General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Stay-at-Home Mom Facing Divorce? Don't Expect Alimony - Forbes article [View all]laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)I had a good bank job. But I moved to a remote community to support my husband's career. A community where there was no post secondary education so I couldn't take classes, and there was no decent childcare so when we had a child, I couldn't go back to work. I followed him from remote community to remote community which enabled rapid forward movement in his career. He climbed the corporate ladder and made 6 figures. Still does. However, when he decided to cheat and leave us, damn right I should be getting some alimony. And I don't think I got nearly enough - I got enough to get me through school. Now I'm making a poverty wage and he's still pulling in 6 figures and I have the kids 99% of the time. Sure I get child support, but it's not enough. My kids suffer because we have a much smaller house (townhouse actually) where everyone shares rooms (they never did before), no money to do anything fun, no money to think of a vacation. In the meantime, he goes on cruises every few months with his girlfriend, has new vehicles every 2 years and keeps our old home. If I had to do it over again, I never would've moved to a remote community with no childcare. I would've gone back to school part time and started working again as my kids got older. I would've kept my time away from work minimal, and filled in that time with some post secondary courses.
I can only hope because I'm 39 and not 60, and am starting my second career and I have a degree that I can at least climb out of this a little bit before I hit retirement age.