Stay-At-Home Mom Warns Others After Husband Asks for Divorce and Cuts Her Off

The number of stay-at-home moms had previously been on the decline for decades, as many homes required two incomes to stay afloat. In 1967, 49% of mothers stayed at home rather than working, according to the U.S. Bureau if Labor Statistics. By 2022, it was just 15%.

More recently, however, a study by advocacy group Motherly found that this number had climbed massively by 24% in just a year. While the two-income situation hasn't changed, the mothers surveyed primarily blamed ballooning childcare costs and inflexibility as the driving force behind this surge.

While having more time to spend with your children as they grow up is a blessing, one mother recently discovered just how vulnerable staying at home can be. TikToker and stay-at-home mom Cortney Gets Fit recently took to the platform after their husband asked for a divorce to reveal just how vulnerable a position they are in.

Cortney began by giving some context on her situation: "So y'all wanna know the scariest thing, and it's happening to me now, is being a female married. I'm 37, I have two kids, they are 5 and 7. And I've been a stay-at-home mom for the past 10 plus years. I have no income, I have no money. I use my husband's credit card, and I use my husband's money."

The mother then shared how her situation had recently changed: "Two weeks ago he told me that he wants to move forward with divorce. I use an American Express credit card for everything. It's got my name on it, but he obviously pays the bill."

Cortney's husband recently cut her off from money, with the mom claiming: "He told me he's gonna cut it off and I gotta like, move all the automatic payments and stop using it. And he said, 'You need to start using your own card now.' What card? I don't have a card. That is my card. Terrifying."

Going on to describe how vulnerable Cortney now felt, they added: "I mean, I feel like a little girl who needs their mommy because I don't know how to take care of myself. It's just terrifying. Terrifying. I'm 37, and I'm, like, scared. I have no idea what to do or what I'm doing or how to take care of myself."

Cortney explained that while her husband is letting them stay in the house, her name isn't on the deed. "When we got married, he told me that my name isn't gonna go on the deed because he doesn't want to, uh, put that debt on me. But I'm getting to live in his house. I'm getting to stay in his house. Thank god."

Cortney concludes by sharing some of the unknowns: "Yeah, I have somewhere to sleep, but, like, how do I feed my kids? How do I feed myself? Oh, my gosh, I need my mom. I need my mommy to come and take care of me. That is terrifying as a 30-year-old. Like, in your 30s, you're a mother. Like, I have two kids to take care of, and I don't even know how I'm supposed to take care of us. That is terrifying."

In the comments, many people pointed out that Cortney would normally be entitled to half of the marital assets. Unfortunately, Cortney says she signed a prenup which would certainly complicate the situation.

Another commenter added: "This should be a warning to all women, being a [stay at home mom] is a dangerous game to play."

To which Cortney replied: "You're so right. Let me scream it out to all the girls getting married."

Others pointed out that this situation isn't exactly new: "I feel like women have been screaming this from the rooftops for years, but most [stay at home moms] ignore it because they don’t think it will happen to them."

Cortney seemed to agree, adding that they never thought they'd be in the situation: "You’re so right. I’m one of them. No chance this was ever gonna happen."