Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 10:17     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You have to remember all the additional costs of staying at home. Are you not going to send your child to preschool at all? Classes? Activities?

There's also increased utility costs, gas, lack of retirement contribution, the salary hit you'll take if/when you do decide to go back, etc...


SAHM here. It depends on ages of kids. I have two at home. One is in part time co-op preschool for around 4k. No additional classes for the preschooler and none for the baby. But next year, preschooler will be in 5 day for 6k and I will probably do at least one class a week for my toddler, so maybe another 1k for the year.

We really don't spend much more on other stuff. We eat at home or typically bring food from home if we eat out. However, I know lots of SAHMs that spend much more on eating out or doing non-free activities or outings with their kids.

We've looked at the costs for me going back to work and it was not even close to being worth it. I was on the higher end of work expenses though. I would need full time care for 2 kids, business wardrobe, either downtown parking or metro parking plus metro, and I know I wouldn't be able to still cook as much during the week so our food costs would add a ton. I think I estimated over 50k for me to go back to work before my oldest starts kindergarten. I would be making less than $90k.


So you're saying you can't use an extra $30-35k a year?


Yeah, I don't get this logic either.


I followed up my post saying my salary would be more like $75k. Furthermore, my SAHM was motivated by DH's travel schedule more than anything.

Again, how much you spend each day as a SAHM varies greatly, especially depending on the ages of your kids. With 2 under 4, I haven't shopped for myself in ages. I order online or try clothes on in the middle of H&M with 2 kids in tow a couple of times a year. Just like working moms, there are some that spend a ton on lunches and dinners out (weekdays or on weekends with the family) and some that spend a ton shopping (online or not) and some that don't.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 10:17     Subject: Re:Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
HHI is $185K

Money on work clothes - $50/month (I telecommute but go in rarely, so I do have a few suits)
Child care including after school care - $1500/month
Meals eaten out (or takeaway) that you do because you are too busy or too tired (not incl. date nites) - $100/month (I cook from scratch every night but we may get pizza or something for fun)
Money spent on commuting or parking, etc. - $0 (I telecommute)
Also yard work and maintenance (I currently do my own mowing weed whacking etc.) - $0 I do all yard maintenance on evenings or weekends when DH can hang out with DD

My 401k is at about $400k (not to mention DH's). I get a great match from my employer and would be out this money if I SAH. SAH would cost us a lot more money than my working does.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 10:10     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
HHI: $350

My husband and I JUST went through this exercise - totals just over $47,000 annually

Nanny: $36,000 (one six-month old, includes taxes)
Housekeeper: $3,360 ($140 twice a month)
Doggie day care: $1,400 ($30 once a week)

Other "costs of going to work" - but we didn't do the math on addiciton costs incurred by being at home

Dry Cleaning: $600
Clothes: $2500
Parking: $1728 (Pre-tax- me only, DH doesnt have to pay for parking)
Meals/coffee at work (between the two of us, we are good about mostly bringing our lunch): $1500
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 09:57     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:HHI $160.
$0- he works day time, I work at night.


And how much do you spend on marriage counseling to deal with never seeing each other?
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 09:38     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
200/mo housecleaning
22k/yr daycare

HHI ~ $200k, but no mortgage and retirement/college covered (inheritance)

I also agree with the pp who said that SAHMs spend way more on food, activities, gas, parking etc than the majority of working moms.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 09:36     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You have to remember all the additional costs of staying at home. Are you not going to send your child to preschool at all? Classes? Activities?

There's also increased utility costs, gas, lack of retirement contribution, the salary hit you'll take if/when you do decide to go back, etc...


SAHM here. It depends on ages of kids. I have two at home. One is in part time co-op preschool for around 4k. No additional classes for the preschooler and none for the baby. But next year, preschooler will be in 5 day for 6k and I will probably do at least one class a week for my toddler, so maybe another 1k for the year.

We really don't spend much more on other stuff. We eat at home or typically bring food from home if we eat out. However, I know lots of SAHMs that spend much more on eating out or doing non-free activities or outings with their kids.

We've looked at the costs for me going back to work and it was not even close to being worth it. I was on the higher end of work expenses though. I would need full time care for 2 kids, business wardrobe, either downtown parking or metro parking plus metro, and I know I wouldn't be able to still cook as much during the week so our food costs would add a ton. I think I estimated over 50k for me to go back to work before my oldest starts kindergarten. I would be making less than $90k.


