Lori's FB friends teach us how to make it on one income

[lilwriter85]

lorialexander.blogspot.com/2013/08/making-it-on-one-income.html

Lori's friends are giving out the usual tips and I admit some are helpful when it comes to be frugal whether you are living on one income or two incomes. But the problem with these women is they don't see the various situations to why some families may need to have more than one income. Some tips can't really be applied to everyone.

Many of you would love to be stay-at-home mothers but don't feel you can afford it. I asked my facebook friends what they do in order to be able to stay home. I received many wonderful tips so I thought I would make a post of some of them to encourage you who would eventually love to be home full time.

Cathy ~ Use coupons, shop at second hand stores, and shop wisely with sale ads and price match.

Brittany ~ Make food from scratch. Make homemade laundry soap and hand soap. Breastfeed, use cloth diapers, buy clothes used or ask for them as gifts.

Cristina ~ Being on a budget helped tremendously. Dave Ramsey is an excellent financial expert. He opened our eyes to so many financial mistakes most Americans make. We are careful with not buying the "must have" new gadgets, toys, cars, etc. We never buy brand new cars, never go on vacation unless it's already paid for, eat out wisely, frugal with personal luxuries, and we aren't quick to buy each kid everything their heart's desire.

Amy ~ Meal plan, shop every 2 weeks buying whole foods in bulk, stick to the shopping list, cook from scratch, make all cleaning supplies, hand soap, laundry detergent, make a budget and stick to it, buy the "clean dozen" produce as much as possible, buy organic in bulk, eat out less, drink water, shop consignment sales for clothing, no cable, use natural lighting, sell unused items on craigslist or if I spot something on the curb, grab it and sell on craigslist, use cloth wipes with homemade spray, breastfed my children for the first year or so, go to parks and play outside, for gifts ask for clothing or money towards an annual pass for the family, invested in clippers and cut husband and son's hair, trim daughter's hair when needed, limit shower times, give kids bath together when needed or every other night, make homemade dog shampoo, use washcloths to clean surfaces instead of paper products, use cloth napkins as much as possible, simplify.

Jennifer ~ No cable, and only buy what we can afford with cash.

Jessica ~ Work from home.

Alethea ~ I own a daycare.

Cristina ~ My city has an online moms' marketplace where we buy and sell a variety of things at yard sale prices. From clothing for the kids, to home decor, kitchen items, electronics, books, toys, shoes, homeschool materials, anything that can sell. I love it! It's a good way to interact with other moms and the group has privacy settings, so you'll always feel safer. The quality of the items is excellent and the value is great. Many times I end up getting what I need for the kids and the home for free. Sell the things I don't need and buy the ones I do need at the same price.

Carmen ~ 1 car, 1 cellphone and no cable and less vacation and a meal plan.

Becky ~ I do everything listed here and I will add that we don't have cable but do have Netflix and Hulu. I pressure can our produce from our garden along with soups and sauces I make but I still have to work outside the home. I don't think that we could live on my husband's salary alone. Kudos to those who can.

If any of you have anything to add, that would be great. I can make another post with new ideas. If you have homemade recipes that you absolutely love, write them in the comment section also. If your heartfelt desire is to stay home and raise your own babies, there is a way. It may take sacrifice but it will be well worth it.

[dairyfreelife]

Two of those are not making it on one income. I personally wouldn't want to have children and worry about how making it paycheck to paycheck, cutting back on everything in worry that I won't be able to feed my children unless I'm super careful with funds. I never want my (future) children to have food insecurity or going to bed hungry because there's nothing to eat. I'm sorry, but it's super selfish to me to continue to bring children into this world knowing full well that you cannot afford to feed them because you think it will somehow get you a gold star with some higher power. Quality is better than quantity always.

[Daisy]

Two of those are not making it on one income. .

I thought the same thing. If your spouse works and you work from home or own a daycare you are not a one income family

[EmmieJ]

Many of those are helpful tips for any family or person trying to stretch their income.

I and my son have lived off my single income for over 15 years. Although at one point, I was working full time job outside the home, and a part-time job at night from my home, so I guess that's 1.5 incomes.

I don't make my own laundry detergent, but I do make my own cleaning liquid (for counter tops, windows, etc.), with water, vinegar and a drop of dishwashing liquid. Works great and is very cheap!

If I could physically do it, I'd find a way to have some part-time work on the side again. I much prefer having that cushion of income stability.

[Nothing2CHere]

Oh, these women! I work because well, #1 - I like working, I would go crazy being a stay at home mom Every. Single. Day. I love my boy fiercely, but being at work during the day makes me appreciate my time with him in the evenings and on weekends even more. And I work because #2 - If I stopped working, our income would literally (not figuratively, literally) be halved. My husband does not have a fancy high-paying job, we make within $3,000 of each other when all is said and done. But with our two salaries combined, we can live a pretty nice life. And it's not like my salary is going solely to a day care, because we have a relative who watches LittleBabyNothing for us while we both work.

