get the maximum duration for child support. Don't waste 4 years of potential payments. That could cost you huge amounts of money.

[Anonymous]

Maybe pharmacy tech? You could put yourself through pharmacy school eventually.

[Anonymous]

Why are you a SAHM with one kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd get out now. You can get the maximum duration for child support. Don't waste 4 years of potential payments. That could cost you huge amounts of money.

CS isn't huge amounts of money unless you're married to a movie star or top athlete. At best, you will get a couple thou per kid and that's considering that you have full custody. You will likely get 50/50 and a couple hundred per kid.

[Anonymous]

Almost forgot: IUD right now. Nothing derails a marital escape plan more than an oops pregnancy. I ended up filing anyway and he was served the day DC was born, but it meant 18 more years of having to deal with him. I love DC, but these have been very rough years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd get out now. You can get the maximum duration for child support. Don't waste 4 years of potential payments. That could cost you huge amounts of money.

Terrible idea. Then she'd be stuck and never be able to take her kid and move back to her hometown to be close to family. Better to move, establish residence with the kid and husband in the town she wants to be in and file for divorce there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd get out now. You can get the maximum duration for child support. Don't waste 4 years of potential payments. That could cost you huge amounts of money.

Terrible idea. Then she'd be stuck and never be able to take her kid and move back to her hometown to be close to family. Better to move, establish residence with the kid and husband in the town she wants to be in and file for divorce there.

OP here, and exactly this. I don't want to be stuck in the state we currently live in.