Guesses - will government open by late Oct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So there is a vote at 11 am today, and potentially another at 1:30?

Then after that, the senate is leaving for the weekend?
So, assuming these two votes today do NOT end the shutdown, the earliest the government will re-open is Tuesday?

Yep. That’s about the sum of it. See you in furlough again next week. And probably the week after too, if I’m being realistic. My children are certainly enjoying getting rides home from school again. I’d rather be working.

My youngest is really enjoying having me home. My oldest didn't even notice. Yesterday at dinner: "wait, your work is closed?"

I miss the pay more than the work, to be honest, but we all work for money.

In the next life I want to be reincarnated as a SAHM to school aged kids, this is a really sweet gig.

Same!! This is a seriously sweet gig. I have time to make dinner, help with homework, my house is spotless… I never want to hear another sahm complain.

?

I mean, if you want, you can just quit your job and have the "seriously sweet gig" too. Absolutely nothing stopping you.

As noted earlier, we work for money.

Most SAHMs and their spouses make great financial sacrifices to be able to do that.
You could too, you just don't want to.

Haha no. They married someone who makes much more than they could even make, so there is no sacrifice

[Anonymous]

Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

Shhh. They could be richer if they weren't making such incredible sacrifices.

I'm with DOI which is now in the news for planning a RIF next Monday. There are not sacrifices I could make that would make it possible to be a SAHM. I have done the math, you can't really downsize from a $1400 mortgage and one paid off older car. It may be nice to be home with the kids for a brief while, but yeah, a lot of feds do need to work.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I don’t want this to last too long, but I should be done with my project early next week and think I’ll get some time. It’s been a really stressful time in my personal life - I’ve been trying to manage a condition that has flared from stress and there’s something serous at one of my children’s schools that I need to find time to speak with the principal about etc. I feel bad for people who are struggling and this whole situation is terrible, but after about 70 hrs spent on this when almost everyone I work with is furloughed, I’m ready for some relief.

[Anonymous]

My guess is it will last until November 14th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

Shhh. They could be richer if they weren't making such incredible sacrifices.

I'm with DOI which is now in the news for planning a RIF next Monday. There are not sacrifices I could make that would make it possible to be a SAHM. I have done the math, you can't really downsize from a $1400 mortgage and one paid off older car. It may be nice to be home with the kids for a brief while, but yeah, a lot of feds do need to work.

How can you not afford a $1400 mortgage on one salary? How much does your spouse make?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I don’t want this to last too long, but I should be done with my project early next week and think I’ll get some time. It’s been a really stressful time in my personal life - I’ve been trying to manage a condition that has flared from stress and there’s something serous at one of my children’s schools that I need to find time to speak with the principal about etc. I feel bad for people who are struggling and this whole situation is terrible, but after about 70 hrs spent on this when almost everyone I work with is furloughed, I’m ready for some relief.

Thanks for the update, OP. I always appreciate when OPs come back in the thread. I hope you get some reprieve soon.
As a furloughed fed who is not working, my concern is not getting paid when the government reopens.
Are you filling out a timesheet with your hours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

My wife negotiated her way into a half- time, no benefits work from home gig with her employer for the first six years of our kid's life, while married to a GS-12 (and her own full time salary was less.) Part time preschool and then kindergarten helped. But no daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

My wife negotiated her way into a half- time, no benefits work from home gig with her employer for the first six years of our kid's life, while married to a GS-12 (and her own full time salary was less.) Part time preschool and then kindergarten helped. But no daycare.

Was this any time during the last 10 years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

Shhh. They could be richer if they weren't making such incredible sacrifices.

I'm with DOI which is now in the news for planning a RIF next Monday. There are not sacrifices I could make that would make it possible to be a SAHM. I have done the math, you can't really downsize from a $1400 mortgage and one paid off older car. It may be nice to be home with the kids for a brief while, but yeah, a lot of feds do need to work.

How can you not afford a $1400 mortgage on one salary? How much does your spouse make?

I didn't say I can't afford the mortgage. I said I can't downsize from a $1400 mortgage, which is true. Even 1 bedroom apartments cost more.

My spouse makes a five figure salary that can cover the mortgage, but can't cover all our baseline living expenses AND family health insurance through their employer. It's the last one that's the killer. Please trust that I am not a moron and understand how to budget and cook cheap meals. I've been doing it more strictly than ever for 9 months to increase our cash savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

My wife negotiated her way into a half- time, no benefits work from home gig with her employer for the first six years of our kid's life, while married to a GS-12 (and her own full time salary was less.) Part time preschool and then kindergarten helped. But no daycare.

Was this any time during the last 10 years?

Not PP but I did this in 2021 coming from a SAHM since 2015. My youngest was 1.5. She went to a half day preschool while I teleworked 20 hours per week. She did end up switching to a daycare center for several months her last year of pre-k because I found a better paying part time Fed job that required on site training. But then she started Kindergarten the following fall. It has worked out nicely, until recently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not always. There are folks that do not take this path of day care… but it involves sacrifices.

There are really only two people choosing sahm- those who can’t make enough to pay for daycare so it’s more cost effective for them to stay home. And those married to rich spouses.

My wife negotiated her way into a half- time, no benefits work from home gig with her employer for the first six years of our kid's life, while married to a GS-12 (and her own full time salary was less.) Part time preschool and then kindergarten helped. But no daycare.

That sounds great. It's still two working parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My guess is it will last until November 14th.

Honestly, this feels about right. Can I ask what made you say 11/14 specifically?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Haha no. They married someone who makes much more than they could even make, so there is no sacrifice

I actually made over 3x my husband’s salary, but gave it up to be a SAHM/homeschool my kids. My oldest has special needs and homeschooling is good for him. Luckily, we were pretty simple people even when I made a high income, so we’re able to make single income living work. We do make sacrifices to live off my husband’s 100k salary. Sometimes I do wish I had kept working part time, but since I worked odd hours, it was hard to find childcare for such an inconsistent schedule (and honestly, my husband couldn’t have handled 3 young kids at once).