Also, Lori, even with two salaries, I am a Queen of Coupons, CraigsList and Yard Sales. We even pick up aluminum cans in parking lots so we can take them to the scrap yard for cash. So why on earth would I give up the "personal luxuries" I can currently afford and like so much such as being able to go out to eat occasionally, going on trips, or splurging in the store for something that catches my eye, especially when I don't want the stay-at-home life to begin with? Oh wait, because that's what I'm "SUPPOSED" to do as a woman, right, gotcha.

Edited for riffles

[rward]

Those tips are great- if you don't value the woman's time at all. Make your own wipes, clean diapers and cloths used as paper towels, make everything from scratch, raise a garden and can everything . . . all while caring for 8 children under 10? Okay then.

[JesusFightClub]

Those tips are great- if you don't value the woman's time at all. Make your own wipes, clean diapers and cloths used as paper towels, make everything from scratch, raise a garden and can everything . . . all while caring for 8 children under 10? Okay then.

Yeah, exactly. How does this work with multiple kids?

Some of these tips were weird:

"Eat out less" - if you're sustaining on one (not high) income, I don't think you would eat out at all. Maybe cheap chip suppers or whatever.

"buy organic in bulk" - organic is £££ over here in bulk, and because it's organic, it doesn't keep well. If you want to save money, you buy nonorganic and freeze it.

"make all cleaning supplies, hand soap, laundry detergent" - Buy bulk on special offer.

Some were good too:

" invested in clippers and cut husband and son's hair, trim daughter's hair when needed"

I had my hair cut by my mum as often as possible and loads of guys are fine with clippers. I use clippers to cut my own hair and save a lot (although, granted, fundies may not think this is a good plan).

"give kids bath together when needed or every other night, make homemade dog shampoo, use washcloths to clean surfaces instead of paper products,"

Dunno about dog shampoo but the others, I would have thought, were normal?

"Jennifer ~ No cable, and only buy what we can afford with cash."

Jennifer, one day you might need a credit rating. I say this with the deepest regret, believe me.

[galaxy]

Lol that's great and all but in my neck of the woods a modest 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment or condo around 1,000 sq ft rents from $1500-$2000+ a month. But we all know fundies would never rent because DEBT FREE! SLAVERY!!!!111 So they could buy a small townhome for $450-$500k or more, but good luck keeping all those kids in 3 bedrooms and 1300 sq ft! So you move further out, and maybe get something a little bigger, but it's still that price, and then your husband has a 2 hour commute in terrible traffic each way. No amount of clipping coupons and making your own soap is going to make up for the fact that we pay easily 2.5x-3x they do for the biggest expense - housing. Probably why there are no or very few fundies in big cities on the coasts.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Working from home doesnt count as making it on one income, unless the person working from home is the only one working. Its only one income if only one person is earning the money. I guess it would be useful if you were a single parent, as if you worked from home you wouldnt have to pay to put your kid in daycare, but I think Lori meant families where the man works and the woman isnt allowed to, as everything else is evil to her.

[docmom]

Lori, my kids like vacations. I like vacations. My kids like to eat out occasionally. I do too. My kids love, love, love their school. Sure I could be home all day (miserable!) and we could do without all those things, but my kids LIKE their life. I've asked them which way they'd prefer things and they all agree I should continue to work. See, there isn't only one way to have a happy home. Amazing but true!

[argypargy]

LOL at "working" from home while watching your child. Yeah...no. I'm sure her employer would be thrilled to know that she's watching her child while "working".

[AnywhereButHere]

When my son was an infant. I worked for a company that let me bring him into work with me. Can I get 1/2 points for that, or am I still shirking my womanly obligations? :P

[HoneyBunny]

Lori, my kids like vacations. I like vacations. My kids like to eat out occasionally. I do too. My kids love, love, love their school. Sure I could be home all day (miserable!) and we could do without all those things, but my kids LIKE their life. I've asked them which way they'd prefer things and they all agree I should continue to work. See, there isn't only one way to have a happy home. Amazing but true!

So much this. Of course, Lori would claim that, only through living life as the Bible says can anyone be truly happy, but she's given us so much proof over the years that following the Bible has made her one miserable bitch.

My husband is retired and I work part time. Our income is very low. We manage to have smart phones, cable and vacations (though not new cars). How? We never had kids! Funny how no one mentioned that as the first thing to do to save money.

[lilwriter85]

Some companies are ok with people working from home while caring for children. The statement by Jessica is a bit vague. Work from home might not mean that she is working for a company or someone else. She could have a home based business.

[lilwriter85]

So much this. Of course, Lori would claim that, only through living life as the Bible says can anyone be truly happy, but she's given us so much proof over the years that following the Bible has made her one miserable bitch.

My husband is retired and I work part time. Our income is very low. We manage to have smart phones, cable and vacations (though not new cars). How? We never had kids! Funny how no one mentioned that as the first thing to do to save money.

Yeah, but Lori hates ebil child free couples. Another thing Lori and her fangirls won't mention is that smaller families can sometimes do ok on one income.

