My Story
Six months ago I intentionally left my full-time job as a Registered Nurse to stay home and raise our 3 children.
You see, for the past 10 years I have either been in school or working and sometimes I was doing both. That’s just how it was; it had to be that way! Or so I thought.
Our family had created a lifestyle that demanded 2 incomes. I can be honest with you and say that it was our reckless pursuit of affluence and our rugged individualism that lead to the expectation of the 2 earner household.
And with that, so began our decent.
I started finding my laundry growing mold in the washing machine because I forgot about it (okay…so I still do that, but whatever). We were spending money on take-out simply because no one was home to cook. Sleepless nights were all to frequent; my mind just wouldn’t stop going over all the routines necessary to maintain our insane pace. My whole existence seemed to revolve around finding ways to save time! There was no time to be thrifty (and that take time, a lot of time). There definitely wasn’t time to re-purpose, re-cycle, or up-cycle anything. In my mind, those things would have to be reserved for another lifetime.
I felt defeated and our quality of life was waining.
Our discontentment and unhappiness lead to even more frivolous spending.
We were caught in a vicious cycle. A never-ending cycle.
The beginning of an internal transformation.
I really couldn’t tell you the day my thoughts began to shift? At the time, I couldn’t even pin point why they were changing? You just gotta understand…I never wanted to be a “housewife”. The thought of it made me nauseous!
This short “Leave It To Beaver” clip, where we hear Ward discussing with his son, Wally about how a woman’s place is in the kitchen, pretty much sums up exactly why I never wanted to be labeled a stay-at-home mom. Even with the recent liberation of women over the past few decades, I still had it in my mind that this is what staying at home meant.
Pretty sad huh! I think I could write a post on this clip alone!
Nevertheless, something in me began screaming for freedom. I wondered how we could maintain our lifestyle living on one income? I finally realized that we couldn’t, and that was the point!
We began the painful process of looking at our budget objectively and we quickly discovered that my income was being demolished by the things that were “required” just so I could go to work. I was essentially working so that I could keep right on working.
That’s when I realized that by returning home I could actually make money! It meant discipline in sustainable practices and a commitment to frugality. But I’m happy to report, we are well on our way.
Discover these 6 ways to make money as a housewife:
1. Child Care. We had been paying extravagant amounts of money for in-home childcare. I was paying someone else to raise my children simply so that I could work? What about that makes sense? Not paying for childcare alone has made our family tons of money!
2. Eating Real Food. Eating real food at home, as apposed to eating out all the time, has been the second largest contributor to my income as a housewife. I now have the time to budget, plan, buy in bulk once a month, grow my own food, tend to my backyard flock of hens, etc. The daily “run to the store” or “Can you stop and pick-up x, y, z” are a thing of the past.
3. Education can be acquired. It doesn’t have to be purchased. At the time that I realized this, I was full blown into a master’s program. It was the Spring of ’11, when I abruptly stopped attending classes and dropped out of the program. I had just saved our family thousands of dollars! And, I had just saved myself from years of slavery in order to pay it off. I have since developed the ability to self-teach; and I am gathering more knowledge now than ever before.
4. Down-sizing the house, the cars, and the belongings. Thoreau said it best in his masterpiece Walden. He said, “Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly, poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have”. That not only applies to one’s home but also to our cars and our possessions; wouldn’t you agree? We have found the smallest workable living space for our family, we have (and continue to) minimize our belongings, and one day I pray we can transition to cars that are functional and paid off! Note: By selling our unnecessary household items, a car, and many other of our belongings we have made thousands dollars.
5. Start making your own clothes, medicine, household cleaners, etc. Handmade clothing in my mind is a luxury! I’m not really good at it yet, but I want to be. I do love re purposing and up-cycling vintage pieces. And now that I am at home, I have the time to mend and make! You all know from my many posts on herbal remedies that I am borderline obsessed with making my own medicine. But, I finally have a working herbal garden and we are saving big bucks in this area! Household cleaners are just another very simple way to make money by not spending it!
6. I’m doing what I love. I really loved being a nurse…when I was in school that is (smile). I’m here to tell ya, over the past few years health care has morphed into something I can barely even recognize, and there has been a growing disconnect in my spirit. I love teaching people how to prevent disease, live healthy lifestyles, and I love empowering people. I strongly believe that if I do what I love the provision will naturally follow.
Be encouraged.
