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Can You Be a Stay-at-Home Mom? by Nikki Willhite In my mind, there is nothing more heartbreaking than a mom who wants to stay at home with her children and can't do it for financial reasons. Children are so precious. The time of their childhood and youth doesn't last. Memories are lost when you can't be with them. Do you want to be a stay-at-home mom? Do you think you can't do it? Sometimes you can work it out, other times, it is not possible. Sometimes it is just a matter of changing how you think about things, running the numbers, and changing your priorities. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:   - Your top four priorities for you and your family are food, utilities, housing, and transportation- as emphasized by Dave Ramsey. These are the first areas you need to examine and see if you can cut costs. FOOD - Food costs can be greatly reduced by cooking from scratch, not eating out, and eating more economical foods like beans and rice. That sounds harsh, but I eat beans for dinner 3 times a week. If you make them from scratch, sort of like chili, and put in lots of vegetables, they are very healthy and they taste good. Here is how I do it: Vegetarian Chili Using Dehydrated Foods UTILITIES - Utility costs are harder to reduce. You can turn off lights, turn down the thermostat, check your home for leaks, but you will not see huge savings. There are some things that do make a big impact, such as insulation and new appliances, but they cost money. Here's a link to lots of ideas: Saving on Utilities HOUSING - This is the area where you need to have the least expense possible. We all think we need to live in nice homes, but there is nothing wrong with living in an inexpensive apartment or  mobile or modular home. My grandparents lived in an apartment most of their lives. I used to spend weeks with them in the summer. I never cared that they lived in an apartment. The days I spent with them are some of my fondest memories. The did eventually buy a house, and I didn't like going there as much as I enjoyed the apartment. TRANSPORTATION - Are you making car payments? If so, get rid of them. Transportation cars are a lot more reliable than they used to be in the past. Can you get by with one car? Are you near public transportation? Could you take your spouse to work on days that you need the car? Here is a link to save on vehicle expenses:  Saving Money on Automobiles - When you no longer working, you will owe less money for taxes so your husband's take home pay will rise. You will not need as many clothes, buy as much gas, and you will have the time and energy to do the things that save money, like making your own inexpensive cleaning solutions, clipping coupons and carefully planning meals. - If you just need a little money to make it work, think about selling on ebay, babysitting before or after school, getting a paper route, or becoming a foster parent. - Unfortunately, debt can be a big reason women have to work. Do everything you can to get out of debt, or lower your payments. Do not automatically think that you will not be able to manage on one income. Write down all the expenses associated with your current job, and you will see that a large percentage of your income goes to work related expenses. Life is so much easier when mom stays home. There is plenty of time to work later, when the kids are older. Enjoy your children while they are young. Life is a lot easier when you don't have to worry about daycare, school holidays, and what to do when the children get sick. Don't let someone else have what should be your memories of the childhood of your children. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

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