[MommyJess]

I am home today with my two little boys (pink eye!) and just used up my last PTO day at work. It's rolling, so I will earn the time back, but I know it will only be to use it again for another unplanned absence from work. I just started working again in November and I only work five hours a day. However, my commute is a good 60 miles a day. After health insurance and taxes I take home $900/month, 700 of which goes to daycare. Since I started at my new job I have been warned about having to take time off for my kids, and my husband was actually reprimanded last week by his boss for having to stay home with them when they are sick and I can't. The only two things making this whole thing worth it at all is the insurance ( I work for a health insurance co.) and the work experience. I've only ever worked in child care while in college, then went straight to being a mom, so getting a job in the corporate world has been huge for me. I am miserable though. The job is not fulfilling, I miss my boys, and finanically things just aren't much better than they were. Mother in law moved in with us when the second baby was born, so that has helped us significantly. Do you think we could make it work on $1600.00/month (what my husband would be taking home after health insurance and taxes if I left my job)???


Jessica

 

[FrugalMomof3]

That's hard to say without knowing your expenses but you said you make $900 a month and $700 of it goes to child care, so does that mean you only really bring home $200? Is that including gas costs?

Personally I dont think I would work if I made $900 but after paying child care, took home $200, not really worth it in my opinion.

 

[MommyJess]

I guess I should point out our health insurance premium is now $280/month compared to the over $500 it was when we had it through my husband's work. Plus, it's better insurance. It's the only thing keeping me there at all, and even that is losing its appeal. I am tired of scrambling to work something out every time one of the kids gets sick. And I miss my boys! And yeh, the $200 barely covers gas for a couple weeks...

 

[vigilant20]

Wouldn't half of your $200 go to gas and wear and tear on the vehicle??? It doesn't sound worth it to me either, especially since you are already getting yelled at and possibly jeapordizing jobs the way it is.

 

[FrugalMomof3]

While the health insurance is a plus it's like your basically working for it and not getting any money. I personally wouldnt stay so your question as to whether you can live off your DH's take home pay really depends on your bills/expenses monthly.

 

[MommyJess]

That's exactly what I am thinking. Leave now on my own terms before I burn any bridges and before my husband's job is jeopardized any further. I know that by staying I could (possibly) work my way up the ladder, which I suppose was my intention, but I don't see what the point is if I cannot stand what I do. I'm just not quite sure how to approach this with my husband.

 

[MommyJess]

Well, we don't owe anyhting on our cars, and actually just went back to having two, so we could sell the older of them. Our mortgage is cut in half (300/mont) with MIL living here, as are utilities. Other than about 1,500 in credit card debt, food and gas are where the money goes. I am really triyng to figure out how to cut the grocery bills down, as $120/week is getting ridiculous.

 

[vigilant20]

Maybe mention the numbers, his problems, and yours, and hopefully he will see it too? Good luck!

 

[FrugalMomof3]

Ok list everything in detail, mortgage, average utilities, food ($120/wk), etc... and we can hel pyou make a budget and also tell you what to cut down on.

How many people are you feeding for $120 a week?

 

[MommyJess]

Monthly Budget

Gas-$400
Mortgage -$300 (our share)
Power-$70 (our share)
Phone-$20
Credit cards-$200
Groceries-$400-500 (feeding 4 people, though occasionally 5 for dinners)
Car insurance-$125
Netflix-$18.00
That's the basics, but we somehow manage to spend significantly more than that on God knows what every month.

 

[mommy4ever]

Monthly Budget

Gas-$400
Mortgage -$300 (our share)
Power-$70 (our share)
Phone-$20
Credit cards-$200
Groceries-$400-500 (feeding 4 people, though occasionally 5 for dinners)
Car insurance-$125
Netflix-$18.00
That's the basics, but we somehow manage to spend significantly more than that on God knows what every month.

If you're not working:
Gas - $200
Power- 70
Phone - 20
CC - $200
Groceries ??? if you're home can you cook from scratch? Coupon and loss leader shop?
Netflix - could be eliminated
Car insurance, if you sell one, what will your premium be?
Health insurance ??


Could you take in a little one and earn a little from home? Even part time you could earn $400 and be more than you're taking home.


What your job is taking:
Childcare: $700
Gas:$200
Wear and tear on vehicle?
Convenience food?
Take out?

Possible your husbands job from what you say.

So essentially your whole income is GONE. I'd tender my resignation, keep the possibility open in the future when your little guys are in school. Then work around their schedule.

 

[MommyJess]

The health insurance would be pretaxed deducted so we'd be living off about $1600 a month. Our car insurance would go down to maybe $100 a month. We could make it work, I guess I am scared about leaving the working world again and being more lost than ever when I am ready to return. Though I am thinking if I do leave, I'd like to go back to school in the evenings. More debt!

 

[i.m.cheap]

The health insurance would be pretaxed deducted so we'd be living off about $1600 a month. Our car insurance would go down to maybe $100 a month. We could make it work, I guess I am scared about leaving the working world again and being more lost than ever when I am ready to return. Though I am thinking if I do leave, I'd like to go back to school in the evenings. More debt!

With your husband's income what it is, you might qualify for a Pell Grant for school, if you don't have your Bachelor's degree yet. If you already have a four year degree, then you probably would need student loans. Graduate school is expensive.

There is no way I would would for $900 a month if $700 was going to child care. We live on a little less than $2,000 a month, and our rent is $690. I tried returning to work in December, working 30 hours a week, and only taking home about $700 a month. I take am also a full-time college student. The job just wasn't worth it to me... I was way too stressed out, not enough time to complete my school assiginments, and I also didn't have time to coupon/shop/cook like I did before, etc. When busy moms are working, I think most (not all) tend to rely more on convenience and take out foods, driving up the family's food costs. Not to mention the cost of gas, a wardrobe of suitable work clothes, higher income taxes (we qualify for the Earned Income Credit if I DON'T work), not to mention the fact that both DH and I could have lost our student financial aid (worth about $7,000 a year) if my piddly little $7.00 an hour job pushed us over the income limits. The are many COSTS involved with a second income in the family, especially if you have children.

 

[FrugalMomof3]

Ok well adding up the numbers you gave and putting food at $450 a month, your total is $1583 and DH's bringhome pay is $1600, your leaving yourself with $17???

I personally would cut out netflix and cut down tremendously on food, try making it $300 a month. If you cut out the one car insurance would go down as well, giving you a bit more money to save.

If your worried about the food budget, try cutting out steaks and pork chops as I have seen these are pretty expensive and substitute with chicken or turkey.

White rice, beans, veggies, chicken, spaghetti, homemade soups, etc... That's what we normally eat and our food budget is $60 a month for 3 people. We eat leftovers and NOTHING get's thrown away.

Most importantly try Aldi's or Save-A-Lot, and buy generic.

 

[Wendy99]

I think using most of the suggestions you offer here you could make it work. I could see your clothing budget go way down too not needing "nice" clothes daily for work. We were in the same scenario at one time and I took in 2 children a couple days a week for extra income. It really helped and I only had to provide 2 snacks and one meal (and little ones don't usually eat a lot anyway so its really not an added expense, when your cooking for your family anyways). Now I'm back to work parttime while the kids are in school.