The Best Things In Life

It probably isn't difficult for most parents to name the most important thing in their lives. I don't know too many parents whose kids aren't at the top of the list. My family is without a doubt the best thing in my life. That's what makes it possible for me to struggle each day with my finances instead of going out in search of a paid job.

You see, my husband and I feel very strongly that our kids need at least one of their parents at home with them full time. Of all the possible caregivers that they could have, one of their own parents is the best choice. After all, our family has many things to teach our kids, things that only we can teach them because of our particular set of values. We don't want to entrust most of their waking hours to just anyone. We want them to have the best possible upbringing, and to us that means being cared for by their mother and father, not by a babysitter or day care teacher.

But having one parent as full time caregiver leaves the other parent as the lone breadwinner. This arrangement strained our family's budget to the breaking point. We had to completely rethink our spending habits, make major changes, and start to plan for the future.

I am excited to say that we have found ways to live on one income without going bankrupt. We still struggle to pay our bills each month, but we are able to pay them. We have a plan for the future that doesn't include day care or mounting debt. I look forward to sharing our strategies and many others I have come across as we learned to budget, reduce spending, and pay off outstanding debts.

In future articles on this site, I will detail ways for families living on one income to reduce their expenses on food, clothing, utilities, vacations, and many other areas. I will give information about saving and investing that meets the particular needs of one income families. I will link to useful web sites that give hundreds of ideas for living on a limited budget without feeling the strain.

I hope to get lots of feedback from you, my readers. We can help each other save more money, spend it wisely, and feel contented that we are doing the best we can for our kids. Share your ideas with me. Tell me when you agree and disagree with me. Different viewpoints can only inform us better.

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