Laid Off After Making $165K: Woman Shares How She's Managing IVF and Finances

A woman who earned $165,000 (£122,000) a year before being laid off has revealed how she's balancing unemployment, fertility treatment, and long-term financial planning, offering a candid look at the financial realities of IVF during a career setback.

In a widely discussed post on Reddit's r/MoneyDiariesACTIVE, the 34-year-old shared a week from her life after unexpectedly losing her job in January. While the redundancy was emotionally difficult, she said months of severance pay, substantial savings, and careful budgeting have allowed her to continue IVF treatment while searching for a new role.

'I am actually really proud of my mental health and financial health during this time,' she wrote. 'I hope that my financial story helps those who may be afraid of the same thing happening to them.'

Years of Saving Created a Financial Safety Net

The Redditor explained that years of disciplined saving put her in a far stronger position than many workers facing redundancy.

Her finances included:

• $363,000 in a 401(k)
• $58,000 in a Roth IRA
• $126,000 in a brokerage account
• $115,000 in a high-yield savings account
• Around $8,000 in her current account

She also owns a home with her partner, although she acknowledged her parents helped with a $40,000 contribution towards the deposit and had previously paid for her university education, allowing her to build wealth earlier in life.

Before losing her job, she was taking home roughly $8,000 a month after tax, while continuing to invest regularly. Since the redundancy, she has paused brokerage investments to preserve cash while continuing to cover essential expenses.

IVF Became Her Biggest Financial Concern

While losing her salary was a major setback, she said her immediate worry was whether redundancy would jeopardise her fertility treatment.

Her former employer offered generous fertility benefits, and she feared those would disappear after losing her job. Following weeks of discussions, she learned the coverage would continue through COBRA, allowing her IVF cycle to proceed.

The financial impact of fertility treatment has already been significant. Last year, she spent around $10,000 on four rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI), thawing previously frozen eggs, and other treatment costs that ultimately resulted in no viable embryos.

This year's IVF cycle is expected to cost approximately $5,000, covering medication, egg retrieval, embryo creation, and genetic testing, although she expects additional medication expenses because of low egg quality.

Throughout the week, she documented the emotional highs and lows familiar to many undergoing IVF. After initially being told that 10 eggs had fertilised but appeared to be poor quality, she later received positive news that two embryos had successfully developed. Days later, her clinic informed her a third embryo had also progressed. 'We celebrate every win in this house,' she wrote.

Networking Quickly Opened New Career Opportunities

Rather than withdrawing after the redundancy, she focused on rebuilding her professional network. Within days, she had interviews for multiple freelance opportunities and secured a promising maternity cover contract paying $4,000 per week between April and August.

She also interviewed for several full-time roles, reached out to former colleagues for advice, and credited her professional relationships with helping her regain confidence after the layoff. Although she admitted one interview did not go well because she undersold her experience, she continued applying for jobs while treating each interview as valuable practice.

Community Became Just as Important as Money

Alongside managing her finances, the Redditor described how maintaining social connections helped protect her mental wellbeing. Her week included book club, volunteering, regular walks with friends, dance classes, therapy sessions, and quiet evenings at home with her girlfriend.

She also supported family members during medical appointments and volunteered in her local community, saying giving back helped restore a sense of purpose during unemployment.

Reflecting on the experience, she said the biggest lesson was recognising the value of community during difficult periods. 'My community and my network have been huge safety nets in this process and I hope everyone going through a layoff or IVF (or both) in this season feels supported and seen in these wild times.'

The post has resonated with readers because it combines two increasingly common financial pressures: unexpected job loss and the high cost of fertility treatment. While the author acknowledged that her savings, severance package, and family support gave her advantages many people do not have, commenters praised her openness about both the emotional and financial realities of navigating IVF during unemployment.