Oh parenting and finances....

Fergiegal

Hi all!

I am soon going to be a mom....my first. My husband and I are so excited! But, things aren't exactly turning out the way we thought they would at his job. I got laid off in September 2010...and in February my unemployment will run out. Both my husband and I have been under so much stress worrying about our finances these past few days.

 We both agree that putting our child in daycare as a newborn so that I can work, is not what we want to do. They are so defenseless at that stage, and need their mommies. I also don't have anyone I can rely on to take care of my child. My husband's family all works, and my family lives in another state. 

 I have been trying to find something where I can work from home, and have it be a stable job....do any of the stay at home moms here have any recommendations? Perhaps something that you are currently doing from home now, that has generated a decent income? 

Any help would be much appreciated. 

EliseB0323

Everyone wants the elusive, stable, well paying job that they can do at home while taking care of their child. Good Luck.

What are your skills/experience? Some jobs are easier to do at home than others. However MOST jobs are not easy to do well while trying to take care of an infant.

You might want to look into working at a daycare where you will probably get a discount on care for your child and be able to take him/her with you to work. Or you could take care of another child or two at your home.

veloelle

Most WAH jobs require you to have childcare. You cannot get anything done w/ a child underfoot. That is the simple reality, and I could end the post there. I WAH certain days (in the office most days), and my  children are in daycare. If you find a WAH job like medical billing, you'd need to do it while your DH is home. Honestly, there are no WAH jobs that pay money for you to work while your child is home, unless you start a daycare.

For example, I'm WAH this week because my oldest started Kinder and daycare is closed, so I have my 16 month old. I had to get up at 5:30 am to get some work done, and I'll be working tonight after my DH gets home.

AnnapolisLari

The only people that I know who make a stable income from home are the ones who are doing something like what they did in the regular working world-- usually for their former employer.

Can you get a part time job in the evenings once your DH is home? It means that you won't have as much time together, but if your finances are that bad, you do what you have to do.

Fergiegal

EliseB0323:

Everyone wants the elusive, stable, well paying job that they can do at home while taking care of their child. Good Luck.

What are your skills/experience? Some jobs are easier to do at home than others. However MOST jobs are not easy to do well while trying to take care of an infant.

You might want to look into working at a daycare where you will probably get a discount on care for your child and be able to take him/her with you to work. Or you could take care of another child or two at your home.

The daycare job sounds like a good idea. I hadn't even thought of that! Even though I know they don't pay well at day cares....but at least I can make some money while being in the same place with my baby. Thank you for your suggestion. 

penguingrrl

I understand the desire to WAH. My first was a surprise pregnancy and we're in a very high cost of living area and my income potential is below the cost of daycare for one child (forget two). I was forced into the position of SAHM because of the cost of working and have ended up loving it, although the finances are tight at best while my husband finishes his PhD (luckily he has about 10 months left). What I've found is that careful careful planning has brought living costs down enough that even though it doesn't work on paper we've made the finances work without going into debt (almost unheard of for graduate students even without the costs of a family). We cut our cell plans to minimum, have no home phone, have internet because of DHs career but no true cable (we have $5/month limited basic, which gives networks and PBS kids), menu plan like crazy so if I use 1/2 a pepper for one recipe I use the other half another day, drink mostly tap water (thankfully tap water in NYC is phenomenal so I would anyway) and do without "treats." Many people coupon a lot, but much of that is online couponing and the stores near me don't accept online coupons so we don't do much of that (leaving Manhattan to find a store that accepts online coupons would cost enough in gas and tolls to mitigate the savings, plus our apartment is small so we can't store stuff after stocking up).

Fergiegal

penguingrrl:

I understand the desire to WAH. My first was a surprise pregnancy and we're in a very high cost of living area and my income potential is below the cost of daycare for one child (forget two). I was forced into the position of SAHM because of the cost of working and have ended up loving it, although the finances are tight at best while my husband finishes his PhD (luckily he has about 10 months left). What I've found is that careful careful planning has brought living costs down enough that even though it doesn't work on paper we've made the finances work without going into debt (almost unheard of for graduate students even without the costs of a family). We cut our cell plans to minimum, have no home phone, have internet because of DHs career but no true cable (we have $5/month limited basic, which gives networks and PBS kids), menu plan like crazy so if I use 1/2 a pepper for one recipe I use the other half another day, drink mostly tap water (thankfully tap water in NYC is phenomenal so I would anyway) and do without "treats." Many people coupon a lot, but much of that is online couponing and the stores near me don't accept online coupons so we don't do much of that (leaving Manhattan to find a store that accepts online coupons would cost enough in gas and tolls to mitigate the savings, plus our apartment is small so we can't store stuff after stocking up).

 

Thank you for sharing! Good advice. It's just scary because this is my first, and I really wanted him/her to be born into a stable financial environment, but clearly those days are over for most people in this world today  

hsal

We are in the same boat, almost. At my job, I fid not qualify for ANY paid leave so I have been out of work since May 29th. DH was laid off May 7 and was denied unemployment. Emma came June 13th. Because Dh hasn't found a job, I started nannying a week ago and will be starting back at my job this weekend after my pp checkup. Yes, ill be. Working two jobs and it will suck but I make the most of every second I have with LO and the feeling that i have knowing I'm providing for her makes it worth it for me. DH and i will be working opposite shifts, me until 4 pm and him starting at 5pm. It sucks and we wont see each other as much but we'll do anything to make dure she's provided for. Everyone figures it out and you'll be fine.