So you're saying you can't use an extra $30-35k a year?


Yeah, I don't get this logic either.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 09:36     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
UPthread used this phrase:
I assume SAHMs aren't on total lock down.
This struck me as totally funny. My SHAM friends love to shop so much that I am tempted to ask them to shop for me. I hate clothes shopping and my wardrobe shows it.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 09:34     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
preschool = 20K/yr
weekly housekeeping 5K/yr (would do that our counseling if one of us stayed home or worked so that's actually a fixed cost).

HHI 325K+ bonus depending
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 08:58     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
HHI $160.
$0- he works day time, I work at night.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 08:53     Subject: Re:Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
We spend $215 a month on housecleaning. We spend more money (not sure how much) on prepared grocery store food than we would if one of us were home. Our children are too old for childcare except in the summers. But we each make over $200,000, so having one of us at home was never an option we were interested in.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 08:33     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Lol retire on 401 k good joke
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 08:21     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You have to remember all the additional costs of staying at home. Are you not going to send your child to preschool at all? Classes? Activities?

There's also increased utility costs, gas, lack of retirement contribution, the salary hit you'll take if/when you do decide to go back, etc...


SAHM here. It depends on ages of kids. I have two at home. One is in part time co-op preschool for around 4k. No additional classes for the preschooler and none for the baby. But next year, preschooler will be in 5 day for 6k and I will probably do at least one class a week for my toddler, so maybe another 1k for the year.

We really don't spend much more on other stuff. We eat at home or typically bring food from home if we eat out. However, I know lots of SAHMs that spend much more on eating out or doing non-free activities or outings with their kids.

We've looked at the costs for me going back to work and it was not even close to being worth it. I was on the higher end of work expenses though. I would need full time care for 2 kids, business wardrobe, either downtown parking or metro parking plus metro, and I know I wouldn't be able to still cook as much during the week so our food costs would add a ton. I think I estimated over 50k for me to go back to work before my oldest starts kindergarten. I would be making less than $90k.


So you're saying you can't use an extra $30-35k a year?
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 07:43     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
7:37 here. I would have been making more like $75k before taxes and working at least 50 hrs a week. More like $60k if I wanted more flexible hours or reduced hours.

Ultimately, DH's travel schedule is what's keeping me from going back to work now. Hopefully that will change. And hopefully I can actually find a job after being out for five years.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 07:37     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:You have to remember all the additional costs of staying at home. Are you not going to send your child to preschool at all? Classes? Activities?

There's also increased utility costs, gas, lack of retirement contribution, the salary hit you'll take if/when you do decide to go back, etc...


SAHM here. It depends on ages of kids. I have two at home. One is in part time co-op preschool for around 4k. No additional classes for the preschooler and none for the baby. But next year, preschooler will be in 5 day for 6k and I will probably do at least one class a week for my toddler, so maybe another 1k for the year.

We really don't spend much more on other stuff. We eat at home or typically bring food from home if we eat out. However, I know lots of SAHMs that spend much more on eating out or doing non-free activities or outings with their kids.

We've looked at the costs for me going back to work and it was not even close to being worth it. I was on the higher end of work expenses though. I would need full time care for 2 kids, business wardrobe, either downtown parking or metro parking plus metro, and I know I wouldn't be able to still cook as much during the week so our food costs would add a ton. I think I estimated over 50k for me to go back to work before my oldest starts kindergarten. I would be making less than $90k.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2013 07:32     Subject: Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?
Anonymous wrote:You have to remember all the additional costs of staying at home. Are you not going to send your child to preschool at all? Classes? Activities?

There's also increased utility costs, gas, lack of retirement contribution, the salary hit you'll take if/when you do decide to go back, etc...


I always wonder why nobody mentions this. We have one child in daycare. If I stayed home, I would drive us places (gas); pay for parking at places like the mall; take the metro to the zoo, free museums, etc.; feed him 5 breakfasts, lunches, and snacks per week that he currently gets at daycare; enroll us in some daytime classes so I can meet other moms; purchase additional craft supplies and/or toys to keep us busy during the day; occassionally meet friends for lunch; and take him out to eat when we're out and about, e.g., enjoying the free museums, zoo, etc. I would probably also join the gym so I could work out during the day.

I'm sure I'm missing things. I can't imagine SAH moms are on total lockdown, which is what "how much will I save by not working?" threads assume.