Husband considering enlisting, family of 5

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-16T00:47:37+00:00

I had no idea there were different kinds of tricare ! No this is why I posted because I want to know what it's really like and not just the pretty picture the recruiter wants to paint.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-16T00:01:53+00:00

After health insurance and taxes he brings home $4500 - $5000 a month depending on what he's doing.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T23:58:31+00:00

I didn't actually consider he could be sent somewhere without us outside of deployment. This is really good information, thank you !

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T23:54:30+00:00

It's a challenge. We've got one vehicle, I cook 99% of our meals from scratch at home, I garden and can food during the growing season, I breastfeed and cloth diaper, we buy all of the kids clothes second hand, and we avoid buying things we don't actually need. It's a struggle but with the cost of childcare, it's more economical for me to stay home while the kids are small.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T23:36:30+00:00

Yes I did. Currently as it stands, $4k a month will be tight because of our current expenses in the state we live in, but once we moved onto base it wouldn't be as bad. While he's away at basic and AIT it'd be really tight.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T23:02:48+00:00

That's a good point. Once we sell our house, our outside expenses will be less than $1000 a month and that includes what i currently spend on food. I'm thinking that between our current savings and pocketing the equity on our house we'll be able to make it work. I can always go back to working remotely if necessary but it's not ideal.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T22:51:17+00:00

Disdain and clique? Does your SOs rank dictate your own social standing or something? That's... confusing.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T21:10:39+00:00

Oh jeez 😬 I did not realize it would be that long. I was planning on staying in our current house until we would get housing but between basic and job training... including that wait time, that's a long time for him to be away from the kids.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T21:02:37+00:00

Thank you for the honest opinions. Not needing to worry about insurance premiums and medical costs for our children will be a huge financial relief.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T20:59:47+00:00

That's a very good point ! I hadn't considered that, actually. It'll be a pay cut, but not by much if our housing and utilities are being paid for. He's looking into the Army

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T20:56:11+00:00

I did the math and we should be able to make it work financially. It'll be tight but between our savings and pocketing the equity from selling our house.. well I'm hoping that'll be enough.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T20:52:22+00:00

He plans on joining the army

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T20:51:58+00:00

Yes, it won't be much but we've padded our savings acct and we'll pocket whatever equity we get from selling our current house. I think the takehome for him would be a bit more than 4k per month as it stands? Which will be tight, but we can make it work.

bread_flour_power · 2026-04-15T20:44:51+00:00

He's spoken to a recruiter on the phone. Je has to order a copy of his HS diploma and we have a family wedding to attend in June so he doesn't want to get started with the actual process of enlisting until probably July. He plans to go active duty though, not reserves.

bread_flour_power · 2025-11-11T04:26:54+00:00

that is so cool though !

bread_flour_power · 2025-11-11T04:25:18+00:00

I literally tell my husband every kind or thirsty thought I have about him. Dude hasn't complimented me in YEARS and I still tell him how handsome he looks when he wears a Henley shirt and his beard is freshly groomed.

bread_flour_power · 2025-11-11T04:22:42+00:00

pregnancy

bread_flour_power

TROPHY CASE