Saving Money As a Homemaker

This post in the Homemaking Series is not a list of ways to save money, but rather an encouragement. While something works for our family, I don’t expect it to work for you. Every home is different and every situation is different. My encouragement is to stop, look around, and find areas where you can save money.

Saving Money as a Homemaker

For many the thought of living on one paycheck in this economy so a mom can become a full-time homemaker can be scary. I’ll never forget wading through the thoughts of cutting our income in half so I could be at home. The thoughts of a mortgage, 2 vehicle payments, credit cards, utilities, groceries, clothing, and etc. are legitimate worries.

When I began letting my coworkers know that year would be my last year teaching, I was given a piece of advice - save a portion if not all of my paycheck for 6 months; this would allow us to feel the difference beforehand and give us a little breathing room when we needed it.

Sadly, we were in bad shape even with me working. We were living pay check to pay check and still drowning. There just wasn’t any way for me to save a tiny portion of those paychecks and it didn’t take long for reality hit.

I clipped coupons, watched the sale flyers, shopped the thrift stores and sewed my own clothes along with pajamas and shorts for my husband and son. We turned the cable off, set the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter. We even switched out a gas stove to an electric one to save money with the rising costs of natural gas at that time. It wasn’t until we sold my little truck and became a one vehicle family that the debt noose loosened a little.

Being a one vehicle family is NOT for everyone, but it works for us. It’s been almost 10 years since we made that decision. I’ve been asked about what I would do if I needed a vehicle for an emergency. Well, I’ll face that bridge if I have to come to it, but I honestly believe since the Lord knows our decision he will protect and provide. Yes, I could have a vehicle sitting in the yard not going anywhere. But, we would be paying insurance on something that would not be used ; money we can use elsewhere.

When I look back over the years when I taught school, I can’t help but think of how much money we could have saved if I would have been at home . The debt we racked up when I went back to work after taking off the one year after our son was born would never have been put upon us if only I would have been at home - a lesson learned.

Be encouraged! There are many ways in saving money as a homemaker - stop, look around, and find areas where you can save money.  

You CAN do this!