Tell me it'll be okay. UPDATED

[LauraMoser]

As some may recall, I've been wanting to stop watching cousin's kids for a while. I was all set to find a PT job once baby comes (less than 7 weeks now!) so that I could give her a few weeks' notice and finally be done.

Well, now I'm pissed. She just texted me this morning saying that her fill-in babysitter (for the time I'm off with baby-I haven't given her any notice yet) is starting NEXT WEEK.

I'm freaking out. First off, I use the money I make from babysitting to pay the mortgage. This will make us quite short for the next two payments! DH is getting a few bonus checks this month, so that will help, but we were planning on saving that for when I'm off with baby. Now we'll have very little to put back for that. Things are going to be so tight now through the end of the year. I'm scared.

I haven't even told DH yet. I know he's going to be pissed. I know I was going to stop watching those two kids anyway, but this is quite a bit sooner than I planned. And with only less than a week's notice.

I'd go find a job now, but considering my BP has been a little high, I have twice weekly appointments, and I'm only <7 weeks away from my due date, its not really possible. I'm thinking though that if I can sign up for Pampered Chef now, that I could do that for now. I already know of three people that would have parties for me (they already told me they would!).

Guess I'm gonna be looking over all our numbers this afternoon/evening and figuring out what we can cut for now. I know there's not much to cut though.

I know we'll get through this, but damn, its gonna suck for a while. Ugh!

UPDATE: So DH wasn't mad, thankfully, and didn't try and blame me. I was worried he might say something about me bringing this on because of something he said in our huge fight two weeks ago, but he didn't. After talking to him, I'm feeling better. I've definitely calmed down since yesterday.

I've posted an ad on CL for childcare to see if I can find even just a temporary babysitting gig. We will see what happens with that. I also am listing a few handmade items on Etsy just to possibly help bring in a few bucks to make things a little less stressful financially. I also plan to hit the pavement sometime early next month to look for a PT job if I don't find any kids to babysit by then.

But I really don't expect cousin to bring the kids back after this week. This fill-in sitter is moving in with her, so I just think it'll be too convenient for her and therefore she won't want to bring them back, kwim? It doesn't bother me one bit, since I was already planning on trying my hardest to find something/someone to replace them once baby comes. It just sucks that it happened six weeks before I was planning on it, and therefore putting us in a little bit of a tight spot for a little while here.

Oh, and its been brought to my attention that she has made a few not so nice comments on FB about me. Thanks for that cuz. 8-D

[Deleted]

I'm sorry. That sounds tough. Hang in there, cut spending to the bone, and you'll make it through.

[ssmjlm]

I know it really sux, but I would look at it as a blessing. She's off your hands now and one last thing for you to worry about.

[liveintheville]

Oct 9, 2012 11:47:32 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I know it really sux, but I would look at it as a blessing. She's off your hands now and one last thing for you to worry about.

I agree with this. Timing is awful but it will allow you to destress in these last few weeks, hopefully. Good luck!

[Deleted]

Without the income, do you qualify for WIC? (The new baby counts as a person while you're pregnant, so you can check: www.fns.usda.gov/wic/howtoapply/incomeguidelines.htm )

[Ashley&Scott]

Honestly you should not be mad & neither should your husband. This is a business relationship, both parties have the right to end it at any time. For quite some time you have struggled with watching her kids & trying to figure out how to stop. She made the decision for you, it's a blessing in disguise.

Replacing the income might be hard but you will get through it, hang in there.

[LauraMoser]

Oct 9, 2012 11:47:32 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I know it really sux, but I would look at it as a blessing. She's off your hands now and one last thing for you to worry about.

Yeah, I know. I feel relieved to not have them anymore, but I'm stressing over finances now! I don't expect that she'll bring them back after the baby comes. I've been getting a weird vibe from her lately.

I try to help my family members out though, and end up getting screwed. She nearly threw a fit a while back when she started working an extra hour each day and I had asked for an extra $10/week to cover the extra time each day. It added up to an extra 1/2 day, why would she expect to not pay for it?