Fergiegal

hsal:

We are in the same boat, almost. At my job, I fid not qualify for ANY paid leave so I have been out of work since May 29th. DH was laid off May 7 and was denied unemployment. Emma came June 13th. Because Dh hasn't found a job, I started nannying a week ago and will be starting back at my job this weekend after my pp checkup. Yes, ill be. Working two jobs and it will suck but I make the most of every second I have with LO and the feeling that i have knowing I'm providing for her makes it worth it for me. DH and i will be working opposite shifts, me until 4 pm and him starting at 5pm. It sucks and we wont see each other as much but we'll do anything to make dure she's provided for. Everyone figures it out and you'll be fine.

Wow! that is amazing! I commend you for what you are doing. I know it's not easy and sometimes you just have to sacrafice. Better times will come for all of us I am sure. I wish you and your husband all the luck in the world! 

joy143dh

Are you looking for a full time position in a company, self-employment, or just a supplement (just something you can do for a few hours a day while DC sleeps to make extra money)?    There's a big difference.     I own a business and work from home.  It's a consulting business I started last year after working in the field for 12 years.  My neighbor does medical billing from home.   We both have to send our kids to school/daycare while we work.   There is no such thing as working and caring for your child at the same time - unless you open a daycare.  

I know a few moms who supplement their time & income with Etsy stores, used book sales, and Lia Sophia.    Another friend of mine started a non-profit event planning service.

I think you need to take a look at what skills you have and go from there.  Googling "at home jobs for moms" will likely lead to a scam. 

Also, if you and DH really cannot make it work financially and you working outside the home would provide for your family, I think you should be more open minded to daycare or having DH stay home and you work.   Babies may be defenseless and need their mommy, but they are also very resilient and can still turn out to be very loving and well natured kids even if they go to daycare as infants.

Fergiegal

joy143dh:

Are you looking for a full time position in a company, self-employment, or just a supplement (just something you can do for a few hours a day while DC sleeps to make extra money)?    There's a big difference.     I own a business and work from home.  It's a consulting business I started last year after working in the field for 12 years.  My neighbor does medical billing from home.   We both have to send our kids to school/daycare while we work.   There is no such thing as working and caring for your child at the same time - unless you open a daycare.  

I know a few moms who supplement their time & income with Etsy stores, used book sales, and Lia Sophia.    Another friend of mine started a non-profit event planning service.

I think you need to take a look at what skills you have and go from there.  Googling "at home jobs for moms" will likely lead to a scam. 

Also, if you and DH really cannot make it work financially and you working outside the home would provide for your family, I think you should be more open minded to daycare or having DH stay home and you work.   Babies may be defenseless and need their mommy, but they are also very resilient and can still turn out to be very loving and well natured kids even if they go to daycare as infants.

 

Yeah, I have my own company too right now. It started out as an online clothing boutique for women, but that wasn't working out too well, so now it's an Affiliated Sales company and fashion distributor for small boutiques. Right now, im in the process of get it going....but it's taking some time.

I actually submitted an application this morning to a private day care and preschool in my area, and they called me back....i explained to them i was pregnant right now tho, they just told me to resubmit when i was ready. They give 50% off to kids of employees, and that way i can work where my child is. I think that's what I will end up doing once my child is at least 5 months old.

 Thanks for sharing your info! 

Cbidt's girl

EliseB0323:

Everyone wants the elusive, stable, well paying job that they can do at home while taking care of their child. Good Luck.

What are your skills/experience? Some jobs are easier to do at home than others. However MOST jobs are not easy to do well while trying to take care of an infant.

You might want to look into working at a daycare where you will probably get a discount on care for your child and be able to take him/her with you to work. Or you could take care of another child or two at your home.

nice. You just suggested a woman who has no childcare experience or education that we know of seek a childcare job. I expect my daycare providers to be trained in child development and/or education.

Fergiegal

Cbidt's girl:

EliseB0323:

Everyone wants the elusive, stable, well paying job that they can do at home while taking care of their child. Good Luck.

What are your skills/experience? Some jobs are easier to do at home than others. However MOST jobs are not easy to do well while trying to take care of an infant.

You might want to look into working at a daycare where you will probably get a discount on care for your child and be able to take him/her with you to work. Or you could take care of another child or two at your home.

nice. You just suggested a woman who has no childcare experience or education that we know of seek a childcare job. I expect my daycare providers to be trained in child development and/or education.

I do have education...I have a college degree....and I don't think she meant to get a job as a teacher at a day care.....she meant as an admin at the school office or something to that effect. A daycare school actually called me today about an opportunity, and it was not a teacher position obviously. It was administrative.  

Cbidt's girl

EliseB0323:

Everyone wants the elusive, stable, well paying job that they can do at home while taking care of their child. Good Luck.

What are your skills/experience? Some jobs are easier to do at home than others. However MOST jobs are not easy to do well while trying to take care of an infant.

You might want to look into working at a daycare where you will probably get a discount on care for your child and be able to take him/her with you to work. Or you could take care of another child or two at your home.

nice. You just suggested a woman who has no childcare experience or education that we know of seek a childcare job. I expect my daycare providers to be trained in child development and/or education.

heyitsme

When I had DD I worked for a church, then a gym daycare, and then finally for a leasing office. I didn't go to work FT until DD was 2 and daycare was cheaper.

With the church I worked 20 hours/week and she came with me for 18 of them. It was a very casual environment but by the time she was 5 months old I felt like I wasn't giving her or my job adequate attention, so I left. The gym daycare job was really great--I loved it. Most don't pay well, but I worked for a family gym that really valued their employees. They were OK with me bringing DD to work with me so I worked 20-25 hours/week there. And then the last job I had before I went to work FT was in the leasing office of our apartment complex doing data entry. I could make my own hours, which was a bit of a challenge (at the time DH worked FT and went to school FT)... but the office was just a few steps from our apartment so I didn't have to figure in travel time.