The soon-to-be hubby and I got to talking about finances last night. We started talking about the future and what we are going to do when the new baby comes. As some of you know, I am only five weeks along. But we started discussing how money is going to work out after the baby comes. Day care alone for a newborn here in Vegas is about $150-$220 a WEEK. Add that plus a two and a half year old which is about $100-$150 per week. So let's say 300 a week, times 4 weeks in a month= $1200 a month just for child care. Alright so $1200 a month, plus all the gas I spend on driving to work each day. I fill up about 2 times a week. About $30 each fill up. So $60 times 4= $240.00. $1200+240= $1440 a month so far. Then I have to account work clothes... I don't know how much I should even say for that one. Then our taxes will show that we are making much more than we really are bringing home. So as it is right now, I bring home about $2000 a month. So $2000-$1500=$500 a month left over about. I wouldn't qualify for WIC after the baby is here if we are both working either. Formula alone is $27 a can!!! With my daughter, I got about 8 cans a month, plus juice, cereals, etc. That alone would work out to be $216 for the formula, plus juices and cereals, milk and such.... I would say about $230? So $500-$230=$270. Then I have to account wear and tear on my car. I drive errands for work in my own personal car and receive mileage reimbursement, but it really isn't worth it at all!!! I drive a LOT in a week for them. OKay that plus, occassionally I want a lunch out here or there(not very often at all because I try to be good and frugal and bring leftovers from home). Then you have coworker's birthdays and Christmas'. Dang, looking at everything there would be no point in me working. The money I would be bringing home would be as good as GONE!

The soon to be hubby told me how I should quit my job when the baby comes and be a full time mommy. That is always what I have wanted, but at the same time.... I am scared to death of not knowing that we have money coming in. He works construction and this week the weather has been all rainy and windy, so a few days he didn't have work. What if we get an entire week of yucky weather and there is no work for him at his job?? I have never dealt with someone who worked construction like this, so I am just scared. I am also used to being independent and being the one who always had a job and job security, thus bringing in a paycheck.

I guess I am just scared to take that kind of leap. How did you girls do it? Did you just leap and go for it and never look back? Did you really sit down and work out finances? Were you scared? How did it all play out?

I mentioned how I could babysit in the home, but the soon to be hubby said it wouldn't even be worth the time and stress. Hmmmm.....

Wow I could have written your post, except for the 2 year old.

Dh and I just talked about this last night. I have decided to be a SAHM when the our baby comes and it scares the poop out of me! There is no way I would make enough money to make it worth it working but the idea of not having a steady income scares me to death as my dh is an independent contractor. And like you mine doesn't work all the time. Job requests and weather play a big role in whether or not we get paid. I know that can be super scary. I too have always worked and never had to worry about how much money was going to be there because my check was always on the same day and for the same amount. Putting our lives in the hands of construction is scary but it can be done.

He pointed out to me that okay so you won't have your paycheck coming in and that is scary but if you were working your paycheck would go to daycare and job expenses and you still wouldn't have any money coming in so what's the difference. And really when I stop and think about it he's right.

Plus I think you, like me, will be much happier being at home so that is worth it. Afterall you can't put a price on happiness like that. I am counting down the days until I get to stay at home.

Just focus on the fact that you will get to do so much with your little ones and start saving back as much as you can right now.

We are going to try to live on just dh's pay for the next 5-6 months and save as much of mine as we can for a cushion. That way we get adjusted to it now. I will only use my account for job related expenses. Like gas and the new work pants I have to buy since mine are getting too tight.

Hang in there! I think it was scary to everyone at first. If you decide for some reason that you don't like it you could always look for a part time job later on.

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Proud mommy to adorable Kinsley

MY BLOG!

I totally understand what you're going through. I always knew I wanted to be a SAHM when I had kids, and I am now one week into my new profession. I am still getting maternity leave from my job at the post office, but those paychecks will only last another month. My DH also has a weather-dependent work schedule as a flight instructor... and even on good weeks he doesn't make enough to cover the mortgage right now. Hopefully he will be getting hired at another company in the beginning of May, but even then he will not be making as much as I did delivering mail. It's terrifying! I've been working on a couple ideas for making some money from home, though nothing has panned out, yet. I know several women here make some extra $$ with West at Home Agents... I think I might try that when my baby has a more predictable sleep schedule. The website is West At Home Agent if you're interested. Basically, we're trusting God to work out the details right now. Sorry I can't really give you any advice except to save money like crazy right now. Everyone keeps assuring me that "it will all work out" and I hope that's the case for you, too. Congratulations on that little baby inside of you.

