The Good Side of Losing One Income

If you are a two-income household and are contemplating losing one income so that you can come home, you probably have heard or even thought of every reason why this will be a big challenge.  However, there are advantages to going from a two-income household to one.

In her book 1/2 Price Living, Ellie Kay outlines 10 advantages to living on one income:

1. Less stress.  You no longer have to struggle with balancing work commitments and the kids.
2. Greater sense of family and togetherness.  In many cases, you are able to eat at home more often than when you had an outside job.
3. No worries about sick children.  You no longer have to worry about who will take care of a sick child when you can't take more time off of work.
4. Being able to drive for field trips.  And spending time with you kid's friends.  You also have the freedom to go grocery shopping during the day, saving precious family time.
5. A stronger marriage.  Marriages can become stronger because you pull together more.
6. Greater creativity.  As you research new, different and fun ways to stretch one income, your creativity grows.
7. You don't miss out.  You get to see first-hand your baby's first step, first tooth, first words, and first, "I wuv you, Mama!"
8. More time at home.  You now have more time at home to develop other passions, such as being an entrepreneur, writing, or painting.
9. No regrets.  When your kids are grown, you'll have no regrets.
10. More options.  You have the option of being home to homeschool in you choose.

So when those negative, discouraging thoughts try to creep in about your desire to come home, remember these advantages, and add some of your own.  If your choice is to come home, whether to work from home or to be a stay at home mom, then be sure to check out our future posts on ways you can afford to be home.