Your hubands concerns are very very valid. Depending on his contract he will be going through bootcamp as an E1-E4. At the high end of this spectrum you would be seeing $1827 per month ($913 each check) before taxes the low end $1399 (just over $750).

This leaves you with very little breathing room -- and oh by the way - the military has been know to make pay errors.

Keep working. Save money and if your mom is willing to watch your daughter it will set you guys up for a secure fiscal future. I am a SAHM/Student, but my husband is an E6 with 10 years in and I have USAR pay coming in as well. We make ends meet -- but every little bit helps.

Good Luck! I hope your husband enjoys his time at BCT it will change his life forever.

I don't have little ones yet, so I can't speak to that, but I can tell you, a jr. enlisted paycheck can only go so far.  My lifestyle may be very different than yours though.  Its worth crunching the #'s to see if you can make it work.  BAH can be really great or really crappy, depending on COL.  Like AMN said, they can sometimes screw up pay.  You have to consider how much you'll be able to save for circumstances like that.   

There are CDC's (childcare centers) on base that offer childcare.  I don't know much about them though.  I have several friends who work there and it seems like a great place.  Worth checking into anyway. 

GL and I hope you find a solution! 

Also, expect his first check or two to be very low while in BMT.  MH's first check had $400 deducted for....I can't remember what they said it was for and also had the cost of his uniforms taken from it.  As well, it looks as though he will not be getting BAH and Sep pay right away.  I have been told (by the awesome ladies on this board) that they will go back a pay from his start date.

I agree with everything AmN said.

Have you sat down and really looked at all of your monthly expenses and then looked at how much DH would be getting each month? Even if you don't think that you guys have a lot of expenses, you'd be surprised at how fast that money goes each month. If you had enough to cover your monthly expenses, would you have enough if an emergency happened? Enough for savings, etc?

These are all things DH and I considered before I quit my job to go to school full time. Good luck to you guys!

I agree with PP.  While he's in BCT and AIT,  keep the job and use the free child care.  He may start getting paid earlier, but worst case scenario plan on not getting paid for his first 1-2 months in the Army.  Of course you'll get back pay but military bureaucracy moves slowly. 

Wait until after your first PCS (when he gets to his actual permanent duty station) to quit your job because you'll be more financially secure at that point.  When you move to his first duty station you're likely to have a lot of out of pocket expenses.  Many will be reimbursed but again, that will take some time.  You get DLA (dislocation allowance) when you make your first PCS and that will help you pay for the initial cost of curtains, spices/condiments, etc.  If the two of you do a DITY (do it yourself) move, you'll pocket some cash from that.  And if he's getting a bonus he'll also see that at his first duty station. 

Because he's lower enlisted you may also qualify for WIC.  Be sure to look into it because that may help you financially and in the long run allow you to be a SAHM.

Before you make this leap, plan out a detailed budget to ensure you can sustain on one income.  Your husband needs to maintain good credit in order to keep his job and security clearance. 

One thing I forgot to add - he will spend about $250 his first few days of BCT buying required items.  He'll continue to spend about $100/month on other required items.

Carlisle_Girl:

One thing I forgot to add - he will spend about $250 his first few days of BCT buying required items.  He'll continue to spend about $100/month on other required items.

Holy crap! What kind of f'ing shampoo and razors did he use? LOL...

yes the PP are correct depending on the branch YH will have $250-$400 removed from his first check. They will purchase, underwear, T-Shirts, Socks, running shoes... etc. with that money.

Are you on WIC? If you are not on it now look into it once he starts basic. It is a HUGE help and I don't care what anyone says it is NOT welfare.

jessleigh659:

Also, expect his first check or two to be very low while in BMT.  MH's first check had $400 deducted for....I can't remember what they said it was for and also had the cost of his uniforms taken from it.  As well, it looks as though he will not be getting BAH and Sep pay right away.  I have been told (by the awesome ladies on this board) that they will go back a pay from his start date.

It's $300, but it's NOT for uniforms. The uniforms issued in Basic are F-R-E-E. It's for locks, school supplies, underwear, shower shoes etc. 

They do this so when/if they get base liberty they have money to buy whatever they want because some of the guys/girls don't bring their debit/credit card with them. 

Thanks ladies!!!

ericandmarie:

jessleigh659:

Also, expect his first check or two to be very low while in BMT.  MH's first check had $400 deducted for....I can't remember what they said it was for and also had the cost of his uniforms taken from it.  As well, it looks as though he will not be getting BAH and Sep pay right away.  I have been told (by the awesome ladies on this board) that they will go back a pay from his start date.

It's $300, but it's NOT for uniforms. The uniforms issued in Basic are F-R-E-E. It's for locks, school supplies, underwear, shower shoes etc. 

They do this so when/if they get base liberty they have money to buy whatever they want because some of the guys/girls don't bring their debit/credit card with them. 

lmao The Marine Corps deducted uniform fees from the paycheck. They issued the uniforms, but they sure as hell charged for em. 

OP, wait on quitting. Pay errors happen, paperwork gets lost, etc., etc.. And the pay of an e1 is meager, even if you live a modest life below your means. I would wait until he's actually out of boot camp and school before you quit, honestly. Get used to the new pay and then go from there. 

Does he realize how much day care costs, especially from 5-9 pm?

Do you make enough to more than absorb those costs? If not, then you need to lay that out for him. Because if you aren't making much more than you're paying out, you're in no better position than if you didn't work.

the CDC isn't likely open from 5-9pm. The majority of them close at 6.

 

Leah_Lou:

ericandmarie:

jessleigh659:

Also, expect his first check or two to be very low while in BMT.  MH's first check had $400 deducted for....I can't remember what they said it was for and also had the cost of his uniforms taken from it.  As well, it looks as though he will not be getting BAH and Sep pay right away.  I have been told (by the awesome ladies on this board) that they will go back a pay from his start date.

It's $300, but it's NOT for uniforms. The uniforms issued in Basic are F-R-E-E. It's for locks, school supplies, underwear, shower shoes etc. 

They do this so when/if they get base liberty they have money to buy whatever they want because some of the guys/girls don't bring their debit/credit card with them. 

lmao The Marine Corps deducted uniform fees from the paycheck. They issued the uniforms, but they sure as hell charged for em. 

OP, wait on quitting. Pay errors happen, paperwork gets lost, etc., etc.. And the pay of an e1 is meager, even if you live a modest life below your means. I would wait until he's actually out of boot camp and school before you quit, honestly. Get used to the new pay and then go from there. 

I was talking about the AF 

hindsight's_a_biotch:

Does he realize how much day care costs, especially from 5-9 pm?

Do you make enough to more than absorb those costs? If not, then you need to lay that out for him. Because if you aren't making much more than you're paying out, you're in no better position than if you didn't work.

I think she's asking if she should quit now or quit when they go to his first duty station.  I think her mom is willing to watch the child 5pm-9pm for right now, which is why everyone is suggesting she keep working.

Pay can be really screwed up for a while, so unless you have a large cushion of savings, keep the money coming in, even if it's just a small amount, at least it's dependable. 

 

To the OP, I'd probably not make any definate plans until you are certain your pay is coming in correctly and you know how much he's getting paid. After that, you'll be able to make a better informed decision either way.

I worked while my H was at basic and my Mom and/or MIL watched our daughter. I'm glad I worked too b/c we didn't get our first check until DH was in basic for a month.