I Did It - I Quit My Job

[reggiemcp]

Well it is too late now, just gave my notice and my last day of work is 6/22. I am nervous about staying home and living on one salary, but I feel like it is the best. It seemed as though 80% of my check went to daycare and other work related expenses. I cannot wait to try being a SAHM.

Tell me its going to be ok, please...................

 

[THE HAT]

It will be the best thing you will ever do!! Give yourself a month to adjust to the change, and get a system going and then you will be fine!!!
Congrats!!!

 

[nicoleakr]

Welcome to the club!!! Although it has trying days I love being home! Just make sure you find support with others for adult conversation! Good luck!!

 

[Kimmumum]

Just know that it will be a major adjustment. I quit 4 years ago and it took a good 1 1/2 years to feel comfortable with one salary. Enjoy yourself

 

[luvsgrumpy]

It's going to be okay!! I remember going through a period of stressing over the decision to stay home but it passed. When it came right down to it, it was much easier on my mental and physical health being home for the kids than to be doing all the planning of carpools, making sure they are picked up from daycare, etc. I too spent most of my salary on daycare and quit shortly after DD6 was born. Just finishing K this year so we'll see what happens next year. For us, with 3 kids, it hurts the bank acct. but that is one of the sacrafices we're willing to make for now.

Enjoy the summer, and it will be okay!!

 

[EthansMom]

It'll be fine.

My tips... look around town for free and low-cost entertainment during the day. Our local library does Preschool Storytime once a week and Preschool Craft once a month for free.

Also, I find that things run more smoothly at home if I try to have a loose schedule... days when I run my errands and days when I stay home and clean. I don't get as much done if I'm running to the grocery store every day than if I schedule only one or two trips to the grocery store each week.

Making a menu for each week helps keep shopping trips to a minimum and helps reduce grocery costs (try to plan your menu around that week's loss leaders).

Good Luck!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Several years ago I had a tax client who was considering this. In this instance the husband was making slightly less than half the wife's income and worked as a part-time instructor in three schools.

I did a major analysis, taking into consideration changes in Income Tax and Social Security, not having to wear suits and dry cleaning, not having to pay child care, but losing the CC credit and a lot of other factors. The final figure was the family would only lose a little more than $1,000 of spendable income.

Mike (CPA Retired)

 

[horseshowmom]

Several years ago I had a tax client who was considering this. In this instance the husband was making slightly less than half the wife's income and worked as a part-time instructor in three schools.

I did a major analysis, taking into consideration changes in Income Tax and Social Security, not having to wear suits and dry cleaning, not having to pay child care, but losing the CC credit and a lot of other factors. The final figure was the family would only lose a little more than $1,000 of spendable income.

Mike (CPA Retired)

This is pretty much what I was going to say. I had some friends who had their accountant analyze their situation, and they found that it was actually costing them money for her to work.

Your tax bracket on what your spouse is making is going to drop. If all you were keeping was 20%, there may not be as much of a difference as you think.

I loved my time as a SAHM, and it was the best thing I ever did. Congratulations and good luck!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Somebody else on the budget board just did the same thing last week-she has a good thread running too.

Congrats!

 

[Mad4Dizne]

Everything will be OK!!!

I think everyone must go through that!!

 

[timzagain]

Good for you! I'm toying around with quitting myself. I did my own cost benefit analysis and realized the numbers just aren't adding up.

Between the time I spend at my highly over-stressed, highly underpaid job and the time I spend rounding around behind the kids, nothing's getting done in my house. Can't justify/ afford paying for help at home on my salary. When I convert my monthly pay to an hourly rate, my teenage girls earn more money than I do in their part time jobs!

I would probably be a greater asset to my family if I became a SAHM, or technically a WAHM since I could then give my DH much needed assistance in the admin side of his business (he's self employed). I could also devote more attention to my craft business - it has the potential for growth, if I had more time to invest in it!