[argypargy]

Some companies are ok with people working from home while caring for children. The statement by Jessica is a bit vague. Work from home might not mean that she is working for a company or someone else. She could have a home based business.

I worked from home two days a week right after my son was born. I had a nanny come in at 9 and leave at 2:30. All I can say, is there wasn't any work getting done between 7:30-9 and 2:30-4:30. God forbid I had an early or late conference call. My son wasn't really a needy baby, either. While some companies may be okay with it, a vast majority are not. Those that are okay with it, probably have no clue how hard it can be to get work done while watching your child. Nevermind the fact that it's probably extremely boring for the child while Mommy's working. No interaction, etc. Now, if she had her own home based business, that's her prerogative.

[fun2beme]

When my son was an infant. I worked for a company that let me bring him into work with me. Can I get 1/2 points for that, or am I still shirking my womanly obligations?

No, you actually lose points because in addition to working, you exposed your baby to the evil world where women are more than baby-making doormats (I mean, submissive helpmeets) and might even be treated as equals. Plus everyone knows that women who work outside the home are harlots who vie for their male bosses' attention, so you also defrauded your son this way. :snooty:

[Clementine]

I think they forgot the most common clever fundie frugal tips:

* Don't have a health insurance. Pray!

* Homebirth! If the kid dies, that is God's will.

* Starve the family! 2 chicken breasts = dinner for eight people!

* Stack your kids in four level bunkbeds! This way you can live in a cabin.

What did I forget?

[Childless]

My family has a stay at home parent. I highly doubt Lori would approve though, since the stay at home parent is my husband, not myself. The reason we can afford to have him home is because we have only one child. And the answer to Lori and her minions' other questions: No, we do not own smartphones. No, we do not take vacations. Yes, we have two cars, but one is completely paid off. No, we do not live in a mansion. Our house is small and in a modest neighborhood. No, we do not go out to eat a lot. We own a second hand tv. Our bedroom furniture was given to us by my grandmother and we sleep on a 20 year old mattress. We're basically living bare bones so that my husband can finish college and stay home with our son. The one thing we splurge on is my son's education. He attends a very highly ranked pre-school. I refuse to cut corners where my kid's academics are concerned. If I followed fundies' advice and had a dozen kids, there's no way we could live on one income.

[walnut]

I think they forgot the most common clever fundie frugal tips:

* Don't have a health insurance. Pray!

* Homebirth! If the kid dies, that is God's will.

* Starve the family! 2 chicken breasts = dinner for eight people!

* Stack your kids in four level bunkbeds! This way you can live in a cabin.

What did I forget?

Don't buy TP. Wipe with leaves.

Jesus fed a crowd with 2 fish and five loaves of bread. 2 chicken breasts for 8 people... is plenty.

Keep your children in the chicken coop. The chickens will keep them warm.

Don't go buying groceries. There is nothing better than a scavenger hunt as a family in the wilderness.

[walnut]

My family has a stay at home parent. I highly doubt Lori would approve though, since the stay at home parent is my husband, not myself. The reason we can afford to have him home is because we have only one child. And the answer to Lori and her minions' other questions: No, we do not own smartphones. No, we do not take vacations. Yes, we have two cars, but one is completely paid off. No, we do not live in a mansion. Our house is small and in a modest neighborhood. No, we do not go out to eat a lot. We own a second hand tv. Our bedroom furniture was given to us by my grandmother and we sleep on a 20 year old mattress. We're basically living bare bones so that my husband can finish college and stay home with our son. The one thing we splurge on is my son's education. He attends a very highly ranked pre-school. I refuse to cut corners where my kid's academics are concerned. If I followed fundies' advice and had a dozen kids, there's no way we could live on one income.

[AnywhereButHere]

No, you actually lose points because in addition to working, you exposed your baby to the evil world where women are more than baby-making doormats (I mean, submissive helpmeets) and might even be treated as equals. Plus everyone knows that women who work outside the home are harlots who vie for their male bosses' attention, so you also defrauded your son this way. :snooty:

Ah damn. And here I thought I was doing so well. "sniff, sniff" :cry:

[Mango]

One fo the things that strikes me about all these is that they're about having INFANTS, not older children. You know, who can be breastfed and are in diapers, but who don't need school supplies and for whom even used clothes are not quite so cheap! And even if they homeschool and do no sports, those kids are going to have interests and hobbies and need STUFF for them.

[Hane]

Is it just me, or do the majority of these one-income families live in places where housing costs are low?

[lilwriter85]

Is it just me, or do the majority of these one-income families live in places where housing costs are low?

When it comes to fundie types, I think the majority of the fundie bloggers live in areas where housing and living costs are low. Lori lives in California, but her family is smaller than many fundie type families. Lori and Ken might have bought their home during a time in which housing costs were a bit lower in California. Ken and Lori only had four kids.

I have looked at some of the blogs of people who comment on Lori's blog. Most of them live in a low cost housing/living areas and they have a bigger families and they have lower incomes than Ken and Lori. Most of the current and former one income families that I know that live or lived in low cost areas.