stay at home mom or working mom?

[gmbrutto]

We are already a low income family. We would like for me to be a stay at home mom but that would require some cost reductions.  Any advice on cost reduction ways to raise a baby? Should i consider returning to work just to make ends meet? If so will the cost of child care be too much?

[gmbrutto]

I like the alternate shifts idea. Quality time for dad with the newborn as well.

[MamaMacMurtry]

We have done the math in our area & given the cost of childcare here ($150-200 per week!!) Going back to my old job would mean 2/3 of my income would go to pay for daycare. Our plan is for me to stay home during the day & find a part time, 2nd shift job to help make ends meet after the first 6 weeks. I plan to breastfeed & am an avid coupon/bargain shopper-but we will still have to make some adjustments. I am hoping we qualify for some state assistance to help us through the first months or so.

[gmbrutto]

Thanks. I'm definitely going to breastfeed and we already agreed to cloth diaper.  My husband is originally from morocco which requires us to travel internationally soon... we don't qualify for medicaid or wic or food stamps because right now we are both working.  He works two jobs all year round and we only maintain basics internet but no TV. We had a roommate living with us until we became pregnant. Thanks for reminding me of dollar stores and consignment shops

[cecilia_morgan]

Im sure this is directed to gmbrutto lol but bc of where I live personally I have wasted so much money on adds for babysitting. It so sad our,daycare in town had over 70 kids over the summer and on average for one child would have saved 50-80 $ a week but no one around here wants private babysitting they think their kids are superior for going to daycare! Which is hilarious bc ik a lot ok f the kids at the daycare and they are just your average kid lol but they're parents think they're like amazing little geniuses lol. Oh well I love kids and want to babysit. but if its not the parents that think daycare at 1000$ a month makes their kid a genius the rest already get help with daycare anyway so I don't think they care. It ***** :-(

[Nov7thmommy]

We're low on money too, I'm on wic right now, for the baby my mom buys a bunch of good stuff on yard sales and I've been buying stuff on amazon, and I'm thinking when I have my baby, I might take care of my nephews so my sister is gonna pay me, and apply for food stamps, that's a big help too

[kasieac]

Have you ever considered opening up a daycare in your own home? That way you can stay at home, don't have to pay daycare, gas etc. And you can bring in an income!

[cecilia_morgan]

Ultimately that will be up to you and your husband of course lol. But my husband and I are struggle so I can stay home with our kids well we have a 2 1/2 yr old and a baby on the way. My best advice would be to sit siren together go over all your expenses incoming to outgoing, don't forget to think about things like clothes and shoes car maintenance etc things that aren't necessarily a monthly expense but factor it in. See where you stand if there's anything you can cut out cable, etc non essentials. We cloth diaper which saves tons of money. And I breastfeed. We do not have cable or internet. We do not qualify for any help not even wic. What hurts us so much is that we had to file bankruptcy last January. So b literally half our money goes to paying back the bankruptcy. We're pretty much living off about 23000 a year abd about to be a family of four! It's hard!

[Perezchica]

Also breastfeeding would save a ton of money too, but if you're not for that I'd start the paperwork for WIC now cause it takes a minute to get started. With that you get formula, milk, cheese, cereal, canned veggies. Definitely worth looking into.

[LibraMum]

I would like to know the same

[Perezchica]

I'm also a SAHM and we're a low income family.  We do have food stamps and Medicaid which helps a ton!! I also do a lot of my shopping at the dollar store for like shampoo, conditioner, body wash,  basically all of our toiletries and our cleaning supplies. We have the cheapest plan with cable and never leave a light on that isn't being used. As for baby stuff, Wal-Mart and Target have their brand name diapers that work just as well as Pampers or Huggies, same with wipes. Consignment shops for clothes, furniture, and carseat. If you don't mind not having all the high end brand name stuff it's definitely livable. Then you can raise your child and not someone else. Daycare is way too expensive nowadays.