Tag Archives: Stay at Home

Ways to Keep Kids Busy While Stuck at Home

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Your family might live in an area that is under “Stay at Home” orders. People are working from home, and schools are closed, in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. This leaves many parents struggling to keep their kids entertained. It’s time to think outside of the box! Here are some ideas that can help. Storytime from Space Real astronauts read kids a storybooks from space. Titles include: Ada Twist, Scientist, Moustronaut (written by astronaut Mark Kelly and read by his brother Scott Kelly), and more! The videos are free to view from the Storytime in Space website. … Continue reading →

Can You Live on One Income? Calculating Food Savings

In the first part of this article, Can You Live on One Income? Food Costs, I talked about the statistics for eating out versus cooking at home and did some initial calculations. Now lets take a look at calculating the savings from being able to cook at home and through smart food shopping. We’ve now spent $270 a week on eating out, or $1080 for the month. Remember that this a conservative number and doesn’t include meals for the times you aren’t eating out. Analysts tell us that eating at home costs 50 percent less than eating out, on average, … Continue reading →

Can You Live on One Income? Food Costs

See also: Can You Live on One Income? Child Care; Can You Live on One Income? Insurance and Auto; Can You Live on One Income? Taxes Explained Food is a necessity, whether you are one one income or not. Not matter what else you may give up to stay home, you will still need to eat. Food can account for a very high percentage of your budget. The good news is that staying home can significantly reduce this expense, requiring less income to feed your family. And, it isn’t all about just eating beans (although go ahead if you want … Continue reading →

Can You Live on One Income? Child Care

Many people decide to give up working for a living to stay home with the children. This may require you to live more frugally than you have in the past. But the difference a reduced income makes to your family may not have as large of a financial impact as you might think, especially if you do some careful planning. With one income may come less expenditure. I have been examining how you can calculate the reduced expenses that may occur when one partner stays home. This, when compared to your income, should give you a good idea about whether … Continue reading →

Can You Live on One Income? Taxes Explained

The decision to live on one income is a big one. You may have to cut back drastically on your expenses, such as giving up a cell phone or a car. But for those who dream of having one person stay home, the sacrifices can be worth it. In fact, living on one income may actually make you healthier, despite the reduction in income. How do you know if you are in a position to live on one income? Let’s take a look. The way to approach the question of being able to live on one income is to calculate … Continue reading →

Part Time for Balance

Are you considering leaving your job for more time with your kids? Maybe you are close to retirement or have an aging parent to take care of? On the other hand, you could just desire more time for yourself to travel. Even jumping into a new business of your own will cause you to evaluate your current career time frame. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to quit your job, I have a little piece of advice. The best way to leave the world of employment is to do it in steps. The first step is to reduce your hours … Continue reading →

Should I Quit or Use Childcare?

The decision to quit a job or pay for childcare goes far beyond just finances. Deciding on the person who will care for your kids is an emotional one and whether a parent wants to work can go beyond just the need for money. Either way, it can be important to evaluate which would cost your family more – childcare or unemployment. Then, at least you can use that information as part of your decision making process. Typically childcare is more expensive for babies and toddlers. It begins to drop once children are preschool age and then even more when … Continue reading →

Wash Tubs , Play Dough Containers & Shoe Hangers – a Few Clever Craft Storage Tools

I have always been an avid crafter. I love to paint, create with clay, draw and build. Needless to say, I have a pretty chaotic craft room, or as my husband not-so-politely calls it…a “crap” room. My craft room became even more cluttered when my daughter turned three. She definitely got my crafty…(and slightly disorganized) genes. Suddenly my already crazy craft room was also filled with preschooler essentials like coloring books, crayons, beads, buttons, tissue paper, and left over toilet paper rolls. In an attempt to regain order, I came up with a few creative ways to store all of … Continue reading →

Beta Fish, Hermit Crabs and Bulbs, Oh My!

Have you ever bought your child a toy, or a gift that they were so excited about that you just had to step it up a notch? Yesterday afternoon, my three year old daughter and I went to Target. They have this great new little dollar section in the front of the store that I refer to as the “bribe aisle”. She was an angel yesterday while I was picking up a few odds-and-ends, so when I finished shopping, we made a bee-line for the bribe aisle. She started shuffling through fake earrings, princess tiaras and plastic shoes. Suddenly she … Continue reading →

Is Daycare Good For My Baby?

This question is one that many working mothers must ask themselves. Yet current research shows that daycare for infants and toddlers is not as good as being with a parent or other relative. Author of Motherhood: How should we care for our children?, Anne Manne, talks about the dilemma that many women face. If she gives up her job to have a child, “she incurs an opportunity cost — her forfeited income and possible career advancement.” If she places her child in daycare and returns to work then “it’s the baby, according to a growing body of research, who incurs … Continue reading →