How do you make staying at home work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am able to stay home because I started freelancing (writing, copywriting)-- I've been doing it for almost 6 years now. Very happy.

But how much can you possibly make?

I worked PT until this year. Now I'm FT again. However, when I worked PT, I also took on consulting work as a favor to a pal. For every project, I get paid $20K, which is a good chunk but it takes months to see that money, as it's received after the stamp of approval is given.

And when I was an editor, even FT pay was crap.

How do people bring in good money freelancing? I would find it hard to cut my salary by $80K if I only consulted.

If this is OP then you are obnoxious. I liked you at first, but now you seem like an unpleasant person.

If this is not OP, you are still obnoxious. How dare you insult what people are making. I am sure there are many editors on this board. Why try to make them feel bad or insecure by using the word crap? How about ..the pay did not allow me to make as much as I wanted. People do the best that they can, so get a clue because the average income in the US is not six figures.

[Anonymous]

This is OP- the post above is not OP- I've labeled all of my posts... and I don't think I'll get any freelancing work as there is not a whole lot of market for a cleared secretary to work from home

This was obviously the wrong place to post- I need to find a "mom's group" or something of that nature. People for whatever reason feel the need to inflate themselves and be unkind. I've come to realize that the veil of the internet makes people say things they probably wouldn't in real life.. then again, these snarks probably would say things like that to my face.

PS- for what it's worth, I'd love to be an editor or freelance.. at the end of the day, I guess some people get off on making others feel badly. oh well.

[Anonymous]

OP, our situation was similar a couple of years ago (I made near six figures in a gov't contracting job with a clearance and). DH made more but not significantly (around $125). My job was fine and I was good at it and my work was well-received in the office but it was NOT what I wanted to be doing with my life, rather something I fell into after graduation.

After I had my second child I went back to work - first I tried four ten hour days but it was hell Mon-Thurs. I switched to PT (32 hours) after a couple of months and by the time he was six months old, we made the decision that I would stay home. It was something that my husband supported very much so that was a huge help.

I won't lie and say it's not hard. At this point, we aren't saving nearly as much as we'd like (if at all, some months). We have hopes of moving out of the area (much like PP) for a lower COL... at the least I may work PT once #2 goes to Kindergarten, but only if I can work within their school hours. I was raised with my mom at home (as was DH) and that's just what we want for our family. I don't judge anyone that makes other decisions for their family - in fact, I even have a little envy, because I do miss being able to buy whatever we wanted/needed whenever. This works for us, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP- the post above is not OP- I've labeled all of my posts... and I don't think I'll get any freelancing work as there is not a whole lot of market for a cleared secretary to work from home

This was obviously the wrong place to post- I need to find a "mom's group" or something of that nature. People for whatever reason feel the need to inflate themselves and be unkind. I've come to realize that the veil of the internet makes people say things they probably wouldn't in real life.. then again, these snarks probably would say things like that to my face.

PS- for what it's worth, I'd love to be an editor or freelance.. at the end of the day, I guess some people get off on making others feel badly. oh well.

OP - it's 9:34 again. This is definitely the wrong place to post and I completely understand where you're coming from. I joined a great mom's group once I left work to SAH and it helped immensely. The group is full of former teachers, nurses, government workers and even attorneys (although you'd never believe that from the sound of these boards). I have several friends that work from home but, like you, there's not much demand for my former job outside of the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP- the post above is not OP- I've labeled all of my posts... and I don't think I'll get any freelancing work as there is not a whole lot of market for a cleared secretary to work from home

This was obviously the wrong place to post- I need to find a "mom's group" or something of that nature. People for whatever reason feel the need to inflate themselves and be unkind. I've come to realize that the veil of the internet makes people say things they probably wouldn't in real life.. then again, these snarks probably would say things like that to my face.

PS- for what it's worth, I'd love to be an editor or freelance.. at the end of the day, I guess some people get off on making others feel badly. oh well.

good luck OP. It sounds like SAH is what you want and you can make it work. It is a sacrifice in some ways and it isn't glorious and some days down right tedious but the rewards and the time you get with your kids makes it all worth it. This board is very anti-SAHM overall so don't take the negative comments to heart. There are a lot of bitter, resentful, angry women out there.

[Anonymous]

OP have you talked to anyone at your company about going part time? I'm in government contracting too and there are a ton of PT employees at my firm. If not an option at your current firm, you could look into getting hired PT somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You all are right- I want the flexibility of staying home while not wanting my lifestyle to drastically change. We are going to "live off" DH's salary through the remainder of 2013, minus the expenses we'd give up if I stay home. To be perfectly honest, I'm not interested in a career. I have a communications degree from a school you've probably never heard of (now comprised of mostly spoiled rich kids from the DMV) and wound up with a security clearance and job with the feds that pays me nearly 6 figures to be a glorified secretary. I'm not using my brain and cry each and every Sunday because I just want to hang out with my daughter instead of phoning it in at this silly job. I have a great 20 minute commute, nice coworkers and because the job doesn't require a rocket scientist, time to peruse message boards. I GET that it's not that bad. But at the end of the day, it IS that bad. Why pay someone else $2500 a month to raise my child when I think I'm pretty capable of doing it myself? I guess when I put it that way, I don't really need those "extras" as much as I think I do.

