Editor's note: We know a lot of our readers would like to make the somewhat-scary leap to from employee to solopreneur. Here, one of our writers shares her journey about that transition. 

I looked around the room one last time before turning out the lights. Moving in slow motion, I still wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do.

If serving the public is your calling, there’s a good chance you already know that you're probably not going to be raking in the cash. (Trust me, I should know. I spent 17 years as a public school counselor and the benefits came from serving kids, not from a big paycheck.)

While you can make a decent living working in public service jobs, oftentimes, your income may be barely enough to cover all of your monthly expenses. This is especially true if you have an overwhelming amount of student loan debt.

Working from home may seem ideal, especially if you're a mom or soon-to-be-mom. But figuring out how to find the right job to fit your needs can be a real challenge. 

Plus, being able to separate home and work life, learning how to prioritize tasks, and figuring out how to focus on your job (while doing something like cradling a newborn) takes time. 

If you’re getting restless in your office job, you might be wondering if striking out on your own and working from home could be right for you.

After all, the idea of rolling out of bed, commuting to the next room, and spending the day in your pj’s sounds like the ideal situation, right? Well, that depends.

Everything changes once you become a parent. Your sleep is cut in half, you eat standing up, you’re not sure which day of the week it is, and oh yeah, your finances take a major hit.

In fact, a 2015 study done by the United States Department of Agriculture found that the cost of raising a newborn through the first year of life for middle-income parents is $12,680. Yikes! No wonder you’re googling “ways to save money once baby arrives.”

You have the perfect crib, the safest car seat, the hippest stroller, and enough outfits to last for a year. But what about life insurance? Did you take out a policy for the newest addition to your family?

If you spend any time online or looking at parenting magazines, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the ads for child life insurance.