How did you make being a SAHM a reality?

**dz_blonde_girl** · 09-27-2002, 08:31 AM

Since I've discovered another little one is on the way (I'm gonna be 40 in November you guys) I'd really like to figure out how to stay at home with my babies for a while. I only stayed home with dd for 6 weeks and it nearly broke my heart. I pay between $400 and $500 a month for daycare now, that would double with 2 kids under age 2.

Unfortunately I'm the main bread winner in the family. Dh loves his work and that matters more to us than the amount of the paycheck. (I love my work too, I'm just lucky enough to get a decent paycheck)

Now don't make faces at me when I tell you this, but $800/month for daycare would be only slightly over 1/3 of my net pay. But we really can't afford our child care bill to double. If I can figure out how to bring in $1000 to $1500/month, I can stay home with no changes in lifestyle. (We'd all like to do that wouldn't we) We're going to need a bigger house, we squeezed dd in but there is no room for another, and a bigger vehicle, a family of 5 won't fit in a 4 seatbelt Blazer.

I have skills though.... I'm thinking about doing coding (medicare billing) or maybe signing a weekend contract with a local hospital. I have to practice nursing so many hours in a 3 year period to maintain my license. I'd love to be able to make my crafts.....

You are all probably as dumbfounded as I am and thinking "If you figure out how to make that kind of money from home, we need to know about it!" Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. I have until spring to figure this out.

**Patchworkgirl** · 09-27-2002, 10:20 AM

My neighbor does medical transcription from her home- she goes and picks up tapes, then drops them off next morning. I think she has 3 offices which have several doctors in their group. She is making no less than 30,000 a year. She can work when she wants during the day or night, just as long as it's done by the next morning when she does her delivery/pickup. You mentioned the medical billing, so I thought this might be right up your alley. Good luck and go for it!

**mylittle4** · 09-27-2002, 02:01 PM

I babysit for a nurse and she works one day a week and then every other weekend her husband stays with the kids on the weekends she works so she is only paying for childcare for one day a week

**heaven** · 09-27-2002, 03:29 PM

babysitting is a great way to stay home and make money too. that is if you can deal with extra children. crafts would be a blast you could do that too and sell on line. I don't know. good luck though

**dz_blonde_girl** · 09-28-2002, 07:19 AM

Babysitting is definately NOT an option. I love my own kids, but taking care of other's is not something I can do. An occasional neice or nephew is sometimes too much. Thanks for the ideas!

**aylasmommy** · 09-28-2002, 12:36 PM

Well the only thing that comes to my mind is you and your dh working split shifts..so that he works while you watch the kids..then you work while he watches the kids..and hopefully your days off could be the same days?

**dozymom** · 09-28-2002, 03:48 PM

Karen what about renting a room to a student? You can share via a schedule, cooking facilities, or set up hot plate, microwave etc for her.

If you have a sep. bathroom, and bedroom and rec room, can you convert it to a mini suite for a student?

I'm a former RN and I know what you mean about keeping up so many hours. Where I live, it worked out to 2 12 hour shifts a month.

Can you work nights, once every 2 weeks so you can work a night shift then kind of doze around the house all day the next day, looking after the little one (but not going onto a shift the next night) and napping when he/she does.

OR arrange for 2 shifts a month back to back and arrange ONE day of daycare for your sleep day?

The rest of the month, you are free to do what you want. You can take a breast pump to work with you and pump and discard if you have to. (some of the areas I've worked in there is no way I'd plan on refridgerating lunch let alone milk for my baby in)

For a couple of night feedings that you would be working, maybe homestored milk would do?

**Cecilia** · 01-18-2005, 05:42 AM

From march and on I will be a SAHM!!!

I now try to plan as carefully as possible what need to be done before that. That's why I'd like to ask you; What should be done before you start to live of just one income. We have no debt besides house morgage. I guess I should be going to the dentist, do some car maintenance, pay bills ahead, plan meals (I already do) but what else should I do while I still have an income?????

**DaisyLady** · 01-18-2005, 06:28 AM

Top up your emergency fund, set aside the beginnings of an entertainment fund and make sure you have a budget.

**Early Bird** · 01-18-2005, 10:57 AM

See if you can live off your dh's salary -- and bank yours!

**homesteadmamma** · 01-18-2005, 11:40 AM

Make sure you have a stockpile. I can't stress enough how this has gotten us through almost 2 months w/o a salary.

Put as much money as you can into an emergency account.

**sherrykay** · 01-18-2005, 02:14 PM

I am a spur of the moment stay at home mom, so I had no time to prepare. If I had notice and know now what I know, I would do any kind of medical stuff that needs to be done, tubal ligation, dentistry or anything else while you still have insurance. That has been my biggest struggle. I was scared when I first stayed home that we would not financially be able to make it on one income, but we have done really really good so far. I do look alot for sale items and have changed to cheaper brands or store brands on alot of stuff, and learned to live without shopping every weekend, which was my passtime when I worked. I felt like being at my home was more important than shopping all the time! Be aware though, you may go through a depression at first, I had worked all my life, and wanted to be a stayat home mom so bad, but for some reason I was depressed at first. You don't nearly have the adult communications that you did before and get anxious staying at home day and night. I do love it now don't get me wrong, there is just an adjustment period at first. My best wishes to you and your family on being a SAHM.

**QuilterMom** · 01-18-2005, 02:53 PM

Originally posted by homesteadmamma
Make sure you have a stockpile. I can't stress enough how this has gotten us through almost 2 months w/o a salary.

Put as much money as you can into an emergency account.

**Cecilia** · 01-19-2005, 04:47 AM

Thanks for your answers!!!
We have about 5000 US dollars in an emergency account already, but I'm putting some more savings away end of january and end of february. But maybe this is not enough?
We also have a vacation account that is about 2000 US dollars now, money for the summer to come

I'll be stockpiling as soon as my next pay will arrive!!!

If you have any other suggestions, please write!!!!!!!!!!!!!