For the love of god and my sanity (or someone like me) PLEASE quit NOW and help your coworkers replace you with someone who WANTS to be there and do a good job!! I'm so frustrated with whiny women at work that can't get their shit together and would rather be home. I have absolutely no sympathy and you are just in the way. If you make near 6 figures than I guarantee you are expected to be more than a glorified secretary, but you have turned your job into that. Awesome way to spend the tax payers money!

OP here-

There's a difference between not wanting to work and still going to work and doing a good job. Because I work in federal CONTRACTING (with a HIGH LEVEL CLEARANCE) ...I make a pretty decent living to ANSWER PHONES. Create excel calendars. All that awesome secretary work. This morning, I even get to print out posters on plotters and then hang them up. And as for wasting your hard earned tax payers money, let me tell you- the agency I work for doesn't hesitate to cut the fat. In this fiscal enviornment, it's put up or shut up... and it's MUCH easier to get rid of a contractor who's not pulling their weight vice a government employee who has to go through rounds of employment improvement plans, mentoring, etc. On any given day, you can bet your snarky ass that we're doing more work then our government counterparts. That's not the issue here. Just because staying at home is not for you (thank God for your kids!!!- and not just because you want them to see that "Mommies use more of their brains then just doing your laundry") doesn't mean that there aren't hard working, ambitious people out there who have fallen into a job path they don't like and are trying to find a way to make it work for them to do something that they personally feel will be more rewarding for them. I'm sure there are people who would KILL to sit at my desk, answering phones for a LOT of money. I came on this board to see how other people have transferred from two fairly large incomes to a one income house... not to listen to your BS about how I'm whiny at work.

"For what it's worth- I'm not really into my job." "To be perfectly honest, I'm not interested in a career." "I'm not using my brain and cry each and every Sunday..."

Yes, I'm sure that you go to work and do a good job based on your statements above. I'm guessing that if you actually were doing a good job you'd be given more responsibility than being a glorified secretary. So you're probably not contributing as much as you think while wasting the tax payer's dollars. "Were doing more than our govt counterparts"??? You have to group yourself with you coworkers just to justify making this statement. After reading your posts I highly doubt you are doing more than the govt employees. Cutting contractors also isn't as easy as you think. Easier than cutting govt, but it still takes times. If it were easy half of the dumb-ass contractors in my office would be gone already.

It might not be an issue for you, but trust me it's an issue for those you support and work with. I've seen it over and over. If you're seriously crying every Sunday because you have to go to work the next day then your office notices and wishes you would just quit already. Just do everyone a favor and move on so someone who actually wants your job and wants to do a good job can move in. You make it harder for the women that do want a career. If you want to SAH, then just do it already.

If it makes you feel any better, I'd say the same thing to a man or woman that was in a career field that was not a good match for them. Move on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I just wanted someone to say, "Hey, I had a deficit, we made it work. It gets easier." or maybe, "Here's a part time job I did" like the last poster said about her diaper cakes. I refuse to make my husband miserable by lengthing his commute or telling him what he can and cannot spend money on. We're realistic that the occasional dinner out is going to become just that- occasional. We're not going to spend tons of money at Christmas. We do use mint, and we use amazon prime. We're not $$ wasters, which is why I know that cutting about $700 is going to be tough and I may not be able to SAHM like I want to.

I work in government contracting and would love to stay part time to not have to worry about my clearance expiring. Anyone have any luck with that?

I work in government contracting and after maternity leave, just couldn't see myself coming back full time. I managed to work out my position so that I'm now a 60% employee (3 days per week). I have a very flexible supervisor who was willing to let me give it a shot. Downsides are that I definitely end up working more than the 3 days a week I'm accountable for and my health insurance went up because I now make up for the 40% the organization was paying on my behalf. There are weeks it's really stressful and I feel like I can't take it all, but then a manageable week comes along and I remember how lucky I am It's worth having a conversation with your manager if nothing else.

[Anonymous]

It's hard getting back in after many years of being out. Wife was a gov't IT contractor and decide to stay home for a max of 5 years beginning when DD was 1 year old. During that 5 year period DS came, so 5 years turned to 10+..lol Now she's trying to get back to work, no employers would even touch her. Plus she's lost all her contacts since she's been out for so long.

It's great being a SAHM, but think long and hard about it given

[Anonymous]

Have you discussed your desire to stay home full-time with your husband? What does he think? Just curious, as I did not see any mention of whether husband is supportive or not.