I was a SAHM before - it took a lot of adjustments. Money was certainly a big area of adjustment, but that paled in comparison with the isolation (all my friends were Yuppies who could not understand a deliberate choice to stay at home), or the perceived loss of independence. I was the Original Strong Independent Woman - it took a long time to get used to the idea of DH being my sole source of financial support.

Hope everything goes well for you and your family!

 

[crisi]

Congrats

Do be careful - being a SAHM isn't necessarily free - the advice above to find a lot of free things to fill your days with is good. I have friends who have done the SAHM thing to discover they spent more in gas driving kids around than they ever did for commuting, spent more in lunches out at McDonald's Playland than they did going out with coworkers. I'm not saying it HAS to be that way - once they realized what they were doing they cut back - just that I think its easy to do.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

Congratulations! I quit my job this past Septemeber, and I honestly haven't regretted the decision at all. I made a decent income, but after all work related expenses and taxes, I netted very little. I also looked for ways to cut our budget and have been able to save alot of money every month.

I also joined a group called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) which was great for me. It allowed me to meet alot of moms in the area. We met twice a month and also scheduled a play date and a mom's night out each month. I think this really helped me adjust to staying home.

 

[hollyb]

Of course it will be OK. Your child will no longer be raised by someone else.

 

[Chris]

Well it is too late now, just gave my notice and my last day of work is 6/22. I am nervous about staying home and living on one salary, but I feel like it is the best. It seemed as though 80% of my check went to daycare and other work related expenses. I cannot wait to try being a SAHM.

Tell me its going to be ok, please...................

It will be wonderful!! Heck, look at that precious little face in your picture!!! It will take a bit to adjust probably but you'll be amazed how much you get into a routine etc.... I stopped working when I had my oldest and only went back when dh retired <got hurt at work> 2 years ago.

 

[cmrules]

I've got two words for you MOMS Club. They saved me. I love being a SAHM, but I felt very isolated. I don't have family nearby. Found MC 4 years ago, I now have friends I will have for the rest of my life. Another plus they are mostly in the same boat finacially so they tend to do free or low cost activities; play groups, park days, breakfast club, MOMS Night Out. Sometimes I go just to get the adult time I need. There are mom's from all walks of life, it's great. http://www.momsclub.org/links.html

 

[karynnix]

I quit a job that I had worked at for many years 3 years ago, and it was the best thing that I ever did. I missed so much with my kids when I was working, and I have enjoyed every single minute with them since I quit. Now that they are both in school, I am going back to college in the mornings. You'll be fine. Have fun!!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Good Luck to you!!!

You didn't give up a job, you are fortunate enough to have the BEST job, that of SAH MOM!


It was the best thing I ever did and I don't regret it for a minute!!!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Of course it will be OK. Your child will no longer be raised by someone else.

Cut it out, Holly. That's like saying that only homeschooling moms are raising their children because kids who go to school are with someone else for 8 hours a day.

It really is women like you who make it difficult for all women.

 

[Hoosier Mom]

I quit my job of 20 years when I was 6 months pregnant with our only child. I'm glad to be home to take care of him. However, I missed my work a lot. The pride I had in my training and my work was gone. And I missed my work friends.

It helped me to get on a schedule. Mondays we have lunch with a friend that I worked with years ago. Wednesdays we visit one set of grandparents. Thursdays we meet another mom and her son at the park. Fridays are with the other grandparents. If I didn't have things to do, I'd go stir crazy.

As far as money to spend, my husband and I each have a set amount each month of "mad money". I choose to spend mine mostly on lunches out. And you'd be surprised how far I can stretch that. My son and I will split a child's meal, or I'll add a dollar sandwich for me. I bring along some grapes and cheese or whatever to make my son's meal a little more nutritious. I bring his sippy cup of milk so I drink the soft drink that comes with the meal.

Other opportunities have come up too like helping provide food for bereavement meals at our church, or driving my in-laws to their doctor appointments. These types of things give me a sense of purpose that I seemed to lose track of for awhile.

Don't get me wrong, I am loving being here with our little guy. It was just a big adjustment for me. When he gets in kindergarden I'll probably look for parttime work.