Saving money by becoming a house wife

silvercar

Your husband (or anyone else reading this thread and in the same situation) may be able to claim wtc - working tax credits.

System

Ive been a SAHM since my eldest son was born 31 years ago. Ive been very fortunate being able to stay at home with them as my husband earned a decent wage and didn't need me to go out to work.


However, I have drummed into my daughters the importance of being self reliant. What if your husband died/left you? Where would your income come from? You say you have savings but how long will they last?


Will you save money by staying at home? I am sitting here in a central heated home, messing around on my computer and playing music.... all has to be paid for by way of the fuel bills. If I was at work the house would be empty and I could time the heating to come on later in the day.


Do you drive? Will you be using the car more?


At the end of the day. What will you do when your little ones have grown up and left home? With your career gone, what other skills/experience can you offer an employer?


Just a few thoughts.

Prothet_of_Doom

Remember you need to prove you are up to date every 3 years to the Nursing !!!!!, to keep registered.

Also,(and this is from a bloke whose wife has been a SAHM), because of the unique way our tax system works, one person earning a full time wage, takes home less than the sum of two people each earning half that wage. So you might consider the possibility of both of you working 2.5 days a week. I would have jumped at the chance had I been smart enough to imagine it was an option.

Austin_Allegro

I think there's a bit of confusion on this thread about housewives/househusbands.

The traditional image of a housewife is of someone who does the 'shake and vac' in the morning, bungs a casserole in the oven for hubby's supper then spends the rest of the day watching soap operas or nattering on the phone with friends. Basically a 'kept woman'.

That was fine in the days when one man could buy a house and support a family on one income - those days are gone. Today's housewife/husband needs to pull her/his economic weight by making the best use of the household finances. This, I feel, ought to include some sort of part time work or online work, as a backup in case the main income is lost. This is a full time occupation - not sitting round doing nothing.

Also, I sympathise with people who find satisfaction in going out to work - but not all of us do. Many of us find it to be tedious drudgery. Yes some people have vocations, but I think many people like work because it occupies their minds and gives them a sense of self-worth; but this can be got at home as well.

katieclampet

AliBee16 wrote: »

Just wanted to put my experience up here, as I'm sure you wont have considered it, as it is a bit negative. I was married to a high-earner and stopped working (clerical work). It was easier as he travelled, and we didnt need the money. I never missed the world of work, and the kids definitely benefitted. I had some hobbies and friends around and was perfectly content, never bored. However, as time went on, and friends returned to work, I also wanted to get back to work (after about 10 years), but couldnt see the point in getting a low-paid job I wouldnt enjoy, and the other kind of job I had no experience in. I still wasnt that bothered, but then me and my husband decided to mutually split up as we were making each other unhappy and the kids were grown. I have managed to get a part-time job in retail, which I dislike, but have no prospects of anything else, no recent experience, and outdated skills, and nobody wants to train up an over 50 year old. We split the savings and I was able to buy a house, but my wages are very low and unless I can find something else (unlikely) I will have to sell my house, and my girls will have to find somewhere else to live (one at Uni, one unemployed). In retrospect, I would have carried on working, part time, just to keep my hand in, in the world of work. Sorry to be negative, but you dont know what will happen.

I totally agree with this, and feel it is very important to have some kind of independence. personally I hate the thought of being totally financially dependant on some one else. With the best will in the world, things go wrong, relationships fail, partner loses a job, things we cant foresee.


Changing job, or retraining, or going part time, would be a compromise. You could do something that you enjoy, and spend more time at home.
Good luck with what you decide. Being a sah anything wouldn't work for me, but I have friends who do it, and really enjoy it.
katie

margaretclare

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

I think there's a bit of confusion on this thread about housewives/househusbands.

The traditional image of a housewife is of someone who does the 'shake and vac' in the morning, bungs a casserole in the oven for hubby's supper then spends the rest of the day watching soap operas or nattering on the phone with friends. Basically a 'kept woman'.

That was fine in the days when one man could buy a house and support a family on one income - those days are gone. Today's housewife/husband needs to pull her/his economic weight by making the best use of the household finances. This, I feel, ought to include some sort of part time work or online work, as a backup in case the main income is lost. This is a full time occupation - not sitting round doing nothing.

Also, I sympathise with people who find satisfaction in going out to work - but not all of us do. Many of us find it to be tedious drudgery. Yes some people have vocations, but I think many people like work because it occupies their minds and gives them a sense of self-worth; but this can be got at home as well.

The historian Michael Wood is of the opinion that the term 'housewife' only applied between 1850 and 1950. A man who was 'on the up' wanted the world to know that he was affluent enough to keep his wife at home, wearing a pretty dress rather than an apron. In the 1850s there'd certainly have been at least one servant in the house, as can be seen from looking at old census records.

Before the Industrial Revolution a woman also worked in her husband's business, taking part in the selling etc if he sold things, looking after the apprentices - she was an essential part of his enterprise.

From the 1950s onwards it has been much more common for married women to go out to work. Many had done essential jobs throughout 2 World Wars.

margaretclare

katieclampet wrote: »

I totally agree with this, and feel it is very important to have some kind of independence. personally I hate the thought of being totally financially dependent on some one else. With the best will in the world, things go wrong, relationships fail, partner loses a job, things we cant foresee.

Changing job, or retraining, or going part time, would be a compromise. You could do something that you enjoy, and spend more time at home.
Good luck with what you decide. Being a sah anything wouldn't work for me, but I have friends who do it, and really enjoy it.
katie

Yes, I hate that too. Having to ask someone else every time you needed a pair of tights.

Tenyearstogo

Obviously people have different ways of managing the household finances. I would never need to ask my husband for anything. If WE can afford it, I could have it. As I've said already I manage the household expenses.

Currently, the bills are paid, money put aside for planned monthly expenses, some is moved into savings, the rest is split equally between us. That won't change.

I'm aware that situations change. If my husband died, I'd be financially better off. If we divorced, I'd get a job and move to a smaller house - I've done it before. The thought of being divorced but living in the marital home isn't something I'd want to do.

As for the notion that I'd be less of a person without a job, I find that ludicrous. I'm far more than a nurse. I don't have friends from work just nice colleagues I get on with there and I can't don't talk about work in my private life. They are in two very separate boxes anyway.

I'm leaving the thread now. I'm really appreciative of all the replies but I originally posted on OS for an OS perspective into saving and the thread has gone off topic.

Thank you all.