Please Help Me Decide What To Do

[Cat Herder]

Are there any expenses you can cut out? Is your DH looking for a salaried/hourly position? Any accounts that can be combined for a lower interest rate to quicker payoff? Anything you can sell? A part time (evening, weekend) job you can do outside of the home while HE takes care of his kids?

NOBODY here will argue doing childcare at home is draining. :hug: It reaches the point of ridiculous at times, even... We make it look easy and others think dumping more on us is no big deal.

**I am spit balling for a longterm solution for you two. Marriage/Financially. I remember those early days.**

We simply put the bills on the table, split them equally, and then each can decide how they want to earn $*** per week to cover their half. Any new debt taken on is a personal choice/responsibility. I spend less, so I work less and save more. Do I feel guilty about it? No :::: It works for us.

[SunshineMama]

I need to get through the next 4 years. Then my last baby will be in kindergarten, and I can go back to working outside of the home. IF I can get a job- I will have had a 5 year break (haha- break is such a crap word, bc Ive worked harder art this and my kids than any other professional job in my life).

I have cut all unnecessary bills, and unplug all appliances when not in use. I even am an egg donor, which brings in 5,000 when I am selected. I still cant get my grocery bill down... Hopefully I can grow some veggies in the summer and that will help a bit. I've looked at blogs, am on emeals, etc, but cant get lower than 500 a month for a family of 5 and 3 additional daycare kids. I only eat organic/all natural though, so Im sure that's part of it.

Last time this came up (dh wanted me to take on another infant), dh and I had a talk, and he cut a lot of his extra hobbies. I told him to trust me that I cant take another right now, and he reluctantly backed down. I also showed him how much I am saving the family, by caring for our 3 kids instead of having them go to a daycare or nanny. I have to keep reminding him, it seems. We are solid and love each other a lot, but we do put pressure on each other. I am just as guilty of asking him how he is doing at work.

I would even be willing to take 1 extra, older dck. Just not the terrible twosome.

[sahm1225]

Say no!!

My dh is the same way 'how much harder can it be to add one or two more?!' Drives me crazy. So this past weekend I had my nieces & nephews over (total
Of 6 kids- 2,4 & 6 our kids and 5,6,8 nephews/niece). And I left him alone with them while I folded laundry. It was at most 20 minutes and he was so
Flustered. He's bald, but I swear his hair was messed up!

I would just think back about how much you hated your life back then and say NO. Tell the mom that you're sorry but you're full for the summer. If they were naughty when you had them full time, imagine how they are now!