The "cost of working"

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2006
The "cost of working"
961
Thu, 03-15-2007 - 2:08pm

I have been reading a lot of articles on this issue which claim that the cost of working is not worth your salary. One article claimed that it isn't worth it for a mom to work unless she is making at least 70K a year.
I don't see it at all. They cite things like work clothing, lunches out (instead of making your own at home), and gas.
The way I see it, gas money is always something you are going to need. When I wasn't working, I always went out and did things to combat boredom. Not only that, but there were errands to run. And if I did stay home with my children, I don't think I'd just want them at home with me all day just so I can save on gas (or just taking them along on errands). I'd want to take them fun places and do fun things. I would need gas to do that.
Work clothing is a null issue for me. We have to wear polo shirts with our logo and black or khaki pants. Pants I have always gotten at thrift stores. The company gives us the shirts, and if we want more than they give us, the shirts are $18. (Big deal).
As far as lunches go, I bring my lunch not to save money, but because our cafe is horrid and there isn't anywhere to really drive to on our lunch breaks. I only eat in the cafe on break if it's an emergency. I don't even like walking past it because of the smell.
It just doesn't seem to me like the "cost of working is not worth my salary" thing will really fly in my own life. I already know that I make more than the cost of daycare, anyway. I would only be breaking even there if I had three or four kids.

Does anyone else just not know where people get these equations?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:13pm

That's what I tell my youngest....normal is overrated and it is.


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:19pm

"the sahp makes the wohp's sucess at work possible" Who are you quoting and why is this such a negative comment in your eyes.

My choice to sah made it possible for dh to take on some major promotion's within a few year's. Had i been woh he would of never taken the promotion's.




Edited 3/22/2007 2:34 pm ET by xenozany
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:23pm

You know, I have been asking a similar question for awhile now.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-14-2003
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:28pm
why is it hair splitting? are you saying that she couldn't do what she does and hold down a job? she allowed that it was possible--why don't you believe her, if not me?
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:37pm

Im asking her to support her views that all women who sah lose in all way's including finacially.

My situation was much different than your's. When i quit working my dh took a promotion that made his income leap above and beyond mine we were able to invest much more agressive once i left the work force. If i stayed in the work force we would have lost finacially in many way's paying for daycare would be the first one of the list and our incomes combined was under his new salary.

When i went back to work my income basically covered the cost of our nannies yearly salary, i gained nothing finacially by going back to work, i gained in many other way's that were much more important to my health then my pocket book.




Edited 3/22/2007 2:43 pm ET by xenozany
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:44pm
I was not talking about kids who are in school. I said a parent who was "given 40+ hrs/wk with them." If they are in school, you are not going to be given another 40 hrs/wk with them by sah.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:48pm

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Far as I can tell, she (and others) has supported her views as to how a sahm could lose $1m by sah for a period of years.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2006
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:49pm
Do you alway's believe what other's say? I think that many times ppl say this b/c they are simply bitter or unhappy with their own choices. In no way does what some vicious ppl say mean it is true. I would not even think twice about what others say about my sah choice or woh choice in my industry or any other industry.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:51pm

To me, it's a negative, because it appears to make the SAHP an accessory to her DH's success; subordinate.

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Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 03-22-2007 - 2:51pm

I agree. The biggest hit to our potential net worth was not me sah, but me scaling back my career. But it wasn't "too much" for our family in our circumstances.

So how are you and the kiddos? Haven't seen you around in awhile, although I haven't been around much myself either.




Edited 3/22/2007 2:56 pm ET by mom34101

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