Work for a stay at home wife

that is some good info to know. I will check regulations I could get by with extra car then allowed because you cant see my house well from the road. But Im not much on breaking laws. But I will definitely look into other forms of automotives. I thought about older tractors because they are so darn cheap around here. And they are so simple if the motor isnt siezed it could be a pretty easy fix. But that is something I will have to build up to or wait for a few more over times checks for. Which here lately arent too far inbetween lol. But thanks for the idea

I guess I don't get it either. Nights out with my friends come rarely because I'm too busy raising my kids. I can't imagine putting my kids in daycare because it's just illogical to me. I guess because I'm older, nights out with the gals aren't as important as nights with my kids. You did mention that your child was in daycare 2 days, and then with the grandparents 2 days. That leaves the wife 4 days to do as she pleased. If I even get 1 day to myself, it's a miracle. I guess I don't understand why she can't sacrifice the daycare if your son is with grandparents 2 days a week. Can't she get stuff done in those 2 days? Also, is it REALLY necessary for her to go out weekly? I guess I just don't get it. *scratches head*

What do I know? I'm just jabbering, but:
In most cases I would think a stay at home wife would have trouble finding one thing that would make enough income so look for several things.

I have a family of friends that work at many things individually, together and some things with the kids helping. He drives a propane delivery truck and an animal feed delivery truck for two different companys. He works two hours each morning at the dairy farm a half mile down the road. That is his regular jobs. He does any kind of farm work, odd job, build you a barn, shed, chicken house or whatever. When all that is done, he cuts firewood and just stacks it to sell later. She grows plants to sell, sells extra vegetables, sell any extra rabbits, chickens or whatever they have. She does some work for an older single man down the road. She does house cleaning, cooking, gardening and lawn work for others after she is finished with the many projects she has at home. Their two boys , ages 9 and 10 help where they can. They many times make the work a family outing and have fun while they make money.

Think of the many things you can do or learn to do and go for it!

You seem to be forward looking. I cannot think of many 23 year olds who are as far ahead as you are. My first husband and I had a house with low mortgage at your age because we found an estate cheap, but that is rare. On that note, you are really thinking day to day with your wife. Right now, she should be taking college classes. She can start two days a week and take two classes at a time. This is money well spent. A community college is much cheaper than a university and she can get an associates degree there before going to a four year college. Another poster mentioned being a bookkeeper, she can take classes for that and doesn't need a four year degree. She can take horticulture classes, the list goes on and on. Whatever degree she gets she can use against a bachelor's degree, or possibly go right into a job. This is forward thinking. As for paying off the mortgage by age 35, you will still be able to do this because your wife will be able to make real money.

As for sending your son to daycare two days a week, it's not hurting anything. A two year old needs constant supervision and it's hard to get things done. But, if you are planning to have more children, you'll want to think about it now. How far apart do you want the siblings to be?

I sure hope "finding a part time job" that works around HER schedule, there, is easier than finding a part time job with no other schedule to contend with is here. Most people in my state would LOVE a job, any job. I think the people hiring can be pretty picky now since so many are applying for those positions. Even McDonalds doesnt offer to 'work around your schedule' like they once did.

Thanks for the compliments. And no one ever said anything about having a ladies night. We go out maybe once every 6 months. So please spend time and read before you post. She works on the weekends almost all weekend so that doesn't leave time for any time chores. That's what the two days during the week is for. And it doesn't really matter if " you get it". Its not your money and doesn't concern you.

But we didn't think about the school but we will check into that. As for working around her schedule, as long as she can't get something during the week we can move the daycare days around. So hopefully there will be something. If not we are in the position to wait for the right thing. But thanks for advice