Oh, and this past Friday, she decided it was too much trouble to run to the bank and cash her check on the way here. Thus, I didn't get paid until yesterday. If it was her paycheck getting held up a few days like that because of laziness, she'd be pissed. I don't understand her logic most times.

I'm seriously worried about DH's reaction though. I'm afraid he'll think that I brought this on somehow. Ugh.

There are so many mean thoughts running through my head right now. So many nasty things I could say to cousin, but I won't.

[LauraMoser]

Oct 9, 2012 11:53:53 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Without the income, do you qualify for WIC?

I will check into this, although I think DH's salary alone may put us over the limit.

Obviously DH and I will be having a discussion tonight. I'm thinking deferring SLs for now, as well as checking to see what else can be deferred temporarily.

We have every thing we need for baby fortunately. We kept everything from DDs, so its all good there. My family is also throwing me a shower sometime soon, so we should get diapers and clothes, which we technically still need. So I'm not worried about things for baby.

[sugarbear]

I don't blame you for being upset, but I'd focus on the lack of notice more than anything else. It might be a blessing in disguise, as it'll keep you from having to break up with her, right?

I don't see how your H could blame you for this, assuming that he knows you haven't said anything to her yet, right?

It will all be ok. Deep breath.

[LauraMoser]

Sugarbear- It is the lack of notice that bothers me the most. I was going to give her at very minimum two weeks notice. She gives me three days?! Ugh.

DH doesn't seem mad yet, but we've only communicated through text about it so far. He did say that I do need to find something to fill the next few weeks to bring in at least part of that money.

I've been considering selling PC for a while now, and I think this may be the last straw in convincing DH that it could be worthwhile. It would at least bring in a few bucks during the next two months or so, until I can get out and find a job.

And, as far as a PT job outside of the home, its probably not a great time to look now, right? I'm about six weeks away from baby's arrival. There's obviously going to be a period of two or three weeks between applying and actually landing a job, from my experience. Then I'd work three or so weeks, if the doc would even allow it, and be off for a few weeks. No one is going to hire someone who is only six weeks from their due date right?

God, I really want to just find a PT job already, but I feel stuck in that department.

[vanillacourage]

I would look into government assistance.

What's done is done, but if this money is the difference to you making your mortgage, I would have all your clients (even family) sign a contract requiring 2 weeks' notice, and you should try to build up that e-fund for when this inevitably happens again. Good luck.

[h]

Do you have a car? If so, could you call your local paper and try to get a paper route assigned to you? You could do that for a couple hours in the morning, and you would be able to take your kids with you. I would think you could do it up until you deliver, and it would give you a little extra money from now until then.

[sugarbear]

I think the paper route is a great idea. It's one of the few things I could have imagined doing in my first few months postpartum. I can't imagine trying to sell PC, but then I don't really know what that entails.

You live in Seattle, right? I don't know why I think this. Anyway, I don't even know if the PI still delivers papers, but it's definitely worth looking into.

[LauraMoser]

Oct 9, 2012 13:53:48 GMT -5 h said:

Do you have a car? If so, could you call your local paper and try to get a paper route assigned to you? You could do that for a couple hours in the morning, and you would be able to take your kids with you. I would think you could do it up until you deliver, and it would give you a little extra money from now until then.

I used to run two morning routes and two afternoon routes before I started babysitting! It has been in the back of my mind. I was actually doing that when I had DD2, and was back at it within a week of having her. Then we figured out at tax time that I was actually losing money with all the gas and maintenance costs. But like I said, its still in the back of my mind.

[LauraMoser]

Sugarbear- You keep asking me if I live in Seattle, lol, but no I don't. I'm actually in PA.

[housegeek]

Sounds like you need to rework your financials and cut some stuff out.

[sugarbear]

Oct 9, 2012 14:22:21 GMT -5 LauraMoser said:

Sugarbear- You keep asking me if I live in Seattle, lol, but no I don't. I'm actually in PA.

Disregard. I really have no idea why I'm so convinced that you live here.

[CloudBee]

Oct 9, 2012 14:34:54 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

Time to start making and selling some of this pretty cakes! Set up a Facebook page. Start offering holiday cakes, and specials for Halloween.

:Y:

[pugz]

post your budget!

[LauraMoser]

Update in first post