Anybody Know How Much It Costs A Single Lady To Live In The Midwest?

I know you said worksheets havent worked for you, but......
part of this exercise is to try and think of how you spend your money and a great way to do that is to have a list you can review.  We have been working on a complete financial package, I have posted the "expense" part as a Google document so you can see it and at least "check off" the items....  
We are still working on it, but it sounded like it might help.  Please let us know what you think.
Cotter

Blastit
Paula gave you some good advice. But you need to go window shopping and get an idea what you will need in the way of clothes. Look at prices. Call a couple of beauty salons and see what their prices are.

I allowed a hundred dollars a month for clothes. and a 100 a week for groceries. Since I ride horses most of the clothes budget is eaten up on horsey items. A cheap pair of good breeches can run a $100.00.
 
My groceries aren't running quite that high on a weekly basis but that covers the cost of fast food  when I don't have time to cook and the occassional sit down restaurant meal.

Above all don't forget to add in your health insurance. If he receives health insurance thru his work you can take Cobra Insurance. Be sure you watch all dates on that are you won't be eligible. Call his human resource dept. and tell them you are THINKING about getting a divorce and want to know what it will cost per month for cobra.  You will be able to keep the same level of coverage you have now.

Don't forget you will have to pay est. quarterly taxes on your alimony unless you can get him to agree to you having tax free alimony. It isn't done that way very often but I did manage to get mine tax free to me and taxable to my ex.

I live in the southeast so I hope this helps.
Take care

do you have your bank records?  you can tell quite a bit from that alone.  your mortgage, monthly bills,etc.  if you don't have access to them, your lawyer can get them from your husbands lawyer.