alright, it was time for me, shdbrady's wife to chime in, first off the i dont have to work, im in a postition where if i do work, it is solely for extra income and thats all, we want to eliminate as much debt as possible so that we can live comfortably and teach our son that is it possible to be debt free at a young age and set standards for him. ill also reiterate that my husband is out of town the majority of the year busting his butt for us to live the lifestyle we have chosen. with that said, there are responsibilities around "any" farm, be it small or large, that have to be tended to and when there is a toddler involved its near impossible. my son cant just run around the yard if im trying to work with a sick goat or trying to work on the fence after a big storm. just is near impossible, he is at the age where if he isnt being watched like a hawk and he gets it in his mind to do something by gosh hes going to try to do it. we have a creek and you know that thing called the WOODS surrounding our property that he could just wander off into if i try to do these things. that is me being maternal. making sure that this doesnt happen is by making sure that i get all of this stuff done on the TWO days a week he is in daycare where he cant get hurt or wander off. so those of you opposed of the daycare, leave it alone and dont give us anymore advise on that topic. next point, my son does go to his grandparents house every weekend, yes every weekend. he loves them and they love him unconditionally, they want this time with him so they too can see him grow and how much he is progressing with age. who am i to just take that away? im NOT! ill also go back to the fact that i do inndeed work as a bartender on friday nights and saturdays. im not just off with my little girl friends 4 days a week, so just get that out of yalls heads. i dont go out with friends. if i do, its with my husband and that is on average a few times a year! we dont do anything fancy for our anniversary or for our birthdays. nothing! the only part of the day that i get time to myself is on sunday mornings, before i go pick my son up from his grandparents house. im not lazy and im not selfish by "saying" that he "needs" to be in daycare or go over to their house because i need me time, i rarely get that. when i got pregnant i took on this responsibility and i do everything for him! children need to be introduced to other kids their age and learn how to share and play well with others, or youll end up with an introvert that goes around bullying others! not what i want...so now that ive vented on that and yall have my side of the picture...


thankyou to those who did give me some useful ideas. they are much appreciated and Maura, the college idea is a great one, and not out of the question at all (: and i definitely love the ideas about animals (the persian cats and rabbits) (: and gardening to turn a profit out of it. my boy loves critters and that would be something to look into, something that he could help with when hes old enough (:

also last point, trying to be as nice as i can with this...in no way shape or form, should ANYONE ever try to judge a mothers capability over the internet. EVER not only is it an insult, but in most cases it makes you look wayyyy low. please keep that in mind the next time you want to open your mouths about something like that. one thing my mother taught me, you can pick a fight with me, but do NOT EVER try to pick one with my kids, or try to take my money. you will lose!

Yikes. Your fall back plan for your wife and child is bartending or retail?

It is good that you have a life insurance of $400,000 but that is nothing in the grand scheme of things if you do the math. If you were to die in the next few years (knock wood that nothing happens) $100,000 would go to the mortgage. If your wife wants an education at that point she will use up at least another $50,000 and if she plans ahead she will put $100,000 into trust for her child for education or if she were to die then this money would go to whoever becomes the guardian. Having some funds go to the guardian helps ensure a good standard of life for your child. So that leaves $150,000 or about $15,000 per year for 10 years. Not a life of luxury.

And life insurance only pays if the insured dies. What happens if you become ill or disabled and are unable to work? Will her job as a bartender or in retail pay the bills? When you are young you don’t think anything can happen but I have 2 neices who were diagnosed with MS at the age of 25 and 27. Do you have disability insurance that would pay at the same level as your income and projected earning capabilities? What about a catastrophic illness or injury leading to catastrophic medical bills and continued care requirements?
Education or training is vital. At this time, when you have a good income, it would be ideal for your wife to get a profession or trade that would really support her and your child in case of your loss and/or really contribute to your family budget.

Again to me it seems a much better investment for future earnings than trying to pay off the mortgage in a hurry right now.

If she likes to sew she could take a course on tailoring or making and cutting patterns. My Mom was a clothes designer trained in Paris and she never lacked for work at home. A lot was fitting heavier women for weddings and that is even more in demand than 30 years ago. If your wife likes to garden she could easily get a diploma in landscaping or permaculture. Or become a Veterinary Technician. My other niece is a carpenter and she makes a great living right on the farm making Victorian screen doors and custom furniture. She also teaches carpentry for highschool.

Especially with the increases in medical costs the $15,000 a year plus the low wages earned by a person without some sort of training only guarntees a life of scrimping. An education or trade gives you real options.

I looked after kids and animals, managed a homestead and ran a bookkeeping business pretty much on my own as my husband was back in College for 4 years and then working away from home for 4, 5, 6, 7 etc. etc. months at a time. It takes effort and organization but what made it worthwhile was that my professional business earned a lot for the relatively little time and effort devoted to it. I could take on as many clients as I wanted, needed or had time for. This let me do the things I loved to do with the kids and the homestead.

Something else your mother probably should have taught you, but likely didnt... if you come to the internet and air your laundry looking for advice, ideas, understanding, support, praise, what ever....

Expect that you'll get it in every flavor and size out there. If someone pointing at your unmentionables 'offends or insults you... keep them off the line - its that simple.

