How have you made it possible to stay at home with your kids?

Question

Do you do all right financially? Do you make a little extra money on the side somehow? Do you feel it’s worth it? Tell me what you think and how you've made it possible to stay home. Would you change anything and why? Do you wish you had waited until you were more financially ready to start a family?

I'm trying to explore my options. I really would like to stay home, but I don't know if we could do it financially.

Answer 1

When I had my daughter who is 4 I was working. I worked until she was 12 months old, which is when I had my son. I have stayed hom ever since. Yes, we give up a lot of things for me to stay home, but the benefits of it far exceed the thing we give up. I don't drive a brand new car and don't get to go shopping all the time and I don't have much of a social life now. But, being home with my children and being able to raise them myself, instead of a daycare doing it is great. I am very greatful to be able to stay home. I worked for 3 months about a year ago in a daycare. I could stand to watch my son in his class. It was a great daycare, but he wasnt' being taken care of like I take care of him. Very little individual attention was given to him. I don't make any money on the side, but I am a full time student. To me, people are so materialistic. Having fancy cars and fancy houses are more important to some people than their children. I'm not saying that all working moms are that way at all, but some are. I'll give up the stuff to stay home with my kids, because, after all....they are only little once!

Answer 2

I am pregnant with our third child. I stay at home with our two girls, ages 4(at the end of october) and 21 months. We decided before we had kids that I would stay home with them. My husband makes an average salary, I mean it's not like we are millionaires. After our bills and groceries we have about $1000 left over each month. We don't eat out a lot. About once every two weeks. At first it was tough financially, but once we sat down and did a budget we do really well! I am planning on going back to work part time when all of the kids are in school, about 5 years from now, but I will only work when the kids are in school. I will be home to put them on the bus and be home when they get off the bus.
I would not change it for anything.
My sister and her husband do the same thing, but my brother-in-law stays home with their two kids while my sister works.

Answer 3

I clean a couple businesses on the side and am able to do it once my husband gets home or I can even take them with me if I have to. That makes my car payment each month, which is 450. So that makes a big difference in the bills right there. I also never throw a fit when he works overtime. We knew when he took this job it would be a little rough on our time together, but it is worth it to have on of us being able to be the one to influence our children instead of someone else. He leaves for work around 5 am and gets home around 7 at night. So he gets home eats, showers, and spends and hour with the kids and puts them to bed. Then we talk and at 9:30 are sleeping, we do get the weekends together though and we make sure we have a couple hours out of one day to ourselves so we can still have our time together. It works fine for us. We have a daughter in kindergarten, a son in private preschool, and a 3 month old. We own our home and even have money to save every week from his paycheck. I don't think we are doing that bad!! The fact that we are 24 and 27 says if we can do it so can you!

Answer 4

I didn't think we could make it financially either. I was determined though. So I quit my job when my daughter was 7 months old and it was hard to adjust for the first couple of months. I stopped getting my nails done. Started coupon clipping and bargain shopping. We quit eating out all the time. We didn't go to as many movies. Dates went from all out to seldom out. I didn't go shopping as an "extracurricular activity", only when we really needed something. There are soo many ways to cut corners. If you have more than one kid, be sure to figure how much you'll be saving on daycare. Don't forget medical bills cause your kids may not be sick as often if they're not around other sick kids.
Is it worth it? Everyday it's worth it. To be able to see my daughter learn new words and to see my son pull up and start "cruising" the couch for the first time is definitely worth it. It's amazing how much we miss while doing the whole 9 to 5 bit. If you can swing it, definitely give it a shot. Things will work out. You'll be amazed at the payoff.
Good luck! I hope this works for you.

Answer 5

I started out working when my daughter was 4 months old and that only lasted for about 2 months. I didn't have my daughter for somebody else to watch her. I think it was the best decision that I have ever made. My morals are being placed in her heart and she knows where she comes from.

Here and their I had a couple of babysitting/nanny jobs, but as I have more kids that is harder and harder. Yes it has been tough financially and not everybody can do it. I don't even know how we do it. You need to ask yourself how much of your paycheck is going to childcare. Then decide how much is going to things like going out to eat, clothes, toys, activities, etc., and cut out most of that. We don't go out much and spend money but we do other things together and have a great time. I have my girls signed up in the library programs- they are free and they love them.

You need to decide if you can live without life extras and give extra of yourself to the life of your child.

Answer 6

I think that if it's important enough to you, you can make it work as long as your spouse has a reliable job. You just have to change your spending habits (way easier said than done).

If you are staying home to spend time w/ your baby, why make it harder by trying to work at the same time? I'm a stay at home Mom with a 4 month old. New babies require lots of attention, care, and energy. I wouldn't want to be working right now, though lots of incredible and resourceful women are making it work! (My hats off to them! Honestly, I admire women who work w/ a new baby.)

My biggest problem is boredom, which makes it hard to not spend money. But you get creative and hopefully have lots of family support. Do what your heart tells you to do.

Answer 7

I stay home with my girls and it's not easy, but my husband has a great job...while he doesn't make a ton of money, it's very secure and he has benefits. We struggled for a long time, mostly due to my spending habits that were, needless to say, excessive. But since I've gotten a handle on that, things are very comfortable around here. We have a beautiful house, nice cars, food on the table and clothes on our backs. The girls are able to take dance classes and we even eat out from time to time. If you figure the amount of money you spend in child care it's usually worth it to stay home. You bring home more money so that puts you in a higher tax bracket, and forces you to pay more taxes, then you have to pay for child care and consider gas to and from work, work clothes, etc. You have to figure in all the factors. Trust me, even if you have to give up some of your favorite things for a while, it'll be worth it, because you won't miss one thing in your child's life. You'll have a front row seat for every minute of it. Good luck and hope it all works out for you!!!

Answer 8

It is totally worth it!! You can do it if you do some of things that others have mentioned...cut out some of that extra stuff, cut coupons, buy generic, etc...
The cost of day care is HUGE and you are really the best person to raise your child. We decided I would stay home for the first two years which we felt were the most important.
I can only repeat that is SO WORTH IT!!
Good Luck!! You can do it!!

Answer 9

we made it so that i can stay home with the kids. i shop second hand stores, buy bulk, etc. money is sometimes tight but we make though. i dont wish to change anything. just remember to have mommy time to yourself too or youll go insane. just cut down on the basics, and try to safe money where possible. like what we did. we took back my brand new car and bought a second hand car, no monthly payments. got rid of my cell-phone, if you go somewheres use his. combined bank accounts. eat out once a month as a treat. have mommy and daddy time once a month. and go for the sales, dont buy nothing whole price unless you have too. i would stay home, but if you think you cant afford too, then maybe try to work in your home if oyur business leets you. goodluck.

Answer 10

i have three kids and i have done both i stayed home with the two until my youngest was 18 months then went back to work now that i just had my third i am back to staying home. we actually spent more money when i worked daycare is expensive and food cost more because we had to buy more convience food because everyone was to tired to cook longer meals.....so we cut back on extras and we even got rid of one of our cars since with me being at home if i need anything it is within walking distance and if i need to drive somewhere i just take my husband to work which cut over 300 dollars a month so you just have to look at everything. i like staying home better