MilSpouse Employment Challenges
MilSpouse Employment Challenges
Quitting my job, due to PCS, was a financial burden for the family as we relied on my income to add to our family’s investments and plan for the future. We began planning for the PCS several months ahead of the orders, knowing they were coming. While we may not be able to plan “where,” we all know there are some logistics and need for “be prepared” funds to set our families up for success and make the most of a road trip to our new destination. We made sure to set aside 20% of my paycheck for planned expenses ahead of the move. We do our best as a family of six, to live on a budget that is within my spouse’s income to help alleviate the burden of my gapped employment due to PCS.
MilSpouse Money
Mission Response:
Thank you for sharing this heartfelt tip, Sarah. You are not alone among military spouses facing employment challenges due to frequent moves and family responsibilities. Balancing military life and employment isn’t easy, and your tip highlights the importance of preparation.
As Sarah’s experience highlights, your job may not move with you the next time you PCS. It might take some time to find another position and there may be a difference in pay. Visit our PCS Milestone section and consider the following tips as you plan for PCS and future employment:
- Base your family’s spending plan on your active-duty spouse’s income. Your spouse’s total pay may shift based on rank and duty station but strive to keep your regular monthly expenses within this limit. Loren, another milspouse from California speaks to this very idea in her short video here. Check out Create a Budget to get started.
- Have an emergency fund. Financial experts recommend you keep three to six months of living expenses saved in a separate, easily accessible account such as a money market or savings account.
- Put money aside for a PCS fund. Our Estimated Travel Costs and PCS Spending Plan worksheets can help you get started.
- Lean on military spouse employment resources like MySECO, MyCAA, and the family readiness center on your installation to gain new skills, network and job search.
