Affording to Stay at Home

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2007
Affording to Stay at Home
1968
Wed, 12-12-2007 - 12:20am

Ever notice that those moms that SAH are usually (although not always) more well off than mothers who WOH? It seems to me, based on what I have seen, that while most women enjoy working their jobs and having a professional life outside of the home, some women prefer to stay home with their kids for a certain amount of time - whether it be 1 year or 10 years - and those women have the option to do so, while other women wouldn't even consider the option because they feel they can't afford it.

Well, it has been my experience that most women who do stay at home have

1) husbands who support the idea

2) Husbands who probably earn enough (or almost enough) to support the family.

3) Enough money to support themselves without working.

**Now I am not talking about people who get help from government agencies, I am speaking about women who do it with no outside help - just seems like most women can't because of financial reasons. So, is being a SAH mom now an "upper class" phenomenon - in general? Of course there are many SAH moms that are middle class, but if they chose to have paying jobs, they'd probably move right back up into that higher income bracket.

Blythe

http://beaworkathomemom.blogspot.com/

Working on being...Supermom!

Blythe http://beaworkathomemom.blogspot.com/ Working on being...Supermom!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:09pm

You're wrong.

When I look up the best public high schools in Massachusetts, it tells be the best one is Boston Latin High School. It's zip code is 02115. When I go to Rent.com and look for apartments in the same district, it looks like an 800 sq. ft. apartment is about $2000. When I go to Re/Max and look for apartments to buy, the cheapest 2 bedroom is $429,000, which would be an almost $3,000/mo. payment not including insurance or taxes.

Same for Weston High School. Rent for houses starts at $1200. Apartments can be had for between $1600 and $3000. The cheapest house I found was $588,000-- which would be a mortgage of almost $4000/mo.


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:11pm

It also might not.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:14pm

I know a couple of families like that.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:17pm

I would think that the negative attitude about renting an apartment would also be quite frustrating for those families, especially if the parents pass that attitude along to their children.


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:18pm

Not true at all. I just dont get having such a cavalier attitude about pet ownership.


And I would guess if you had said to your local spca "Well I will take this kitten, but if something happens and she requires me to spend more than my allotted $500 a year in care, I'll just have her put down and go get another one" they might have said you were not a good candidate for adopting a pet.


Your particular situation-simply not WANTING to spend the $ and having an *oh well* attitude about putting down an otherwise healthy animal, makes me wonder why you'd bother to have pets. Why have them if you arent going to put the time, effort and $ into caring for them properly?

Dj


"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~


Dj

"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:19pm
Boston Latin is an exam school; you go there if you qualify.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:19pm
I don't think I said otherwise.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:22pm

Did you read the US News and World reports article about the best high schools in the country?

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-2004
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:23pm
What negative attitude?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 12-31-2007 - 3:24pm

Would you have had your dane put down when she was 2 years old because she required surgery? I think there is a difference in deciding against a very expensive, invasive procedure on an animal nearing the end of its life. Not just because they might only have a few years left but because recovery for older animals can be really hard on them-gets into that quality of life issue.


I also think there is a difference in opting against treatment that *drains ones bank account* as opposed to simply not wanting to spend the $. I dont think its a question of affordability in this particular situation.


Dj

"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~

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