I wonder if it is easier to take the time that is necessary to really get in and do everything one can to save as much money as you can.  I am not copping out here!  I clip coupons, buy my meat in the clearance, buy everything on sale, no shopping anymore and many, many more things.  But there are so many wonderful ideas and people here that are doing so much more and I wonder if you are all Superhumans (well, you are no matter what) or if you have more time than me!!

So... do you you have a 9 - 5 or do you stay home and work, such as bake bread, make soap, make soup bases, freeze, can.... etc.  Whew, you are busy!

I do shop sometimes... but with a purpose and a specific number.  I still haven't charged anything since MARCH!!  YAY 

 

 

 

 

Housewife here.

 I work at home so I have a little more time than those who have to leave home each day to go to work, but I still wish there was more time to do things that would save money. 

I think it's a matter of priorities when you don't have time to do many things. We need to choose which ones will save the most money and concentrate on them. Some frugal things I do just because I enjoy doing them, though.

I am far too busy at home to have a nine to five job, lol! I homeschool, write, make things from scratch, I do make melt and pour soap and candles, do some things by hand, some cook ahead meals and bargain shop with coupons.

The times I have put effort into helping my self-employed husband, I have had to drop some of my frugal and domestic activities due to lack of time and energy. I don't see how a working person could "do it all".

  

Yes it would be very hard to work full time and do it all too I think.

I am primarily a stay at home mom but I do have a small business that allows me to get a little income working from home.  Right now, it's busy-I've had several new clients-and that sets me back in frugal activities a bit because I have to get work done.  But, the work brings money-more than I would save if I stopped the work and just focused on what I could save.

Mostly though, when I have a lot of work to do, the first thing to go is the house.  It's a disaster here right now!  Stuff everywhere and the floor desperately needs to be mopped.  Also have a huge amount of plums from my grandma's tree to make into jelly and can but I just haven't had time.  Next week . . .

I think you can only do so much and as Pat says, you have to focus on what you can do to save the most when you have time limits.

I am currently not working at the moment but all my efforts here at home are poured into stretching our resources as much as possible.

 I have a mixture. I am Personal Chef, and so own my own business. This means I do get to spend more time at home, but some of that is doing "business" related stuff like advertising, budgeting, accounting, menu planning, etc., etc., etc. I cook  directly 1-3 days a week, and about  3 hours a day several days a week doing the rest of the business stuff (visiting farms, talking to contacts, web managment, menus, etc.)

When I quite the 9-5, we figured out what I had to make to equal the same lifestyle my paycheck helped us keep. DH works a good job, and goes to school, so we have 1 steady paycheck. We sat down and crunched the numbers, and figured out I could take a $6000 cut per year just for gas. I would be paying $100/wk for gas (living in our area is substantially cheaper than other areas, but 9-5 jobs you have to travel for, which is why it's cheaper. It is enough cheaper to justify it, though). That's about $5,200/gas a year. Now, I'd have to earn about $6,000, because gas is post-tax. So, working from home and doing very minimal driving is alraedy a huge savings. Then, we estimated food savings (I can stay home and do more frugal things, etc), clothing savings (I had to wear business appropriate, which is pricey, and now I get to wear ugly pants and a chef's jacket), and other miscellaneous expenses such as auto upkeep. Bare minimum, I could take almost $10k as a paycut. Now, keep in mind I was not making a super duper salary. I was making $32,000/year becore taxes, which in VA are pretty substantial. 

So, essentially, I could make $22,000 and still be maintaining the same lifestyle. I am actually making more than that, so it's as if I got a raise even though I work less. And, we certainly live better overall because one of us is home to take care of some things we simply did not have time for before. Since I like doing these things, this isn't a hardship.

This is not an option for everyone, obviously, but it works well for us.  

I'm retired so I guess one could say I'm a "househusband". DW says I'm "underfoot". LOL! She is taking some classes and intends to finish her BA degree next year, then get a part time job. I do work occasionally at a part time job filling in when someone wants a day off, calls in sick, etc. but we don't really need the money, it's more for luxuries and something to do.

We don't do much of some of the things I read about here, like making our own soap and such but I admire the determination of those who do.

Starting next week we'll be doing a lot of painting at FIL's house getting it ready to try to sell so that will be like a full time job until it's done.

 I do both.  Work part time 2 -3 days a week and the rest of the time mom and housewife.    I find if I do a little each day, it keeps on top of things plus making kids responsible for some stuff.  They are little but they know to put shoes in the closet etc. the older they get the more then they will do.  

I used to follow flylady to a certain point, no daily missions etc but the reminders do twig the memory to do things.  most stuff doesn't take that long, sweeping the floor, dishes etc if you do it on a daily basis.  I do laundry most days but fold it and put away once a week.    doing a quick cleanup, wipe,pickup goes a long way.  my house is never neat due to pets and birds but everything gets done at least once a week, dusting vaccum etc.

on the days I work I think ahead for easy meals like tacos with premade meat in the freezer. or chicken and fries.   just using up the food you buy and shopping from sales goes a long way.  I read the flyers each week for sales.  learn the sale prices and cycles.

it takes time and being flexible to learn all the tricks.

Stay at home mom/house wife here. Or as my DH says "My DW is a Domestic Diva! Up until my ds#2 was born I worked a full time job. I don't think I could/would do half the frugal things I do now if I still worked outside the home. Shellia