Living and Learning On One Income

Hubby was raised in a home where it would have been a foolhardy act to spend money unwisely. My father in law worked at a job with a salary that was under the poverty line, and my mother in law worked hard at home raising five children and making ends meet each month. Hubby has said that he never felt deprived, that there was always enough to eat, and most importantly always felt loved. Sure he had to share a small attic bedroom with both his brothers, but it never scarred him either.

I on the other hand grew up in relative luxury, with a stay at home mom as well, but we wanted for nothing. I too shared a room with my sister, however, it was larger than most master bedrooms, so it certainly was not cramped. Video console systems, trips to Europe and eating out were a regular part of my childhood, and while we weren't given toys and goods on a daily basis, Christmas and birthdays were lavish events.

How do you reconcile two such views when a marriage occurs? Fortunately, we were able to. Even though I was accustomed to a different lifestyle than Hubby was, I have always been a saver, and a frugal shopper. Before Genius was born, we had decided that I would stay at home with any children we had, as we both had moms that stayed home and loved it. So the first two years of our marriage the paycheck I brought home was play money. We used it to buy a car, go on vacation and eat out. When we needed to go down to one income, it never really hurt us, as Hubby's paycheck always paid the bills, and was put away for savings. We knew the weekly outings to the movies and restaurants would be gone, and we had enjoyed them while they lasted.

Almost 15 years later, I still am a stay at home mom. With small stints here and there, working outside the home, we felt as a family, the extra income that was coming in, never made up for the family stress it caused.

Is your family like ours? Or do you wish, you had a better handle on your finances and where your paycheck goes? Do you have the desire to quit working if you are a two income family, but don't think you can?

Take heart -- The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has a new e-book coming out on December 1, 2008 entitled Living and Learning On One Income.

Chock full of ideas to make living on one income more manageable the 12 families featured come from many different backgrounds and lifestyles. With money management tips and savings, to recipes and encouragement, this book has it all. Within the pages, I felt myself warming up to many ideas that even myself as a frugal thrifty person thought preposterous previously. I also agreed with so many of the tips that I follow myself, and know that they work!

With the current economy in a slide, and many families not knowing whether they will be a two income family from one day to the next, this e-book would be a great start to check out, the reality that more income, does not necessarily equate to a happier, more wonderful life. It just might make you quit your job before the pink slip reaches your desk!