Returning home and living frugally isn’t really that hard at all — in fact, it’s been an extremely enjoyable process! No, we didn’t implement all the things on my list all at once. That would have been to much of a dramatic change! My philosophy is that any change should be made gradually, with baby steps, over a long stretch of time, otherwise it’s simply not sustainable. And I’m all about the sustainable! I always compare it to losing weight (oh lord, here she goes). What’s the point of trying to drop 25 pounds in a month? Why not lose a pound or 2 each week, and then over the course of a year you may have reached your goal and lost a lot more than you set out to lose!
It’s the same principle here. Reject what society tells you a woman’s role is, cut out one small thing from your life at a time, adjust your spending habits slowly, and over time you’ll be in a totally different place. The beautiful thing is, we somehow get used to the changes, and after a while we don’t even notice that anything has changed at all. If your desire is to be at home, reviving your domestic skills, and to nurture your family I know you’ll find a way.
Bottom line, there really are countless ways to make money as a housewife. I can hear it now…”but Andrea what you’re talking about here are ways to save money“. Yes! I know! But, saving money in my crazy twisted mind equals making money. You know why? Because, I’m seeing it in action and it’s self-sufficiency at it’s finest.
Notes.
I realize that many of my readers may read this and agree, but your current circumstance simply will not allow you to quit your job and return home full-time. My heart is genuine when I tell you “I know where you are, I’ve been there”. Commit to taking baby steps. Stop, or at least reduce, spending. Pay off debt! Find peace and contentment in the simple. You are someone great all in your own right.
Remember: Life is a journey, with no real destination. We are constantly striving to create and attain goals. Continue pursuing your passions and I promise you’ll discover your ultimate potential!
Okay, wow, I’ve said enough for today! Now it’s your turn…
Sources that I identify with and provided my inspiration for this article:
-Hayes, Shannon, Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture (Richmondville, New York: Left to Write Press) Chapter 6.
–Gradual Frugality
Frugal Days Sustainable Ways
Years ago I resolved to stay home to raise my 5 children. ….I have never regretted it!
OMG, are you me? This is me right now, I have made some steps but not quite enough and I am balking at the final step, Thankyou. Its so nice to know that someone else speaks the same truth.
I shall go hunt down tissues now and take a long look at what it is I want.
Wow. It's like you looked into my world and life and wrote it down! I left teaching after last term and have been working to overhaul our families lifestyle as well.
Andrea, you are right on! I quit my full time writing job when I had my first child, homeschooled 3 and now both I and my husband work from home. When I decided to stay home, I made it my business to save money and to learn skills that would enable us to live on less. I learned that for every dollar that you spend, you have to earn two in order to cover the taxes and expenses that you incurr to earn the dollar that you spent. Makes way more sense to "earn money by saving money", as you point out in this article.
Before kids, I had a great job. Two months before our first child was born, I quit my job. That was over 30 years ago. I've been home to raise our six children ever since (ages 30 thru 10). I haven't been sorry. It costs a lot of money to work…the wardrobe, gas, convenience foods, eating out, childcare, higher tax bracket, the "guilt spending" on our kids, going out to lunch with the ladies, etc. I look at staying home in the same as you..I make money by saving money. By staying home I line dry clothes, shop for bargains, go to thrift stores, cook meals at home, grow a huge vegetable garden, heat our home with wood, pack lunches with homemade goodies, homeschool our ten year old, sew clothes, etc. In spite of one income, we are living a rich life. We live in an old farmhouse. It's not fancy, but it's big and homey. We don't go on fancy vacations. Instead, we take walks–sometimes late at night to gaze at the stars–, go fishing in a nearby pond, and invite friends over and sit around a bonfire while all the kids play gray wolf in the dark. My husband and I have time to sit on the porch swing on a late summer night and enjoy the display of lightning as a summer storm rolls through. I realize this lifestyle may not appeal to everybody, but to those who desire to be a stay-at-home mom, I highly recommend the book "The Tighwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced Decision). The book is loaded with real money saving tips that could make your dream of being a stay-at-home a reality.
I completely agree. I was a "full-time" investigator which meant I worked about 60-70 hrs a week. We moved due to a better opprotunity for my hubby's job. When we got to our new state, the house wasn't ready to move into and we went camping in the mountains (about an hour away.) There was no cell phone signal there. After being there for in school a few days a week and spend the rest of my time figuring out ways to save money. Making 3 days in the absolute quiet I realized I was truly happy and haven't work full-time since. I have a small part-time job working while the children are everything from scratch and shopping thrift stores are two of my favorite ways.
