Are you a stay-at-home mom in an unhappy marriage? Do you feel like you're stuck because you have dedicated your life to raising the kids and your work experience has suffered? So many stay-at-home moms feel trapped in unhappy marriages because they worry that they won't be able to make it out there on their own. If that's the case, the following tips will help.
Talk to a Divorce Attorney
If you've fought about a divorce with your spouse, one of the things that's most likely been yelled at you is how little you will get in the event of a divorce. One of the most powerful tools your spouse has is to make you feel powerless – to force you to feel as if you can't make it and he will make sure of it.
Well, the truth is, he probably doesn't know just how much you will be awarded by the courts. You are the soul care provider of the kids, and the house and the courts recognize this when determining spousal and child support.
Consider Expenses
Money will be one of the greatest concerns you face at this time. Now, you may use a calculator to get an idea of how much your spouse will be ordered to pay you each month, but it will not be completely accurate. This number will give you a very rough estimate of how you'll need to budget.
Before you see the number and decide that you won't make it, you have to think about how much your spouse spends each month. If you have a spouse that loves to spend money, you may not need as much income as you would if you were to stay with him. For example, some spouses go out for drinks every night after work – that can easily be a quick $50 each day – that adds up to a small mortgage payment that you won't be shelling out each month.
Think of Your Well-Being
It is never in anyone's best interest to stay in an unhappy marriage. Continuing to force yourself to stick with it can be terrible on your health – both physical and emotional. Talk with a therapist to help you through this. You don't want to do it alone, and your friends and family can only do so much.
Don't stay trapped – start the process by setting up a consultation with a divorce attorney. You may end up being pleasantly surprised at how well things could work out once he's gone.
