For Stay at Home Mom Q

If you live on or near Long Island how much $$$ does your husband bring home so that you can afford to stay home with baby.

I have a friend who does it with 2 kids and the dad makes $80K. I just can't see how you could...but i was just wondering.

You don't have to answer if you don't want to - if you would just answer the poll.

Thanks.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

Oops I answered the poll but we don't live on Long Island. Except for property taxes the cost of real estate and living is somewhat comprable though, maybe a little cheaper.
We've definitely had to make certain adjustments.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

I didn't vote since we don't live on LI or near there. The cost of living is substantially different here, but we still don't make "a lot." We've made tons and tons of adjustments. To be honest, we've given up a lot of things that maybe some aren't willing to give up, but it works for us. Also, for me to continue to work, it didn't pay when I calculated in daycare costs and work costs....now that I have two, forget it.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

I answered. We live on SI. DH makes b/w $100K - $120K. The only way I truly think we can afford it is because DH bought this house 8 years ago, before the crazy prices and it is a legal 2 family so we have a rental income as well. Otherwise, I think it would have been truly difficult for me to be a SAHM and for us to able to save money. DH is admanant about saving so we had to be able to do both, me SAHM and save.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

Dh doesnt make that much but we are able to do it because we live in a co-op and our mortgage and common charges all together are 1167- we dont have many bills either.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

I voted... I think its all a matter of how much you are willing to give up to have the lifestyle you want. I gave up a few things, and the work on our house is being done over many years. It would have been nice to just lump sum it and be done with it, but we couldn't afford to do that. We have a budget for everything, and we stick to it.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

I did not vote because we don't live on LI anymore. We left so that me staying home COULD be a possibility. The cost of living here in Georgia is considerably less (our house was less than $130k and our taxes are $1400).

I will admit that DH salary is in the lower half of the choices you gave and we do need me to work, but it's so much easier for us now.

We do have some luxuries that we chose not to give up but at the same time we also don't indulge as much as most people do. We are not too proud to get stuff second hand or from family members and I'll shop at several grocery stores to save $$ plus use coupons.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

I wanted to agree with Chmlnger and Btrflygrl, we stick to a budget and we also don't go out as much as we used to. Only buy groceries on sale and I use coupons too. I too, will go to several stores in one week in order to shop the circular. We don't mind the cutbacks we have made because they weren't too drastic. If we couldn't afford to do anything, then I would have gone back to work. You really need to look at what you are willing to give up to make it work. For us it works.

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q

although my husband falls into the 150 + range it is still a monthy struggle for us, and we live in a VERY small house and cant do any of the expanding we need to do! we are trying to have another child, but we would have no where to put him/her!!

Re: For Stay at Home Mom Q