To be or not to be a SAHM?!?!

Question

I’m struggling with this right now. I actually just got furloughed from my full time job because of the pandemic, but I really have been so much less stressed because I get to stay at home with my 9 month old, I can do all of the things I’ve been wanting to do around the house, can cook, clean, etc. in a timely manner. The only thing that is holding my back from being a SAHM is our financial situation. If I didn’t have a job, that would cut our income by half. I think we would be fine with just my husbands, we would have no more daycare expenses and would be spending less on food because I would have more time to cook, but it would still be tight. Basically after all of our bills are paid each month, we would only have about $1000 left over to pay for food, clothes, entertainment, and any other expenses that don’t occur monthly. My husband is looking for another job that would pay him more - he actually had an interview with steamfitters, but it was postponed because of the pandemic. 😑 
I guess I’m just trying to vent and get some advice or see if anyone else has struggled with this.

Answer

I think $250 a week is a really right budget .

Answer

I’m so sorry you have to make such a hard decision :( I am very very lucky that I can choose to be at home without financial strain, and I wish I could give some advice. No matter what you will continue to be a great mother

Answer

I understand the desire to stay home, it was a really hard decision to go back to work. However, my husband and I thought far into the future and discussed the life that we want. Without my income, we couldn’t contribute as much to our child’s college fund, or our retirement fund. If I stepped out of the workforce for the years our child + possible future children are small, I’d lose momentum at work, and it could take years to get back to where I am. It’s a very personal decision, and these years are precious. We decided that for us, having two incomes made the most sense for our future.

Answer

My maternity leave was about to be up in a week or so. I was getting so nervous and anxious about it. I hated it. I didn't want to go back to work. I was full time until the last month or so of my pregnancy then I switched to part time then left a week before I gave birth. I just didn't want to leave her. Miraculously my husband got a promotion right before I was due back to work that allowed me to stay home. I figured out all the finances and even though it was tight. He agreed it'd be better if I stayed home. He loved the fact of me being at home.. It is all worth it. We have less extra money than you would and we do all kinds of things together. We never go without and she is always getting clothes or toys or whatever she needs. It was difficult for me at first because I've always made my own money. But to me it's worth every penny to be with my daughter and make sure we stay on a good budget. So if we can do it with less extra a month. You can definitely do it. But also it is important to do what you're comfortable with and makes you happy! 😊

Answer

Create a budget plan & see if it works for you. If it does then do it! I wish I could but I’m the bread winner of the house. I make almost 3x my husband salary.

Answer

Honestly, I’ve been a stay at home mom off and on for 5 years. It’s nice having a break from the kids, and it’s nice to have extra income. But what I would make at my job we’d be paying for child care, because we have 3 kids - child care where we live is upwards of $150/kid per week. Our public schools are terrible here - everything from staff preying on students  (they’re tenured so they don’t lose their jobs🤬) to fight clubs in the bathrooms, kids pushed to suicide because of bullying and the counselors don’t care; they’ll even go tell the kids bullying that kids are scared of them and make fun of them with the bully. So I’ll probably just end up homeschooling them and continue to stay at home. It’s more worth it for me to have my kids safe and raised the way we prefer than have extra money to blow. But that’s just our situation.

Answer

We are considering this as well and we would have much less left over after all bills are paid. I think it would be about 400 left for food and gas and extras. With me working though we would have less than that left over for everything with two kids in daycare.  Plus I want my son to be able to go to universal pre-k in the fall and they are only half day.

Answer

It just depends on what you’re comfortable with. More time with your kids and less financial cushion or more financial safety (for your kids of course) but less time with your kids? If you can make either choice, that’s a very personal decision that only you can make!

To be or not to be a SAHM?!?!

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