Shdybrady's wife: I'm so glad that you chimed in here! Try not to take things so personal. It is a forum, people are people, and you will get other's opinions, good and bad. That's just the way it is. No one really knows your situation and for the most part, these are really caring people that are just trying to give you sound advice. Most of us are living paycheck to paycheck and do everything we can to cut corners and such. We can all learn something from others. That is why we are on here, right? Whatever it is you decide to do, I wish you luck and hope it is something that you will enjoy, and maybe eventually, your little boy can help you with.

There have been a lot of great ideas, and some that I am actually going to check into.

Have a blessed day!
Michele

Wow. That's a snot-a-gram if I ever read one.

snot-o-gram or not, it needed to be put out there. period. and michelle, thanks (: i do love hearing about this forum from my husband and there are a ton of nice people on here that have given us, as well as others some awesome advice, and to take with a grain of salt lol, i was just fed up about a lot of what this topic turned into than what it was about, but i am very grateful for the positives that have come of this (:

If you believe that showing your IMMATURITY in your little tantrum was the needed effort.... more power to ya.

Courtesy costs nothing. Apparently this is a lesson you both need.

I've ordered all my poultry on purpose, but whenever I have sold my mature extras, I get a HUGE markup. This year I ordered 10 hatchery choice geese, I raised them and then at 2 months I started selling. I started out asking 20$ a piece, then $25 a month later. By the time I sold 4 geese, I covered my expenses.
Prior to that, I decided to change over my duck breeds. I pulled 25-35$ EACH for mature duck hens laying an egg a day at the time.

Hatchery choice is the way to go to keep costs down imo if you want to raise chicks for resale. Cackle hatchery has a big variety of breeds and they send you a "surprise package" of any chicks they have on hand after the specific orders are filled. I was following what a lot of people were getting for 65$ including shipping and it was usually about 30 +chicks of different breeds, 2 ducks, 2 turkeys, 2 geese/a few keets. And they weren't just getting leftover boys either.
I've also bought "clearance ducklings" from the feed store that had had them for a while and were getting a new shipment soon. They cost me 2$ apiece and are well started by that time.

If you want to consider hatching, check some reviews for some small incubators. People have the best success with hovabators and brinsea eco as far as I know. Don't go cheap. an incubator is a sensitive piece of equipment.
I've yet to hatch but I have spoken to two feed stores that will gladly pay me what they pay the hatcheries for birds.
If ya'll are interested in breeding and hatching, figure out a niche market and fill it. In fact that's key in any side business-- filling a niche or creating one. It sets you apart.

We raise ducks for eggs -- I demand and get a much better price for duck eggs ($5) due to their unique attributes and the eggs I sell pay for my feed much better than the 2$ a doz chicken eggs everybody and their grandmother's got. My pullets are in high demand for that reason too.

Geese have done so well I've got 2 breeding pairs for next year. (Two of my adult geese were totally free from a rescue we performed at the city park.) I hope to be selling goslings in 2013!

I got a couple wyandottes and a RIR to try out for my first chickens-- I like them a lot! This prompted me to look more into chickens and we've decided to get into Marans when we move and have more pens.
Maran roosters are a great heritage table bird, and the hens are VERY popular for their dark chocolate colored eggs. My plan is to sell the pullets and eat the roos. To get my foundation stock I'm going to fire up the incubator with a large quantity of fertile eggs from a breeder who has many color varieties. Most people can only get cuckoo marans from hatcherys, or find black copper-- but there are also blues, wheatens, splashes--- I figure more diversity in my breeding pens will give me more local business.

You are right in your assumption that the market for crafted items is flooded-- so you need to take the same logic and fill a niche and create a following. My mother has a reputation as an artisan in our area for her unique yet reasonably priced jewelry. I know people who make a killing knitting and sewing for the geek community with sci fi, comic and video game themes.
Kids who grew up playing a lot of video games and reading a lot of comics are now professionals who are not only proud of their hobbies, they usually have disposable income to advertise it.

In short, if your wife has a passion, there is a way to market it. If she has an interest, exploring it can pay. Even practicing a new skill-- like grafting fruit trees from root stock. It can not only fill your own orchard-- you'll sell out at a farmers market. Started plants are great too.