WOW it is so funny because as i read the first sentence of your post "Six months ago I intentionally left my full-time job as a Registered Nurse to stay home and raise our 3 children" I six months ago I did the exact same thing left my job as a RN! We sold our home (over priced home in the city and moved to the country) and cars as well. We are now trying to live a more sustainable life as a family we have chickens and planning our new garden. I feel inspired by your post and am happy to know that there are others that are doing the same right now!
You said it. In every way, you have said it perfectly. Better than I ever could. I totally relate –
"You see, for the past 10 years I have either been in school or working and sometimes I was doing both. That's just how it was; it had to be that way! Or so I thought."
– I have always been working and in school. Last year, I was pregnant, taking four graduate classes, and working part time. It was brutal. It was not only important for me to stay home with the baby, but it was our only option. I definitely was not making enough money to cover daycare, and any money I WOULD be making would go RIGHT to daycare. As you said – I would be working in order to work.
We now subsist on my husband's ministry salary, which isn't much. I try to do whatever I can to save money by making our own cleaners, being smart about grocery budgets, not buying unneeded things, etc. We also JUST moved into our own home, and I hope to have a vegetable garden this spring. I want to do what I can – as the housewife – to make our lifestyle livable and enjoyable.
Thanks for the post. I'm really glad I found your blog.
Oh, and by the way – that LITB clip is MESSED UP. So weird that life used to be like that. Weirdness.
Exactly where we are at.
Great post! We've been trimming our lifestyle down over the last few years. So far we've paid off over $50,000 in consumer debt and have one more student loan to go! Yay!
My husband and I would love to have me at home with our daughter (and soon to be son) but we're not there yet.
I do worry about health and dental insurance. My husband is self-employed so our family is dependent on me to provide the benefits.
What do you or any of your readers recommend? How do you all handle the insurance needs of your families?
Just this month I left my full-time career, and transitioned into a part-time job, down the street from where we live. This post speaks volumes to me. Were you looking in our windows???
This week was my first week. My life has never been better. Thank you!
LOVE this post. I'm new at being a SAHM, only 9 months for me. The decision was extremely hard as I walked away from a high level corporate job. I haven't regretted it since. I thank my husband for supporting the decision and allowing me to raise our two children. I do find I have the time now to cook nearly every meal, bake our own snacks and cloth diaper full time.
Staying home is not for everyone, but if you create a balance with both time with the kids and also adult conversations (playgroups, networking, etc)
@Britni I'll email you, but read this post: http://frugallysustainable.blogspot.com/2011/10/age-of-no-health-insurance-what-are-we.html
We are without health insurance! Of course I am not recommending that for everyone, but for us it's simply not necessary. What did people do prior to the creation of health insurance in the 1920's? Yes I know life is different now but I strongly believe that health can be achieved without making monthly payments to an insurance company:) Dont miss understand me…we want to pay for our health care just not at $500+/month to some corporate company.
I carried the benefits too:) And we just made the decision to go without for now. We have looked into a high deductable plan but that really doesnt make sense. I could go on and on so I'll leave it here for now.
At the end of the day we all make our own decisions based on what we think is best for our families:) And that's OK!
Loved this. I am currently the "financial provider" for my husband and I while he is finishing his degree at university. I long for the days to come when he will work and we will have children and I can stay home with them making our home.
What a great post. I choose not to have children, but I am self employed from home (I run a small not for profit providing sustainability advice for people living in rental accommodation). Your comment about no longer recognising a work sector you previously loved, really resonated with me and is why I left working in advocacy in education.
Cate
We have been a one income family for 12 years now. Except one year I had to go back to work to pay for our youngest son's medical treatments. I don't know how people do it. I soooo get the 'to-do' list. I would get up at 4:45am to get in a quick walk before everyone got up. I had made breakfast, lunch, and most times started dinner before 7am. Things had to be done and done in order and on time or the whole system fell to pieces and I was up until midnight trying to put the house back together. You wrote well and did a wonderful job of showing others that it isn't always about a 'paycheck'. Well Done.
Love this! Thank you for continuing to share your story! You are an inspiration! While we are no where near one of us being able to stay home yet, we are hopeful to be in your "shoes" in the future! One step at a time, right? YES!
I love this post! My hubby and I got married almost ten years ago and nobody could understand why we chose for me to NOT work outside of the home. I tried to explain that becoming accustomed to duel income would just set us up for a more difficult transition when we had kids. I spent the kid-less time learning how to run a frugal and beautiful home, how to be a good wife, how to be a good mom when the time came… it was an easy transition when our daughter was born 3 1/2 years ago. No pay cut, no "I have to quit my 'real' job" feeling, no drastic adjustment to being at home. I could have been working outside the home all those years, but we've never regretted the money I didn't make, especially when we see other families struggling through trying to go from two to one income.
