COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? - 25 weeks in

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a teaching assistant. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. My spouse has a chronic condition, so dropping coverage feels risky. Did anyone switch mid-year?

Check what the notice says about the election period and when coverage starts. Mine allowed a short window to choose.