So, since discovering I was pregnant last Saturday (yippee!!!), I have been running through the list of things that will be changing with the arrival of a second child. I have also been thinking about our budget and how we can survive with 2 children on one income. Not to mention the challenges of 4 people in our 1000 square foot house, with 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom.
I have been collecting unemployment since I lost my job in November. I have been looking for a job, but suspect that my resume must be tainted or marked with a scarlet letter. Since I graduated from college, I have only worked with mortgage banks, both large and small. My last position was with a Mortgage Banking Software company and while not a bank or lender, I suspect prospective employers don't see the difference. And for the record--not a single call back on my resume to date.
My point is that I have only a few months of unemployment remaining, and then we are limited to one income. I have posted many times about the long term cuts we have been making to household expenses. But, we are going to have to make many more cuts in the near future or I would need to get a job.
Our household expenses are pretty bare bones--mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, gas. But, there are still some areas that could use some trimming. There are the (too) occasional family dinners out (usually at about $40-60 each). There is my husbands love of IPA that can not be stopped ($10 per 6 pack!!!). I occasionally meet former co-workers or friends for lunch ($10). Hubby and I usually go to our local coffee house on the weekends for a fancy latte and a pastry, and a milk for the tot ($10 each morning). That is just to name a few of the monthly incidentals. that we feel we somehow have earned.
So, my question to you Internet is--how do you wean yourself off of these luxuries without feeling deprived and somehow like you deserve these things, even though you don't have the long term budget for them? It feels like I am on a diet all over again. You know the feeling--as soon as you start a diet, you start feeling like you are missing out. You are hungry even after you have finished your meal. Will these things just naturally take care of themselves, as we add another member to our household?
And moreover, for those with more than one child--what should I expect as far as expenses? Diapers and Co-payments I know. But, what else?
1 comment:
Since I quit working, we've had to cut back drastically also. I found that instead of depriving myself of the luxuries completely, we limited the weekly treats to every other week or found less expensive substitutes for that week. Some favorites are take-and-bake pizza rather than delivery, getting a restaraunt meal to go (my husband and I can split a larger dish and supplement the sides with food at home, thus saving money on food, drinks and tip), and premade foods from the deli of the local upscale grocery store.
The coffee house fix was a tough one. Our favorite alternative is to get the largest size to-go, split it and take it to a local park and enjoy while the kids play.
The first months were hard but eventually we cut our entertainment expenses in half. Now, we fell into a new routine and cut expenses even more. We still have months where we slip or are too busy/tired/stressed to eat in.
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