I am also only a high school graduate, and I don't have any special skills--- apart from my business savvy!
If I were your wife though, and desperate to pay off more debt, I would simply pick up more bartending shifts. Or search out a part time opportunity at a more upscale place like Olive Garden or something-- In the right place bartending or waiting tables can be fantastic money. Especially since the rugrat is already in day care.

I would also pocket the day care money, but I totally understand your motivations. Everyone has some golden cow thing they really love in the budget-- for me it's been coffee, good internet and the occasional online game subscription. To most people those are obvious places to cut, but for us, gaming is our social outlet, our hobby and our sanity check. We just couldn't maintain a decent quality of life with shoddy internet. (I'm such a candy-butt homesteader! LOL)

P.S. Give these kids a break, they're setting up home and a good foundation for raising their family at an age when most people are struggling with balancing a job, partying and trying to find someone to sleep with. They WILL figure out by trial and error what works for their family and judging by the fact they recently paid off 20k in debt no doubt so soon after creating it, it looks like they are doing a pretty decent job of finding things that work!! I would be on the offensive too if people were implying my husband was trying to find a way to "put the old mare to work" so he had more money.

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There is a time and a place for decaf coffee.
Never, and in the trash.
Are you an AZ farmer too? Arizona Backyard Farmers on facebook

I wonder how all those pioneer women managed with a sod home full of toddlers and one in diapers?

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

This is brady again and I must say ya'll are some narrow minded people. Most of you that is. Just because someone doesn't take your advice on one thing they should be rediculed. I came here for ideas on work for sahm. And ya'll blew it way out of proportion. And then have that comment on how my wife got an attitude with her post. Well after people questioning her maternal capabilites, yeah I would be mad too. And just because you say you raised 4 kids by yourself etc etc, doesn't automatically mean you did a good job at it. Someone comes here looking for ideas from around the country and it ends up being something way different. And we are disrespectful and not doing the right thing in life. Thank back at what you were doing at 23. For some, I'm way ahead of the game. Most kids are drunk and in college working at pizza hut. I'm making and honest living paying for a house and supporting my family. If you have a problem with that then, you are what's wrong with america

Why do you all care if they put their on in day care? It's not your child it's theirs and it's their business. You aren't going to change their minds. We have a large pond in our yard that isn't fenced and I worried constantly that my son would fall in and drowned. One of own own HTrs lost a child to drowning who was much older then the OP's child it happens and they are trying to PREVENT something from happening. I guess it would be better if she plopped him in front of the TV for 12 hrs a day so she can get ome work done. MY son got away from me a few months ago and went into the woods. It took me 1/2 an hr to find him because he was hiding from me. Do you have any idea how panicked I was to not be able to find my child for half an hour? Btw he left while I was going to the bathroom so I wasn't neglecting him. Pioneer women lost half their children on average so that is a horrible comparison. Why shouldn't their child have some play time with other kids? This makes them bad parents?? For Christ sakes leave them alone about it already. They said it's non negotiable so that should be the end of it.

They don't NEED the money, his wife working is EXTRA money. They just asked or ideas that's all! Nothing more. Sheeh

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Livin' the good life

If you're looking for things to produce and sell at farmer's markets, what about also adding soaps? Have plants, vegetables, and soap, and maybe some fresh eggs to sell.

Alright, hold onto your hat because I'm about to blow your mind. Ready? Here goes.. Money isn't everything! There I said it! Yea it's admirable that at 23, your only debt is a mortage which you are paying down quick. What's NOT admirable is your lack of experience and attitude. I get that your original intent was to come on here and find a few ways to make extra money. But you didn't like what was suggested, and then your wife came on and her first impression to us was someone with a huge attitude. YOU came onto a HOMESTEADING board. Where most of us grow our own food, raise our own meat, hunt, and take care of our youngin's ourself. I'm not condemming the use of daycare, but if you don't have to use it, then why? Everything you've posted in the beginning about not needing money and your wife only working part time but not because she needs to throws up red flags to us. Children are only small once, and thinking that someone else would get to experience all the "firsts" is heartbreaking. You went through a lot of trouble to plan out your life financially, but sounds like you really didn't do much planning on the family aspect of it. You have a kid, now YOU raise it. Not daycare, not grandparents, but YOU. Also, another thing that kinda bugs me is your wife is not a stay at home wife. Those died out in the 50s when women stayed home and kept their husbands and had no children. You need to seriously think about if paying off your mortage sooner is worth missing out on your child's life..but then again, with the attitude that was displayed, perhaps he's better off being raised by someone with more experience.