One of the more difficult aspects of divorce is having to ensure that you have financial independence. This can be a big challenge in Sonoma County, which has a higher cost of living. For most people, the end of a marriage means moving from two incomes down to just one. Unfortunately, this usually doesn’t come with much of a dip in expenses.
If you’re in the midst of a divorce or know that one is coming, now is the time to sit down and figure out how you can improve your financial future. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go get a second job. Instead, you may be able to make this happen by just being more purposeful with where your money goes.
The first step in finding out what you can do financially is to set your budget. Look at your income and expenses that you know you’ll have each month. If you find that you don’t have enough money to cover everything, you’ll need to start trimming expenses. This might include things like visits to the spa or cutting cable.
As you figure out what you have going out each month, remember to plan for the divorce-related costs like legal fees and deposits to have new utilities turned on in your name. You may consider adding a special category in your budget for these.
While it’s important to make the decisions that you feel will benefit you as you start your new single life, don’t make major financial decisions until after the divorce. Not only will this help you to ensure that you aren’t making emotional decisions, but it can also work to help you to avoid making errors that could be costly during the divorce.
