How Many Here Are Two Income Families?

[commonsense]

When our children were small I was able to be a stay at home mom since my husbands' job was adequate for our needs.( this was the 70's)
We moved to another state, and instead of the good railroad job my husband chose to pastor a home missions church in a small town in a state with low wages. In less than a year I had to find a job in order to keep us afloat.
When we moved our youngest was 2 yrs old. I didn't take a full time job until she was 4. In a perfect world I would have stayed at home, but it wasn't a choice.
We had a low interest home loan as 1st time buyers,and were very careful with our finances but ....sometimes there just isn't an alternative. This particular state has one of the highest rate of working mothers in the usa.

In todays' world the wages are better, inflation is reasonable>>>except for gas and medical expenses and health insurance, but when I see young couples I wonder how they survive.
Our kids are grown , we both work fulltime , and we have enough, but not if I had to buy groceries for 5 or 6, and school clothes, etc
I admire the stay at home moms, but would never judge the gal who had to find a job.

By the way, I had no idea expenses in Canada were that much more than in the USA. I live in a metro area over 800,000, and for $500,000 you're in the classier neighborhoods and have a four car garage. The median income is about $ 52,000.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Newman

Rob- Some choose to have the wife work a little bit so that Dad can spend some time with the kids rather than working a second job and never being home. Many ways to skin a cat...

I see! Good way to put it.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by commonsense

When our children were small I was able to be a stay at home mom since my husbands' job was adequate for our needs.( this was the 70's)
We moved to another state, and instead of the good railroad job my husband chose to pastor a home missions church in a small town in a state with low wages. In less than a year I had to find a job in order to keep us afloat.
When we moved our youngest was 2 yrs old. I didn't take a full time job until she was 4. In a perfect world I would have stayed at home, but it wasn't a choice.
We had a low interest home loan as 1st time buyers,and were very careful with our finances but ....sometimes there just isn't an alternative. This particular state has one of the highest rate of working mothers in the usa.

In todays' world the wages are better, inflation is reasonable>>>except for gas and medical expenses and health insurance, but when I see young couples I wonder how they survive.
Our kids are grown , we both work fulltime , and we have enough, but not if I had to buy groceries for 5 or 6, and school clothes, etc
I admire the stay at home moms, but would never judge the gal who had to find a job.

By the way, I had no idea expenses in Canada were that much more than in the USA. I live in a metro area over 800,000, and for $500,000 you're in the classier neighborhoods and have a four car garage. The median income is about $ 52,000.

Well, we live in a very growing area! There are certainly areas arounf Canada & even in B.C. where one can afford a cheaper living.
Our economy is booming as well, thus the demand for new houses, things etc,

[LaGirl]

we live on one income. i worked until i got PG....my working was "play" money. we never depended on it. we do have a budget and stick to it. it is well worth it getting to stay home with my son. my husband is a good manager of money. we do not want for anything...

Dave Ramsey Dave Ramsey Dave Ramsey!

Live like no one else today so you can live like no one else tomorrow!

BTW I am doing better than I deserve!

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Newman

Rob- Some choose to have the wife work a little bit so that Dad can spend some time with the kids rather than working a second job and never being home. Many ways to skin a cat...

This is also something we have discussed and practiced for a while, when Kristin worked the night shift. In our case it added to the frustration since outside childcare was still needed if she was to get the proper hours of sleep before and after her shift. I do not work two jobs but work very long hours certain times of the year. This is rewarded with a "slow" season when I do spend increased time with the family.

There was a time when I considered becoming a ful-time stay at home dad... - seriously. :sshhh

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by LaGirl

we live on one income. i worked until i got PG....my working was "play" money. we never depended on it. we do have a budget and stick to it. it is well worth it getting to stay home with my son. my husband is a good manager of money. we do not want for anything...

The way it should be.

IMHO Plan B, should entail the husband staying with the children... plan x, y or z should be institutionalized daycare... (last resort)

[MrsMcD]

Originally Posted by Ron

I in wanting to have a family, also wanted to be able to have my wife stay at home.

Alas that hasn't happened.
While I make a decent pay cheque and am grateful for every penny, we also find it hard to provide a living for our family on just one Paycheque.

I often comment when people look at my signature that upon seeing my signature for the first time, my then future wife to be said, "you should have been a Doctor!"
I then say, "yeah, and when she sees my paycheques she says, you really should have been a Doctor!"

Seriously, am I the only one who finds things expensive, or is it just because I live in a major city with a high cost of living?

My wife started a second job that goes from 9 PM till 1 AM Mon-Fri just because she can find no baby sitter in the daytime.

This isn't a thread to complain, but to compare.

"Do you think that parents need a dual income nowadays to make ends meet?

We might not need a dual income to make ends meet but it sure makes living more comfortable. I would never want my husband to carry the entire burden of supporting the family. I'm glad that I am able to help. After staying at home three months when my child was around four, I decided I was a much better mom after working instead of being home all day. JMHO

[COOPER]

Originally Posted by Ron

I in wanting to have a family, also wanted to be able to have my wife stay at home.


"Do you think that parents need a dual income nowadays to make ends meet?

My wife and I from the beginning agreed that our children would never go to day care or be latch key kids.

My kids have always had mama at home. We do not want any one else raising our kids or miss out on them growing up.

My wife how ever has been watching one to two kids for some one else at home.

She gets paid, the kids have a Friend to play with and mama is always home.

She also has grandma to set with the kids while she cleans a house once a week.

My wife also works at a Baptist church two days a week doing a "Mothers Day Out" ministry and takes all of the kids including the ones she watches.

The older of our kids help, the younger get to play and our 15 year old earns some money too.

The kids have always had mama.

Mama has always had money with out taking a full time job away from the kids.

God has blessed us BIG TIME!!!!

[ILG]

Originally Posted by LaGirl

we live on one income. i worked until i got PG....my working was "play" money. we never depended on it. we do have a budget and stick to it. it is well worth it getting to stay home with my son. my husband is a good manager of money. we do not want for anything...

I stayed home with my kids when they were young except for a cleaning job. Only in the last year and a half have I worked as much as 30 hours a week. Some of you have watched my saga as a domestic violence advocate. I will never ever regret taking that job, but, just yesterday I did give my two weeks notice. I am taking a library position and going back to school. The library position has less pay, worse hours and less prestige. But hey, you gotta do what you feel is right and I feel this is right for me now.

But back to the topic. I believe that God gives the primary responsibility of bringing home the money to the man. If a woman is going to work, I think it should be "play money" if at all possible (which is isn't always). One thing about having only one paycheck for so many years....we really learned to budget and make a penny scream. I think the challenge is good for people because you learn just how far you really can make it on so much money.

I don't regret staying home with my children at all. If I had to do it over, I would have gotten a little job though. I did have a cleaning job but I was not interacting with any people.....something I needed. And I know this probably won't be popular, but I would have went to church less and spent more time with my family and perhaps a small part time (less than 20 hours) job, just to give me some time away from the kids. I would probably not have left my kids with a sitter. I spent so much time in church back then and doing church activities that I was utterly exhausted. I thought I had to.