Can you be a stay at home mom?

If you have been debating, wondering, or thinking about becoming a stay at home mom, Parents has created a useful tool to get you started. Using the Stay at Home Calculator, you can input all income, bills, expenses, and debts to see if it would be feasible for you to stay home. Working is expensive and many people don't take the cost of child care, clothes, food, and gas. All of that is actually deducted from your take home pay.

While this is a comprehensive tool, I would not recommend making this your deciding factor. According to every ounce of reason, budgeting, and helpful advice, we could not live on just my husband's income. But I have not had a job since September 2008. My husband's income has actually gone down since that time and somehow, we are doing fine. On paper, we can't live on one income, but we do. I don't drive a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe anymore, but my 1999 Ford Contour doesn't have a $450 car payment either. I have learned to use coupons which saves us about $80 a week in groceries, clothes, and even eating out. I don't buy new clothes as often but I also don't have to wear dress clothes everyday which is very nice! Basically, while this tool is a place to start and can bring you peace or confirmation that you can do it, if you feel God is asking you to stay home, it will work out. Money is the only area that God asks us to test Him. You may have to make a few changes but our quality of life has gotten better because we are content with less knowing we are doing what God asked us to do.