We are a family of 4. I am a SAHM and my husband makes $104,000 as an automotive engineer. When I first started staying home 6 years ago he made half that. The only advice I have to give that has not been mentioned is DO NOT USE CREDIT CARDS AS A CRUTCH! It only hurts in the long run...trust me I know all to well.

We do not have a credit card. Some people choose to keep theirs, but I cannot trust myself with a credit card - I got in trouble years ago, and it was a PITA to get out of that - I'm NEVER getting one again. DH had one, but has since gotten rid of it because of how I feel about them. We've yet to be faced with a circumstance that we can't get through with either payments, or DH working side jobs and me selling something, or going without to pay for - even vehicle repairs that run over $1000.

Our only debt is the mortgage and the two trucks, and once mine is sold, we will borrow one of my parent's vehicles until we can buy something suitable with cash. Our goal is to eventually not have vehicle payments - ever. Then the next will be killing off the mortgage.

But watch the credit cards - you really don't need them! They come in handy if you are VERY good about paying off monthly for rewards, but they are not good for "emergencies" if you can't pay them off in a month!

(Other's may disagree with me, but I just hate credit cards!)

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Here's the funny thing...when you start staying home you won't feel the need to eat out as much. When my husband and I both worked we ate out almost every night b/c we were just tired and we had the money. After I quite my job and started planning and cooking most of our meals we hardly ate out...and we both lost about 15 pounds without even trying. I also used to buy clothes ALL the time. When I was working I felt the need to have new clothes and shoes. My priorities changed when I started staying home. I still buy nice clothes but I'm not the clothes horse I used to be. It's kinda one of the things that I wish I could go back and save that money I spent. I'm sure you'll do fine...you seem like you're on the right track.

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Jenny, wife to Brad, mommy to two crazy little kids with one on the way!

Fortunately, before we got married we sat down and discussed how we would work it. We decided if children came along, I was going to be a SAHM at least while the children were little.

After we got married we never lived on my salary, always dh's, so we never got used to mine. I took everything I made that they would let me and put it into my retirement fund. The rest I put in savings. Even when we got our house we only put down dh's salary, not mine.

Since we never got used to my salary, we don't know anything else.

I quit my full time job when my first dd was born almost 11 years ago. At the time, it meant that our income was literally cut in half, and we had just purchased our first house the year prior. I think God planned it that way because we wouldn't have qualified for that mortgage loan without my income.

At any rate, it was a struggle for us, but precisely due to the fact that the internet was not what it is today! Websites like these, where people can easily exchange ideas, are wonderful! Eleven years ago, I did everything I could think of to save money, but looking back after all I've learned on the web, I see where I could have saved more and made life easier on myself.

Nonetheless, I have no regrets. DH has advanced in his career, and we even bought another home. I now work part time from home and love it. Good things happen, if you believe and expect them to!

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Attaining financial freedom is like eating an elephant . . . it takes one bite at a time.

I'm not totally comfortable sharing salary numbers, but I earned 40% of our family's total income and carried our (then) very generous benefits. We did a trial run when I was home on a four-month maternity leave and found we could make it salary-wise, but we were concerned about benefits. My DH's company does provide medical insurance, but nothing else.

We've just learned to manage on what we have. If we don't have the cash, we don't buy things. We did put emergency home repairs on our HELOC last year and put some adoption expenses for a second unexpected blessing on the HELOC, as well. But, it's all worked out and we're just really aware of how much money we have in which "fund" (envelope for the Dave Ramsey fans).

Good luck with your transition!

My one piece of advise is to STAY OUT OF THE STORES! When you are home all day with a little baby it can get a bit tedious so a lot of people go shopping with their babies to get out of the house. Even a trip to Target can be dangerous! When your baby is a little older, try finding other ways to entertain the both of you -- playdates and visits, trips to the library, walks, etc. You'll save a fortune.

So true!! Recreational shopping is dangerous. You always find something cute with the dreaded celarance sticker (I have to have it, and it is on clearance!!!) so hard to resist IMO...

I found just the opposite true.Once I began staying home full time I 'needed' a break from cooking or just from the house and I'll take the kids to the playground or the local mcdonald's with the playground and we're always 'picking up' something because the kids are screaming their hungry and I don't want to listen to them scream all the way home. I've gotten better now that I'm planning my meals and snacks and we have things with us and I'm learning to stay home more.

I really don't think Anyone can answer this For you unless you all sit Down and go over your Exact Bills and Job Benefits and Salaries.

If My Dh made Now what He made when We only Had only two Small Kids - His Income Would've seemed Phenomenal.
Now that we have 4 kids - It is Good But Still things always Come up that require More money.
There are so Many other things to Take into consideration too.

Stuff Gets Paid off , New Bills arise..... It is That way with Kids.


People ask me How I Do It.

Well they have No Clue about My Bills and My DH's Job Benefits. -

So if He Made 30 ,000 or 130 ,000
None of that Would Matter .... If They Had no Idea what We Have to do with that Money each Month.