Well I'm a SAHM and I highly recommend it if you can work it out. But there are a few more things to consider. I'm wondering if you soon-to-be hubby has health insurance with his job. I know a lot of those kinds of construction jobs don't and the pay is very unreliable and less in the winter. Does your job have health insurance? If it does you need to plus that back into the equation. You need health insurance with two small children. Plus you can write off some of the child care on taxes so will get some of that back....since I don't have kids in day care I don't know how much it is, but someone else here will probably know.

Now I'm not a leaper into the unknown...just not my style. So I would make sure you could pay your expenses on just what he makes, have health insurance lined up, and then figure out if it's going to work. HTH

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We always planned that I would be a SAHM, so from the beginning all of our living expenses had to be covered by dh's pay check. Mine went for all those wonderful extras like eating out weekly, entertainment, vacations, shoes, etc.
I do not regret for one minute our decision for me to stay at home. Yeah, I miss some of those extras, but it's really challenging eating out with our toddler, and it's just not practical to wear high heels to play in the back yard.
My humble opinion: you're a better care taker of your children than even the best day care. I know some wonderful people who work in day care centers, but, after all, it is just a job for them. Who's going to cuddle your little one when his new teeth start to ache? Or comfort him when he just wakes up on the wrong side of the bed one morning? Do you really want to drag him out of bed if he's really, really tired just so you can drop him off somewhere?
If being a SAHM is that important to you, you'll find a way to manage financially.

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~Jeweled

For me, I just took the leap. I had secretly been doing and redoing our budget for months to see how we'd make out w/ just 1 income. I called dh one day on my lunch break and said I wasn't going back. It was a temp. job and I was in training so it was not a big deal for me. I don't think dh would have agreed if I didn't take matters into my own hands. Sounds a little selfish but sometimes he just needs a push. Good thing your dh is supportive of this. I would plan your budget ahead of time (I use my dh min. weekly income for our budget) to make sure you're on the same page and see if you have to cut spending in some areas. Good luck!

I know exactly how you feel. I became a SAHM mom when I was 4 months pregnant with dd#3. At that point we had a 4 year old and a 6 month old. After going around to the daycares I came back crying because having 2 kids under the age of 2 plus a preschooler was going to run us about $450 a week! THat with gas money and work clothes left us with a big negative income! C'mon this is ridiculous. So I stayed home and managed to find a part time job for 3-4 hours a night until Kaylin was born. Then when she was 8 months old we decided that it was time for me to get a job again. Luckily my cousins wife stayed home with her 2 year old and was only charging $45 a day to watch the kids. That cut the daycare in half and we were able to do that for a year. Now I am again a SAHM and loving it! I am getting another part time job at night starting next month but if that is what I have to do than so be it.
So now that I have ranted and told you my whole SAHM story I say GO FOR IT! Is it possible that after the baby is born you can get a part time job just to help with the cost of living?
aliadam has a good point about health insurance too. I quite in September and we are still without insurance because dh's company does not offer it. We make too much money for State AId (Barely) and it has been a struggle, especially with going into it during cold season.
Even if you watched one kid you could make some decent extra money.
Good luck and keep us posted and make sure that you go through the forums and try and taking some of the ladies advice on here. I know that if I would not have found this site that we would be in a whole different money side again.

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~~Sonja~~

My 3lynns~ Ashlynn-8, Brooklyn-4 and Kaylin-3

I am looking to make the leap in September. We know we can do it financially, insurance is covered ny my DH- credit cards will be paid off by then, but I am still scared. I was a single mom raising my oldest for 6 years-he is now 10. Working was the only option-fortunatley I had family close and did not have to deal with daycare.
Crazy as it sounds I almost feel guilty quitting work now- I feel like it is not fair to ds #1 since I was not there for him as much as I will be ds #2.

Daycare is expensive. I had full intentions of going back to work, but then I found out we were having twins and it would have been pointless. I would have been paying more in gas and daycare than what I would've made.
What I do is watch two other little girls. That came by chance as they are my BIL's friends and they called me and said that they heard I was planning to stay home and asked if I would watch their little girls who are the same age as mine. So I said yes and they pay me. So I get to stay home with my girls and bring in a little income. It's not much but it helps.
Something I have recently dived into is a homebased business. It is a slow process as I really don't have a lot of time to put into it but it is residual so my check get bigger every month. So maybe that is something that you can do.
So yeah. If you want to know anymore about what I do just let me know.

I must add that being with my girls 24/7 practically is the most challenging, but extremely rewarding thing I have ever done. :love:

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My husband works construction too and I am a stay at home mom. There are times when he doesn't have work for a few days, but if you keep an emergency fund you can survive those times without worrying. My husband doesn't want me to get a part time job because if he does a side job for one night a week, he makes more than I could make working every night for two weeks. Maybe your husband could try doing that.

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Debbie 3 years
Sadie 21 months