How Mothers Can Earn More by Working Less

Today we live in a fast-paced, materialistic society. Everyone wants to be earning lots of money, and many wives can feel guilty if they’re not.

Yet, at the same time, being “only a housewife” can be considered, by some, (especially the housewife herself) as not doing enough to help to financially support the family.

But this isn’t true.

Let’s look at what happens to a family’s financial situation if the wife ceases to provide a second full-time income.

The first noticeable difference is less money coming in at the end of every month.

But this isn’t the end of things.

Having one parent in the family who doesn’t work also has financial advantages as it means you can save significant amounts of money in other areas.

And just remember the old saying that “a penny saved is a penny earned” because the savings achieved can be phenomenal.

For instance, most families who have 2 full-time working parents also have 2 cars because time becomes of the essence and so travelling to work, shops, schools, day care, etc, has to be minimalized as much as possible.

But 2 cars would not be a necessity if only one parent was a full-time wage earner.

Then there ate child care expenses, which would no longer be needed.

So far, these two expenses alone can add up to 10s of thousands of dollars a year. So if you deduct this amount from the missing salary, it could mean that you wouldn’t be missing as much money as you originally thought.

And what about work expenses? Clothes, lunches and other work-related expenditure can all add up to a large amount over time.

Take for instance, buying lunches at work. If you spend $10 a day on food and coffee, that’s $50 a week which is over $2,500 a year. Saving this money could pay for a family holiday.

Then there are the children’s toys and computers, etc, to think about. Would the children feel materially deprived if there was one less wage earner in the family?

Yes – at first. But it wouldn’t harm them in the long term and they’d get used to it. They wouldn’t end up with any less than other children. They would just have to wait longer for things until their parents can save up to buy what they want. And usually by this time things have come down in price anyway, once the first “craze” is over.

Another thing to consider is the food bill. Most working parents buy convenience foods which can work out up to 5-times more expensive than homemade meals. So the family food bill can be drastically cut and the home cooked meals are more filling, healthier and more enjoyable.

There are also the advantages of having one parent at home. If a repair man has to call or a delivery needs to be made or one of the children becomes ill, there is no need for one parent to take time off work.

But the biggest advantage is that everyone in the family can concentrate more on their own life and so (in theory) can do better at everything. The household chores can be taken care of properly, the children can come straight home after school and the full-time working parent can concentrate more on their career if they’re not always thinking about having to hare the household chores at the end of the working day or having to rush to collect the children from day care.

More time for everyone can be spent together as a family instead of parents always trying to juggle their time.

This is not to say that a woman has to stay at home and become a “household drudge.”

Most people have a need to go out to work, no matter how few the hours. And today we have many household appliances which help cut the workload at home, making it possible for a parent to work part-time if they prefer while still having time to take care of their home and family.

So if you’re a full-time working mother (or you are considering it), stop and consider what you already have. A happy marriage and happy children are worth far more than money. And children need their parents to spend time with them more than they need material possessions.

Wanting a career AND children doesn’t always mix for every parent, and the financial gain doesn’t always compensate for the loss in time and family.

So perhaps now is the time to look at net amount of financial income and the financial and emotional expenses of having 2 full-time working parents in the family. There is no sham in being a good housewife and mother.

As long as you’re doing what’s best for your family, it can never be wrong.

© Copyright 2008