And you're so right about education. I have been educating myself in any and every area that I want, when I want! I'm a natural student; I love to learn. Not being confined to a course schedule is wonderful.
Being a "housewife" is actually very freeing, not confining. I've had the time and freedom to choose what to learn and how to learn and apply it. I can grow in the areas that I feel I need to.
Ladies, it is so worth it to do whatever you need to do to be able to raise your own children (instead of paying somebody else to) and to make a real home for your family. Keep at it and be encouraged! 🙂
I did this eleven years ago and have never regretted it.
What a beautiful post! You said it perfectly. Thanks for sharing.
Great tips! I had to give up quite a bit to be a stay-at-home mother but I was determined to make it happen. I always tell women who want to leave their jobs that it is all about determination and commitment. It can be a rough road, but it is so worth it in the end! Sacrifice becomes easy when it is for your children.
Excellent post. I agree 100%. It is much more important for me to stay at home and take care of my family than it is for me to have "stuff." We are 100% debt free because we've switched our priorities. Needs, wants, and wishes.
Oddly enough, I don't really have a problem with the Leave It To Beaver clip. 😉
I too retired as an RN 11 years ago to be a full time mother and wife. My husband and I struggled for a brief time with the decision but once we took the leap of faith we never looked back nor regretted doing it. Be prepared to field lots of negative comments from others who "don't get it". Be confident you are doing what is right for you and your family and let all the nay sayers do the same for theirs.
Wonderful post. I work every other weekend and the odd shift when my husband is home. I have known people who literally work to pay for daycare. Sad. I know that the more shifts I work, the more take out food is ordered, the more gas my car needs and then I am at work wondering if it was worth picking up a shift.
I used to think I wanted to take nursing until I sat in the E.R one night and realized that it has to be one of the crappiest jobs going. And I work in a group home with the developmentally disabled and shifts can involve being hit, kicked, spit at, sworn at, you name it. Much of it is nursing work, without the good pay.
I absolutely agree with you. I was the breadwinner in our family, but once we had kids I just wanted to be home with them. Yes, we live in a smaller house, yes we drive 14 year-old vehicles, but yes I get to have the privilege of teaching my children and being there with them all day! It is quite a change, but at the end of my life, I don't think I'll regret having a small house, and I know I would regret not having spent time with the kids.
And I get to learn more about self-sufficiency and gardening, and I get to teach my kids all of these things too. I think women's lib is great if it gives us all the chance to CHOOSE what we want to do, but not if it snubs it's nose at the choices we end up making.
Love your courage and wisdom to take the path least travelled. I am thankful for the freedom I have in working from home. I wouldn't have it any other way. My home and health now receives the attention it needs.
I love this post and your blog! I stay home full time, also – but I am considering going back part time (at night).
One thing (besides money!) that I get from work that I don't get from home is validation. While my bosses and my students compliment me all day and tell me how much they appreciate me- sometimes I can hear crickets for all the compliments I get from my family. I know they appreciate me! It is just nice to hear it, ya know.
Great post and every word rings truth. I've been staying home for almost 7 years now and returning to work (briefly) prooved that I actually lost money after spending 8+ hours away from my family (gas, clothes, make up, lunches, childcare, the list goes on and on). We are now living on one, quite modest income and we are doing all right. It took time to accept that we will have to do without a few things that extra money could buy, we downscaled and in process of getting rid of all the debt. I'm tired of the word 'housewife' being used as a pejorative, a few 'frends' occasionally try to shame my choice of staying home and think I have it easy, but life is good and I feel that this is where I have to be.
Blessings.
loved this! excellent! i'm linking this to my blog 🙂
Very well said!! I stopped working when we got married–more because I was a burnt out teacher and I knew there was no way I could be the teacher I wanted to be and be the mother I wanted to be. Now that we have our daughter I enjoy every day being home with her. Thank you for saying what I've been thinking for a long time so eloquently. I invite you to share at my Sharing Saturday party at http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com/2011/11/sharing-saturday-6.html. Thank you!
Four years ago, I prayed thata God would make a way for me to be stay-at-home mom and He did! We also homeschool our two children, now 9 and 4. We recently downsized even more. My husband was offered a job as prison chaplain to a 3000 man maximum security prison. We sold our home that we built 9 years ago (our dream home), purchased a huge, lovely and used RV, bought a good used truck with the proceeds from our house and God just keeps amazing us!
