One Income...How do you do it?

For those of you that are SAHM's how did you handle going from one income to two?
I have been taken out of work and will get full pay for 6 weeks and half pay for the rest of the time until I am released to go back to work. I am 34 weeks right now so we'll see how it goes. I just worry about the 1/2 pay and then no pay time after that. I plan to go back to work PT eventually but even that is going to be a huge adjustment. I mean we will still be OK but it will be strange for me to have to be careful if that makes sense.

Any tips?
What kind of sacrifices did you make?

I am just feeling a bit overwhelmed with this little wrench in my plans.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

We live in Florida

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

I should add that we don't live in NY but CO isn't as cheap as some other places.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

I've been home since May but I'm still getting paid because my teaching contract is up at the end of August. I guess I'll know in September what sacrifices I'm going to make...

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

Why can't we be like Canada? 1 year paid Just not fair.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

Posted by monkeybride

Why can't we be like Canada? 1 year paid Just not fair.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

The adjustments really just came from my end. I stopped getting my nails done, stopped buying clothes and do not highlight my hair anymore. I only buy necessities for our home and for baby. We don't go to dinner, we don't go on vacation but we were never ones to go away to begin with.

Clothes for the babies I wait until they are on sale - I just got Carters jammies on sale at Macy's - 50% off with an additional 15%!!!! Old Navy had their clearance stuff on sale for $2.99.

I haven't really bought any maternity stuff - using a lot of what I had and since I'm a SAHM I don't need work clothes or anything like that. Once the baby is born I'll go back to my Victoria's Secret terry outfits and just ask everyone for gift certificates for Christmas and my birthday so I can get the stuff I need.

Its been a lot of sacrifices but it can definitely be done. You really do learn what you TRULY need vs. what you think you need.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

i totally agree we donot do anything that is not necesssity it was a huge adjustmnet for me...i moved here form upstate so the cost of living is crazy to me....we eat at home , no more nails, no mare hair dying , clothes shopping? what is that! lol ...its hard but its worth it!

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

We had "tested" it out for a year or two after we got married. We lived on DH's salary alone, and mine went into savings. We knew where to cut back and how to get what we really need and make due with what we don't have. Once Andrew came along, I became a SAHM. Only recently have I gone back to work PT, one day a week, for the engineering consulting firm I once worked for. I am doing that not for the money (although it helps), but so that I can keep current in my field and salary and if I ever go back FT, I won't be starting at the bottom again.

We are also living normally, taking our house projects one at a time. I know we have a good amount in savings we could easily blow and finish up the house and furnish it nicely, but its better in the savings account and we're not missing the furniture

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

we also "tested" it...we made sure that our living expenses could be paid for with just DH's salary...


as lorimarie said, you don't need work clothes
I don't get nails done...but I don't think I would have the time to go if I was working...

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

Testing it is a GREAT idea. We didn't and at first when those disability checks stopped rolling in we were still spending like usual. Finally we realized we would be in major debt that way. So we stopped using credit cards for every purchase- CASH makes you think twice about what you are buying. It has helped, but we do have to use the credit sometimes and it is very difficult to save anything that way.

It is totally not easy. I switched to using Fantastic Sam's for haircuts instead of a regular salon, I don't get mani/pedi anymore. I rarely buy clothes for myself anymore, etc.

Re: One Income...How do you do it?

We started cutting coupons, for holidays instead of my DS getting a million toys from everyone we ask some people to buy clothes or give GC's to stores where we shop for him.

I don't get my nails done anymore.. besides the once in a blue moon pedicure.
I don't get my hair done as often
We don't go out much.
We changed cell phone providers to save money on our cell phone bill every month.
same with cable and the house phone.

I haven't bought new clothes in forever - same with DH