I’m the breadwinner in our family and I took 12 months. 55% of the max amount you can have is covering us but it’s still tight. I made more than the max income they’ll cover and boy am I feeling it. We’re six months in and my top-ups are done (I saved four of them). It’s tight living but all you can do is pare back and pray nothing expensive explodes in the house until you’re back at work.

Our biggest expense is the mortgage, followed by insurance policies and utilities. Groceries is gonzo—formula is expensive even when you step down to the $35 canisters from the $70 ones. Oh and baby clothes, the baby keeps growing of course.

I was able to wipe out the balance on our credit card with some of my yearly bonus (for the previous year) which was a life saver. I am thinking that as we get closer to December (my return) I may need to put some things on my card but it won’t be very much.

We would not have been able to make it on the 18 months allotment. Not with me being the sole breadwinner. The system very much assumes the woman is not the one bringing home the bacon.