Excellent, excellent post. Good food for thought. The Thoreau quote got me thinking. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Wow – this sounds a lot like my life 🙂 So refreshing that more of us are doing this!
It's true, many people work to work!! So I hope they love their job….unfortunately it's the kids who get the bad end of the bargain.
Great post! Very well said. I'm technically not a stay at home mom but I do work part time. My husband and I feel the same way about working and why would I pay someone to raise my child while I work. He would love for me to be able to stay home and not work. But it's nice because my schedule allows me work only when my son is in school so I can pick him up and prepare homecooked meals, etc.
I also totally agree with the point you made about education. Unfortunaly I can not afford school. I've tried to go back so may times but I am just not comfortable taking out a loan that I will be paying for half my life. I have also developed the ability to self teach. I read tons, and I'm always aquiring information. I'm not a genius by any means but I'm not stupid either. People I come across are always surprised I haven't finished college. Learning can be done anywhere. It doesn't have to be done sitting at a desk listening to a lecture. I always find myself explaining this to people.
Awesome post. I too want to stay at home with the kids but I also want to own my own at home business. I enjoy work, not just the work I am doing and now that I am working a full time job at home while building my business I can definitely relate to how much you can save on child care and eating out. Since being at home I have saved a tremendous amount on lunches and gas money alone.
i am constantly asking myself if we can do this? we just spend so much money, but i always say it is because we have it, if we didn't have it, we wouldn't spend it. eating out, new clothes, vacation, cars, you name it.
i have been begging to stay home and raise the kids, to be able to make dinner instead of get take out {again}, to make things insteadof buy {and i am quite crafty}…
your post was very encouraging. thank you for writing this and sharing your experience with us.
maybe one day.
That's wonderful that you found a way to stay home. That "Leave it to Beaver" clip brought back lots of memories–I used to love that show!
Thank you so much for this post! As a new stay at home mom it was very encouraging!!
So true!!! Thank you for sharing your story!!
I love your post! I was lucky enough to have a wonderful stay at home mom then later father as a child and I knew that I wanted to provide that same experience for my own family. When my daughter was born I stopped working and became a full time mom. It wasn't easy and many days were not fun going from working girl to someone's mom but I don't regret it for a moment and I know I never will!
This post was so encouraging–thank you! I am an RN but feel a disconnect with the work as well. I simply do not agree with the ways we view and treat diseases anymore. I am torn between the home life (self sustaining, more fulfilling) and the contributing-to-society life. I want to find the balance, and this post helped me see some big positives on the home side. My greatest fear is being that barefoot woman in the kitchen with a baby on her hip. I want to have a purpose in life, and continue to help people, but also to invest primarily in my family. I'm going to be following your blog because I find it so practical! Thank you!
This is what a lot of people need to understand I will share this today.
Please come to my party at:
http://www.thezkids.blogpsot.com
Just keep in mind, we should be celebrating any stay-at-home parent. I am the one with a career and ability to provide so my husband stays at home with our son. While I would like it the other way around, I'm eternally grateful that one of us is able to do it!
wow!! I just came across your blog for the first time today and am so glad I did. and then I read this post…and WOW. I just put in my notice at my job FOUR HOURS AGO to become a stay at home mom!!! thank you for this post!!
That's what it's all about @Rachel!!! Congrats!
I love this, and I'm so glad to hear it's working for you, too! I recently started transitioning out of my job, and looking for a way to focus my efforts homeward. I find that we're much happier now than we were when we were chasing incomes in two different directions. Your tips are helpful, and it's so good to see the perspective of someone else who's on this same journey. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for sharing this very interesting, honest and heartfelt post with the Gallery of Favorites! I am sure so many people will find it valuable and encouraging.
This is very encouraging! I started living the domesticated lifestyle because of the same reasons you wrote about. The company I resigned from asked me to come back to work contract for a fraction of my previous full time hours per week, which made me feel very appreciated especially since I was having such a hard time wondering if I made the right decision to be at home full time. However, the same stresses became existent even though I was in the office only 2 days a week. I had to quit again because I realized that it was extremely necessary for me to hold down the homefront. I have friends that have been SAHM's and I never understood why, now I know exactly how much of a luxury this lifestyle is!
Happy Holidays!!
