My husband and I would like for me to become a SAHM. I want this so much, but we have been struggling financially since we got married. He was laid off for about 8 months and I wasn't working for about 3 months. I've since been working and he is back in carpentry (very unstable though). He is trying to change careers to become a firefighter/paramedic, but this can take years. Basically, we are behind on bills but are slowly getting caught up. We each have a 5 year old from previous marriages, only one living with us at this time. She starts kindergarten this fall, and I really want to stay home when she starts school. My question is....how do other SAHMs do it? We live VERY simply....no cable, haven't really bought new clothes, and if we do, we buy used, etc. We try to spend money on getting bills paid. Does anybody have ideas for working at home? The jobs I've looked into all require money first and seem like big scams. This is something that we both want so badly, it just is starting to seem like an impossible dream...... Any ideas???? ~Peace~
WOW! we are definately in the same boat here. i have been staying at home with my daughter c/o my old man supporting us for almost a year now, and it is very hard sometimes to just get by. are you crafty? like can you sew or do artsy stuff like that? there are a variety of things that you can do at home such as sewing clothes and selling them on e-bay just for a little extra cash. or if you have a farmers market around you, you could sell stuff there. i am selling AVON right now and it has one of the lowest start up fees of any of the other things i checked into ($10). you make as much as you are willing to put your time and effort into. i also make baby blankets, diapers, etc. and sell them to people wherever. another option with your little one going to school is maybe watch some kids in your home. it will probably be much easier with him/her in school most of the day. there are a bunch of different ideas if you are willing to keep living frugally. the only problem we have is getting time out away from the kid every once in a while. sometimes you just have to take $20 out of the public service bill $ and splurge on a date!! trust me it isn't going to matter what you had or if your bills were all paid on time. your kids don't care about all that. but they will remember there mom or pop being very stressed out cuz they never got time to themselves. be willing to sacrifice everything but your sanity!!! --sweetpeace
tightwad gazette~~get this book out of the library. how many vehicles do you have? cars are such a money suck.
I agree with the car thing. Try to get something that is good on gas or it will suck your money. Took $35.00 to fill my car the other day. I too want to stay home with my son. He is almost 2 now. By the time he is 5 I want to be able to stay home to homeschool him. Can't wait to quit my job and be a SAHM. Kathi
See if you qualify for food stamps. So many people don't realize most working class families in this country do qualify for food stamps.It isn't much but it does help. You may want to see if you can do in home day care for one or two extra children,this can add a little money too. It can also add stress if your children don't get along with the ones you watch,try to find people who have a similar parenting style to yours when you are babysitting.Most of all just try to focus on the good things you do have. In the long run your kids will recognize that having mom home with them is better than having new sneakers or tons of toys. Hang in there!
Yes for food stamps! I got on them last year, and it has been wonderful. We get $350/month in food! Anything!! It helps out so much. And even if you only qualify for $100/month, that's enough to pay a bill!
my husband works mostly in the winter and i work mabe two days a week cleaning homes for under the table cash . . . we can not get food stamps b/c we mabke something stupid like 20 dollars too much a year and this has been going on for years. i have my little brother living her for a while and we could not even get free lunch tickets for him. ive tried working something out with HR but there is nothing they can do. even though all our $ goes to bills and NESESITIES!!!!! you know . . ill never understand it i was thinking of a carlton sheets program, but still that was 500 bucks for a whole package that i will never listen too . . . or stuffing envolopes? i read an artical about shkemmes in that field, they say dont trust them i dont know but i would love an at home job, i really do not want to work for daycare (REALLY) i should just go back to school for a little while
i dont have children, but i am a stay at home wife. i second the in home daycare option, if you think you can stand it (watching other people's kids all day every day can be tiresome). i'm also an avon rep, and i think it's a pretty good idea too, since the start up is low ($10), and there aren't any quotas or territories. for the most part you can do it on your own terms. other home based businesses for the most part require more money up front, and have minimum sales requirements to remain active. i know, because i have looked into several over the years. you probably aren't going to make a zillion dollars selling avon, but you can make grocery money, and stuff like that. hmmm...try to cook your meals at home, it's way cheaper than eating out. get rid of your gas guzzler car, if you have one. try to be mindful of utility bills...i tease my hubby about being the light nazi, because he walks around the house turning the lights off behind me...it does work though. basically, start thinking of ways to lower your living expenses as much as possible. if you truly already have, then now might not be a good time to try to stay home. also, you may decide to stay home, and then find that in an emergency, you have to go back to work temporarily. it happens. the transmission went out on our car last month, and now the dog has to have surgery. i'm thinking i'll get a summer job... i also highly recommend the tightwad gazette (a book). i purchased the compilation of all four editions, and have learned a lot. i don't do all of it, but it opens your eyes to possibilities that you may be overlooking.
Creative Saving, lol. i'm home with the two kids 24/7, and my husband makes about $7/hour (35 hours, so that's $245/week). We eat alot of pasta and rice, and visit family when we can, cause they always cook for us (joking, but hey, it doesn't hurt!). Buy two (or five) of everything when it's on sale. Buy store brands (but only if it tastes as good as the "real" thing--sometimes it's not worth skimping). If there's a great sale on clothes, buy a size or two bigger for next year--i have been really grateful to myself when i've thought ahead! Also, look at bigger sizes when you're in a thrift store. I've never had to go shopping just because my kids grew out of everything--i always have a full wardrobe in the next size waiting by the time they need it. Bring snacks everywhere you go, that way you can avoid convenience store (or worse, movie theater or theme park) prices. Buy the big carton of goldfish (or whatever) and pack them in little tupperware containers. Take a big insulated cup full of ice water for sippy cup refills. Cars. This is a big one. We have two cars, a '90 Subaru station wagon, and a '95 Geo Prizm...they cost us $1700 and $2500 respectively; they aren't the fanciest things on the road, but they were both paid off the day we got them! They both get decent gas mileage--about $20 a fill-up, and that gets us about an average week's driving. When something is broke...we try to figure out what it is BEFORE we take it to the shop...that in itself means huge savings. If possible, use a shop that will install parts that you find yourself...we saved $400 this way once by getting salvage parts. Of course, it's a little riskier than buying brand-new, but if you're cautious, it can be worth it. Insurance. Insure your cars and home with the same company, and you can get a discount on both. i'm too tired to think of any more, lol.
Here are some great links... I love this site! www.mommysavers.com http://www.mommysavers.com/work_from_home_ideas.htm http://www.mommysavers.com/moneywise.htm http://www.mommysavers.com/moneywise/msahm.htm Check these out, I'm on this site alot because its so helpful.
Thanks everyone for the great ideas. Most we already do, but some I had never thought of! Our library doesn't have the Tightwad Gazette. I might have to put it on my Christmas list... My husband starts a new job next week so hopefully we'll have steady income for the rest of the summer. Maybe get some bills paid off... We also asked our parents (we owe them over $3000!!!) to take money off our bill for each holiday that they would buy us gifts instead of spending money on things we don't really need. Everyone has such good ideas on ways to save money....maybe we should start a money saving forum!!! ~Peace~
can your library pull in books from neighbouring libraries for you? ours does interlibrary loans for free.
