Reply to what do middle income households who have kiddos with SN do in the DMV?

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Reply to "what do middle income households who have kiddos with SN do in the DMV?"

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[quote=Anonymous]OP, you’re not alone. The long-term financial realities of caring for a special-needs child are daunting. Without knowing your details, hard to provide specific advice. The money stresses on a single parent are, obviously, way more acute than on a two-parent household. A stable job with health insurance and paid vacation is frankly, a must. (Bonus points for understanding colleagues!) I’m the budgeter/investment banker for our middle-income household. Here’s a few things we have done/are trying to do in order to manage:

- bought a 1200-ft house in Montgomery County ($500K), just off Sligo Creek near Holy Cross Hospital) with immediate access to parks, bike paths, and other free outdoor spaces
- maintain one modest car that we bought used 5 years ago
- ride public transit to work as much as possible
- work at home as much as bosses allow to keep transportation costs as low as possible
- grocery shop at Aldi and Costco
- cook at home, pack coffee and lunches for work
- cut hair at home 
- recreate and socialize at parks, libraries, friends’ houses, our own backyard
- broadcast to neighbors and friends that we LOVE hand-me-down clothes, toys
- make use of our Facebook Buy Nothing Group for clothes, toys, household goods
- maximize all services available to our child via health insurance (ST, OT etc.)
- maximize all services available to our child through Montgomery County Public Schools (includes daily busing to special-ed class, ST, OT)
- seek out cheap/free activities and supports via relevant nonprofits (in our case, XMinds) 
- listen to tons of free podcasts specific to child’s disability so I can continue to try and be the best parent possible 
- “vacation” to the homes of supportive family and friends
- save slowly but steadily into emergency fund + retirement account
- try to DIY home and car repairs using YouTube (within reason!)

Things we do not do:
- buy clothes or toys new/retail
- buy new cell phones or other electronics
- eat in restaurants 
- vacation to hotels or resorts
- hire babysitters, cleaners, gardeners
- pay to go to movies, concerts, shows
- try to keep up with wealthier friends

This stuff is hard. I stress money all the time. The setbacks are like one bite of humble pie after another. My life is not Instagram-able. And I can’t take my kids to Disneyworld. But we are housed, clothed, fed, and together, and we do have a bit of a financial floor underneath for when the poop hits the fan, as it inevitably will.

Best of luck to you. 
[/quote]

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