January 2011 Moms

Should I be a SAHM?

I am struggling with going back to work. DH swears he is supportive no matter what but I feel like he may be worried with the money situation. We have gone over our budget and feel like we would be ok but we know we would have to cut back on some of our activities. I have been trying to think of ways we would save money with me being a SAHM. So far I have come up with: I could use cloth diapers all the time (my sister was going to be keeping LO and she wasn't going to do cloth diapers so we would have to buy disposables while he was with her), Could nurse full time, could make his own baby food, cook at home more, eat out less, save on gas money. Any other ideas??? Thanks in advance!

(also on the SAHM board)

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Re: Should I be a SAHM?

  • make do with what you have- hold off on new cars, new furniture, anything that is a want and not a need.  Coupons.  You could also maybe watch a child for another mom, then you'd get to stay home with your LO and make some money...of course you'd have your hands full then though!!

  • Those all sound like great ideas! I love being a SAHM so much. She's only this little once so I want to enjoy it to the absolute fullest. ..... and I hated my job. haha
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  • Cut out cable and use netflix.
  • DH and I are struggling with this decision as well.  My job has become extremely stressful since I went back, and they are not treating me well at all.  Not to mention, we're having some daycare issues with DS.  While it would be absolutely best for my sanity, I'm not sure we can handle it financially.  So I'm curious to see your replies!
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  • I've done just about all of the above so I can be a SAHM.

    We do have dishnetwork still but we plan to drop them when our contract is up.

    We workout at home instead of a gym membership, I use cloth diapers, I make due with the air up a little higher during the hotter months, I cook more, and use store brands and coupons when shopping. 

    Budgets are beyond amazing when planning to be a SAHM. 

  • If I had the option of being a SAHM, I sure would be.  It's just not financially possible for me to stay home with my DD. I'm so sad that I have to go back to work next week!!!!   Sad
  • imagevlewis84:
    Cut out cable and use netflix.

    This! It's hard to get used to not having a DVR, that's the only thing I miss. But let's face it: I have like 90% less time to watch TV anyway.

    My DH is a grad student, and I'm a WAHM (a freelancer, no less!), so trust me when I say that we are on a budget. A teeny, tiny little budget. The things we do include CD, EBF, we eat almost every single meal at home, make our own cleaning supplies, try to re-use as much as possible, use coupons.

    When I cook dinner, I try to make a little extra to either freeze for another dinner or eat for lunch the next day. I try to stretch the food we have - for example, we had a roasted chicken yesterday, and I saved the carcass to boil down and make into stock, which I will freeze and use for future recipes. We also participate in a CSA. While it seems that might be more expensive, it has actually saved us about $25 on our weekly groceries, because I'm planning my meals better around what comes in the box. Plus, we've gotten to try new things that we wouldn't have sought out and sometimes have to Google just to see what it is!!

    I also do Swagbucks, like a lot of the ladies on here. I don't spend a ton of time on it, so I've only gotten like $25 in Amazon cards so far, but hey, every little bit helps! Here is my referral link if you'd like it. Shameless.

     We also use deal sites like Groupon, LivingSocial, Baby Half Off, Mamabargains, BabySteals, Tanga, etc. The key is to only buy ones for things you will definitely use. Oh! And coupon sites like Coupon Cabin and RetailMeNot.

    Sorry so long - I hope some of this helps you. I know each thing is only little, saving a few dollars here and there, but it adds up!! 

    Good luck in your decision.

  • I'm back to work today, and I really hate that I can't just get out (military) and have DH work full time instead. But financially it wouldn't equate- nowhere near equal income, so for now, I have to stay in. :( I really, really wish I had the option to be a SAHM. If we could simply cut a few things out and be fine, I would do it in a heartbeat.

    Also, to save some $$, adjust your cell phone bills- get the lowest plan necessary (Like talk only; no text/web access/3G/4G) with free mobile-to-mobile. You can save a LOT of money right there. And if you have pets, make their food instead of buying it. Rice, meat, peas and some other small veggies are a great meal (mixed together) and healthier for your pet- plus, you can make a huge batch at the beginning of the week, jar it, and then ration out.

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  • If you're worried about finances, why not see if you can go part time at your job? That might be a nice balance if you're worried about living on 1 income. Plus, if you decide you don't like it, you can just quit and SAH full time.

    Cloth diapers and nursing are good ideas, but nursing doesnt always work out long term despite women's best efforts, and cloth diapering on the surface looks like a good way to save money but will raise the cost of doing laundry. If you're counting on these for money saving to SAH, I would continue working at least part time.

    Since you didnt budget to be a SAHM before baby, I'd say go back to work, even if it's only for a month or 2. Save every penny that you earn from your paycheck and make the necessary lifestyle changes that would allow you to live on one income. It will give you extra money in savings and will also serve as a "trial run" to see how comfortably you could live on just one income. For me personally, if I was living on such a tight budget to SAH that I couldnt afford to get out and do fun stuff with the kids, I would eventually become miserable, but everyone's different.

    This is also a good time to create a budget and stick to it. Take out your income and see how much you have left over. Then find out what you need to get rid of that you can like cell phone plans, cable, etc to make the numbers work. If it's going to be really tight and you're not going to have a budget to save money every month, I would suggest finding something part time, either through your current employer or another one. With a young child, saving money (even if it's only a little) every month should be a priority, as there are many unexpected expenses when you have a child.

    GL!

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