SAHMs What Strategies Do You Use to Save Money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:more important than saving money - do you want to stay home? The phrasing of "my husband would really like me to become a stay at home mom" begs the question.

It's also important that you discuss ahead of time that YOUR job will be to take care of your child while his is to bring in the money. It is YOUR money, not HIS.
You also need to let him know that at least once a week, you need some "You" time. Even if it's for an hour to get away from the baby and do something for yourself. Men will do this, yet they think that women don't need a break from the job (and don't kid yourself, it is a job.)

Make sure he helps with the baby, it will allow bonding. He needs to be able to change diapers and give the kid a bath in case you are out and there is an accident.

My DH HAD to change diapers when my first was born because I was bedridden for two weeks (complications.)

Make sure he is there in the delivery room as well.

yikes
Marriage is supposed to be give and take for both
both take care of kid, both bring in money. But do not make the man into a maid.
some are not into changing diapers and despite this are great fathers

If you do not want to change diapers, don't become a father, become an Uncle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are things I personally do to save money:
-breastfeed for a year if possible, longer
-cloth diapers and wipes (we cloth diaper about 60% of the time, much easier to do in the summer than winter)
-use coupons for disposable diapers and buy in bulk, usually cheaper
-use a clothesline to dry clothes, linens, towels, cloth diapers, etc, (when it makes sense)
-cook and bake from scratch (about 70% of the time for me)
-yard sales: you can find such great deals, my most helpful tip is to go to well off subdivisions and stop at the ones that don't even look interesting, you can't see everything that's for sale from the inside of your car
-kids consignment stores for kids clothing
-we also buy used cars and with cash
-I can salsa and strawberry jam every summer
-the strawberries for the jam come from a u-pick place, fun to go and it's much cheaper than the grocery store's berries
-I only wash my hair once a week, maximum twice, many bloggers I've read do the same thing, after a couple weeks your hair will start producing less oils and you will not need to shampoo as often, bonus is that you won't have to buy as much shampoo as before.
-I bought reusable, soap foam dispensers for the bathroom and fill those with water and a squirt of dr. bronners liquid soap, instead of buying liquid soap refills at the store.
-instead of disposable pads and tampons, I use a "sea sponge" tampon, about 80% of the time, these are reusable and great for the environment, another option is the Diva Cup, which many people love, but just didn't work out well for me
-buy a dozen or so of kitchen towels and try using those instead of paper towels.
These are all things I do, hope this helps!

Not the PP. I was following along with your list until i got the the reusable 'sea sponge tampon.'

Sorry, but eew.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Luckily I don't have to worry about saving money.

+1

Not super rich, but we don't have to change our lifestyle for me to SAHM.

The reason is -
1) We always saved my entire salary and 30% of my DH's salary. So, we were always living on one salary (and saving as well)
2) Bought a brand new spacious SFH in a nice middle class neighborhood some years ago for ridiculously low price. The public schools are not that great. Kids studied in magnets.
3) Decent cars but not super expensive (so Toyotas instead of BMW). Do not lease.
4) No private schools
5) No student debt
6) No credit card debt
7) Kids will go to state schools for undergrad. Undergrad tuition is prepaid, and $ 400 K accumulated combined for both kids for college.
8) On track for retirement with our savings.


Our kids are expected to get scholarships, go to state school, go to grad school or med/law school, and start life with no student debt. We will give 50K for down-payment for their first homes. If they can save anything from the 200 K we have put aside for each of them for med/law/business school - then that money is theirs. My kids are actually looking at community colleges to get some prerequisites out of the way, looking for part-time jobs and paid internships to finance their college. Not because they have to, but because they want to maximize their education dollars and have a nice nest egg when they strike out on their own.

You have to learn to live below your means for this. You have to assume that you are only making 70% of your salary and live on that amount. Pay yourself first. Start saving 30% of your salary from the very first job you have.

BTW - being a homeowner was very low down on our list of priorities. For a number of years we were not able to save enough on 70% salary to have a down payment for a home and so we rented. We would have still saved for kids college and our retirement before anything else. That was the priority. Owning a home was not, but we were extremely lucky to buy our house at the bottom of the market.

kudos to you and your family. this is the way that DH would want to live if I let him.