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Gallery of Favorites. I have found that the time I have at home with my children is precious and am very thankful that I am able to stay home. We call our early years "the economic vegetarian years". 🙂
I was able to work from home as a contributing editor to a magazine during the early years. Once we no longer needed that income, I chose to give up a regular paycheck for the freedom of freelance work.
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/11/fat-tuesday-novermber-22-2011/
My story has a different twist. When my daughter’s marriage fell apart and my grandson was not thriving in a daycare environment, I left my retail business 7 hours away from where she lived and moved in with her and my grandson. We have since found out that my grandson has a serious genetic bleeding disorder (first generation any of us knew of), so it was even more imperative that he not be in day care. So, here I am. I am a SAHG.I do what I can to help her make ends meet and I will be doing even more with the tips and techniques I am picking up from your blog. Thank you for this post and for your blog.
Wow! My husband and I have been feeling so guilty for the last 2 years that we cannot go to school events and that our children are in daycare for over 12 hours a day. We decied to track our spending for one year and try to live off of his income alone, but using my weekly paycheck to pay only daycare and gas for my car. It turns out that if we eliminate daycare and 60% (I drive 20 miles a day to and from work) of the gas on my car we will be just fine if I quit and become a housewife. He has been wanting this for years but I have never worked, I have consistantly worked from the age of 15 to present (35). I worry about what I will do with my time. On the weekends I spend over 1/2 of a day cleaning, I also garden and that takes time so he pointed out that I am only 1/2 around on the weekends for the girls and him, so why not quit and be happy. He is right. We decied this January 1 of this year and I decided to continue to bank my checks so that we can have over a years worth of savings, just in case. I will do some book keeping here and their for some contractors that we know, so that will be nice but here is the zinger. I have never quit a job (as an adult). I have been laid off and had the last business I work for close. I work for a small law office and am the only other person that is not an attorney. I do all financials, legal work and office management. I even do personal assistant stuff for the top dog. He relys heavily on me for all of the above. My respect for him has lead me to get anxiety about letting him know I am quitting. I decided to tell him the first buisness day of April and give hime a month and a week so the new hire can have me with them for a billing period (end of the month). I just don’t know how to tell him. I know I’m a wimp but we all have our firsts. I hope this is my first and last because I am really looking forward to being their for my kids and husband on “my time”. I love your post and the comments are great too! I will continue to follow as I journey through this first year of the rest of my and my families life.
I realize this post is old, but I enjoyed reading it. 3 years ago I lost my job when my company had mass layoffs due to the economy tanking. It was the best thing to happen to me. I hated my job and I was miserable. I don’t have any children, but I’ve found that staying home has cost us less than when I worked! I’ve learned to cook & eat healthy and through blogging, I’ve learned so much more about so many things that have enhanced my life than I would have had I still been working full time. I’m so grateful for the complete turn around of my life. I know some people look down on me, especially since I don’t have children and I’m not working, but since I’m the one living my life, I’m happy and that’s all that matters.
I’m very happy to have found your blog! I have learned so much reading through your posts.
I just read this article, and it made me feel much better about my situation. We recently moved for my husbands job which caused me to quit my teaching job of 8 years. My goal has always been to be a housewife. I truly believe that there is no greater job than to care for ones home and family. Only, I don’t think I am very good at this. I always feel behind or something. It’s like I’m a new wife all over again. I feel guilty for not being able to contribute financially, but when I was working I felt guilty for not getting to all the household jobs that need to be done. I don’t know where the healthy medium is and I am struggling. When thing get tight financially I see all the things that need to be cut back. I did a lot of that on my own when I was working. I stopped getting my nails done, I can’t remember the last time I went to a salon to have a real cut done, or the last time I bought something for myself that was not on sale. My husband makes a good living and so he doesn’t feel he should spare any expense for himself. He buys things we don’t need or use. I don’t know ladies. My head and heart are so conflicted. It helps to get it out of my head at least. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
I know this post is old but I notice that a lot of the women who say that it is a good decision had come from jobs or already had children. What about having this as a goal from a younger age before marriage or children come into the equation?
Hearing your stories of success and happiness inspired me. Healthcare and education up to college is free where I live making the option of becoming a housewife a lot easier. So could anyone with experience lend me any words of advise? I’m at the end of college, further education will go into student loans and there’s nothing I’m inspired to go into with University. I’m in a solid relationship with someone who really likes my goals to put happiness ahead of money and to be a housewife. However, I feel like I’ve realized the right decision at a time that is too early, my significant other will be going off into around 3 years of computer science and although I’m completely confident about being a house wife I am concerned about where to go from here.
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