Cincinnati Babies
Mrs.Cooley2bee
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SAHMs, I need your help
Mrs.Cooley2bee
member
I have been trying to figure out a way to be a SAHM or preferably work part-time. I feel like it would be fairly hard to live on my DHs salary alone and I am having a hard time finding a part time job (I only have the option of working full time when I go back from maternity leave to my current position).
So, how do you all do it? Maybe your DHs all makes tons of $$$...lol. Do you have some money saving tips? How did you make the trasition to living on one salary? TIA!
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Re: SAHMs, I need your help
Once we got married and I moved in with DH, we never used my paycheck and saved it for a down payment on a house. We were used to living on his salary, so it was no big deal when we no longer had mine.
Meal planning, garage sales, finding free activities (storytime, church activities, etc.), and just thinking before we spend really help us. We use Microsoft Money to keep track of our budget. I also plan ahead for Allison's cousins' birthdays and Christmas. Also, since I'm not going to work anymore, I'm not spending as much money on clothing for myself anymore. That money pretty much gets spent on Allison's clothing, though.
We planned for it and saved appropriately. Thank goodness we did since DH got laid off in February and we've been living on unemployment since then.
We try to plan meals, live simply, cut back on cell phones plans, cable plans, etc and spend a lot of time as a family doing free activities. We looked long and hard at what we can do without on a daily basis.
I'm also going to start watching my nephews hopefully in the near future and am starting a small business with 3 friends. Soon I'll be bringing in some money from that to enable us to build our savings back up should DH be laid off again.
Photos courtesy of Jen Rose Photography
I pretty much have the same thing to say as the pps, but its not easy living off one paycheck, but its sooo worth it to us to have to cut corners just so that I can stay home.
I am a huge coupon shopper and save a TON at the grocery store. We get a huge pile of hand-me-down clothes from my cousin with 3 boys ever couple of months, so we hardly ever have to clothes shop for DS. Plus, my mom is out of control when it comes to buying cute things for him. We do a lot of free (or really cheap) things for entertainment like going to the park, local free activities for families, etc.
Good luck. I hope you can work things out to be able to be home with your LO. Its the best job in the whole world!
Griffin 10/2007
My situation is a little different, I never planned on SAH. I worked FT up until a few months ago, then I took what I thought would be a great PT job...turns out I hated it, and I was only bringing in a neglible amount after paying for two in daycare. So I quit, and have been SAH since. Things are really tight for us on one income. We can pay our bills, but there's very little left over. It's not like we were living a life of luxury before, but it's been an adjustment having to think about every dollar spent. I don't have any great tips, really...we cancelled our Tivo, I cut coupons, we rarely go out to eat and do mostly free activities, etc. etc. Nothing you haven't heard before I'm sure!
I'm actually looking for a PT job though, because that would be my ideal situation (and it sure would be nice to have the extra $), but am not having much luck. I either need to find something in the evenings/weekends around my DH's schedule, or something that will cover daycare plus some during the day (and that I actually like.)
I have been a SAHM since we had Jackson. We just make it work. Its funny how you figure out the things that are important when you have a family. We no longer spend much money on ourselves. I am a big bargain shopper and love garage sales, thrift stores etc. I would say 85% of J's wardrobe is from there, and he always looks cute! (if I do say so myself!) We also like lots of free activities and don't have to have "the best of everything"
We also live debt free.(except for my hospital bill which we are paying interest free) We pay off our credit card in full every month and only buy things we can afford to pay in full. This usually means 1-2 "big ticket" items a year. This year it was a TV and hardwood floors. We will wait until next year to redo the downstairs basement. Its all about prioritizing and being patient for the things you want, rather than need.
Good luck, hope it works out for you guys!
Ditto all of the great advice above, especially what Melissa said about living debt free. Check out Dave Ramsey if you need to get rid of debt and put money in savings.
Thanks for all of the good advice ladies! I am actually Dave Ramsey's biggest fan...so I am well aware of how he thinks things should be done. Lucky for us we are doing the debt free thing now and don't have any CC debt.