How Do You Do It?

tamararachel2 · August 2013

I've been a SAHM for about a year now, but DH and I have hit hard times thanks to the sequestration and we're at that point where I'm wondering if DH's job is going to be enough? We made the decision for me to be a SAHM because the of the cost of daycare. It just wouldn't be worth it for us. But this is the first time DH and I have nothing to fall back on. We had to dig into our savings as DH was out of work for 3 months and then we had to move across several states and that took everything we had to get our stuff moved, get into a new house, etc... When we originally sat down to see if this job was going to be enough for us money-wise, DH was under the impression that health insurance was provided since it is technically a military job. However, when we got here we found out that it's not. So there's $300 that we thought we would have for groceries/household/etc that is now under bills. I've started looking for a part time job on the weekends or even at night when DH is home to help, but we live in a small military town so that's hard to find. I've even signed up on a free lance site and hope I can get some work off of there. How are you other SAHMs making it work???

dizzycooks · August 2013

Our budgets support our staying at home. Some ladies work parttime in the hours their DHs don't work. Have you exhausted every child care option you can find? Have you looked for evening/weekend work where you might be able to get a high school student to babysit for less then that cost of a daycare? Have you considered taking care of a few kids in your home (in my state you can watch one other family without a license, but you could seek a daycare license)? It sounds like the reality is that you need to find something or you guys are going to be in a world of hurt.

ETA: I'm a big faker posting this, I teach fulltime so I am really only 'home' in the summer, but my paycheck covers daycare plus a little extra each month. We use the extra to pay off student loans, travel and add fun to our lives. With just DH we would be leading an extremely boring life so for that reason I work for the few hundred extra it gives us each month.

jensriot · August 2013

DH's current salary covers all of our expenses. Savings, retirement, fun money...everything. If it didn't I would go back to work. I would get a job in my field that leaves a decent amount after daycare. If I couldn't I would probably wait tables in the evenings/weekends or babysit other kids.

We live pretty frugally, I coupon, meal plan, shop consignment, eat at home, etc. Really though, that's just so we can do other things without causing stress to our budget.

AmeliaKris · August 2013

I work weekends. We couldn't have me stay home otherwise.

tamararachel2 · August 2013

I am currently looking for an evening job that I could do when DH gets home or even a weekend job. I used to be a bartender and I know that the cash is good and helps out. Problem here is it's a small town and no one needs anyone right now. DH is going to look into the daycare on base but all the ones off base here are horrible. They've gotten bad reviews and we've asked around to other families and they all have taken their kids out. I have thought about watching one or two more kids, so that might be an ad I'll be posting soon.

tamararachel2 · August 2013

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do? I've already started looking, but even Food Lion and Walmart need at least two days during the week and the times they need don't work for us.

Ballet513 · August 2013

My husbands salary covers all of our expenses and leaves plenty leftover to save and for "fun money" we also have a year or so of expenses in savings just in case. I've been off since my baby was born in May but plan to work 10 hours a week or so in September. We are having my mom babysit while I work. If we couldn't keep our current lifestyle up on just DH's salary then I would be working.

tamararachel2 · August 2013

AmeliaKris said:

I work weekends. We couldn't have me stay home otherwise.

I meant to ask you what it was you did! I must have clicked on reply instead!

sschwege · August 2013

tamararachel2 said:

I am currently looking for an evening job that I could do when DH gets home or even a weekend job. I used to be a bartender and I know that the cash is good and helps out. Problem here is it's a small town and no one needs anyone right now. DH is going to look into the daycare on base but all the ones off base here are horrible. They've gotten bad reviews and we've asked around to other families and they all have taken their kids out. I have thought about watching one or two more kids, so that might be an ad I'll be posting soon.

That's what I do, I watch another boy DS's age in our home five days a week. It helps by allowing us to put money away in savings every month, but definitely not a replacement for a full-time job.

freezorburn · August 2013

Maybe you just need to get creative to get your foot in the door somewhere? I know you said it's a small town, but people get sick and go on vacation, right? Maybe as you are asking around about jobs you can offer to fill in for someone else here and there. I know it can be hard to be available on short notice when you are the primary caregiver to a child and don't have family nearby, but maybe you can figure something out with your H so that the employers in the area can get to know you a little.

sophie206 · August 2013

I work part time to make SAH more financially comfortable. I work from home for a previous supervisor. Ive also babysat for a friend while she was in school, but since you just moved that's probably not an option, right? We also live frugally, coupon, drive older cars that are paid in full, vacation only every few years ect.

id012 · August 2013

I work at a gym and bring ds with me. Its not much money, and really i dont do it for the money, but its nice to have the extra cash for things ds and I do doing the week.

Another job kind of fell into my lap recently where i can also bring ds along. I couldnt say no, its to perfect of a job. So soon ill be working 2 part time jobs!

tamararachel2 · August 2013

id012 said:

I work at a gym and bring ds with me. Its not much money, and really i dont do it for the money, but its nice to have the extra cash for things ds and I do doing the week.
Another job kind of fell into my lap recently where i can also bring ds along. I couldnt say no, its to perfect of a job. So soon ill be working 2 part time jobs!

This is ideally what I wanted. Even before we moved, when the job came up I told DH I wanted to do this since DH and I both love the gym (that's how we met!) Problem with a small, military town...there is only one gym and it's a Snap Fitness so it's tiny and no child care. I have looked at the other gyms that are in nearby cities, but no one is hiring yet. But I haven't put that out of my mind yet!

tamararachel2 · August 2013

sophie206 said:

I work part time to make SAH more financially comfortable. I work from home for a previous supervisor. Ive also babysat for a friend while she was in school, but since you just moved that's probably not an option, right? We also live frugally, coupon, drive older cars that are paid in full, vacation only every few years ect.

I'm looking to baby-sit. I posted an ad on CL. But we know all about living frugally! My SUV is paid for and we got rid of DH's Mercedes last year because I told him a $400 car payment was not an option anymore! We don't even know what vacation is! We are planning to go to Disney World next year for DS2's bday, but that's all because my parents and sister are planning it and paying!

Ballet513 · August 2013

id012 said:
I work at a gym and bring ds with me. Its not much money, and really i dont do it for the money, but its nice to have the extra cash for things ds and I do doing the week.
Another job kind of fell into my lap recently where i can also bring ds along. I couldnt say no, its to perfect of a job. So soon ill be working 2 part time jobs!

This sounds like the perfect job. Do you get a free gym membership?

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