Dh and I are both 50 and are at the stage of caring for our parents, plus we still have our two dd's at home.  Right now, both our dm's are in the hospital, about 20 miles apart, so it has been a very busy last few weeks for us.  We live next door to my parents, so I'm also watching over and helping my df while mom's not there.   

I'm thankful that our frugal lifestyle has allowed me to stay home and enjoy and care for my folks in their golden years (they're in their 80's).  Hopefully my kids are watching closely and I can expect the same care, lol...Liz

 I'm 44, with 7 kids, ages 20, 13,11,9,6,3, and 1. I've been married 14 years to dh, who's 43.  I enjoy being active and taking care of the house, kids, now the yard- dh is working in a neighboring state, home on the weekends for the next several weeks, then we'll see what his schedule is. I work just about 6-12 hours a week at a health club child care.  I'm looking for more work, at night, I think.  I am on two school boards this year, then I graduate from the one, having served two terms in 2009.  We don't do so much with the house, but all of us like to cook and eat delicious vegetarian food.  I would say my stage in life is in the thick of it, is that a stage? 

When I am an empty nester, I hope to move with dh to a condo or townhouse and be able to travel to visit the kids!  That's several years away.  Kids are in music, Girl Scouts, choir, handbells, basketball, ds was in football-now taking a year off at least, dd age 11 would like to swim with a team.  I have one son, age 13, and 6 daughters.   At church, we go to Sunday school, confirmation, the kids go to kids night out at our sister church, ds ushers and accolytes, dd accolytes.  I have a small financial support group at church, 4 of us. We talk about using the resources God gave us, and what financial decisions we think we should make based on faith.  Dh comes sometimes, sometimes he goes to the other Sunday School. 

I started a gala at one school with my co-chair, we are now putting the money raised in a trust. This has been one of my biggest successes in the last few years. My biggest accomplishment is dealing with emerging minds and spirits at home.  

 Almost empty nesters.  I'm 52, dh is 55, our last chickie is now 18, graduated, and a little slow to LAUNCH but it will happen, it will happen. 

Ds 29 is stable, self supporting and dad to our great 8.5 year old grandson.  Dd 26 is stable and self supporting also.

We are currently living a very frugal simple life by choice, following the Dave Ramsey TMMO.  NEED to start saving the BIG money soon so we can consider retirement in another 10-15 years, God willing.

Dh's mom is in Florida, mine is in Michigan, where we live.  Sibs scattered about the state and other states.   

I'm retired after 29 years in law enforcement, DW quit a highly stressful job with fed. govt. doing funds administration for bioterrorism research when I retired and we moved to WV six years ago. I took a spousal benefit option when I retired so we're in a position wherein we'll never have to work again if we don't want to. No kids, no pets, no bills other than the usual ongoing utilities and such, everything is paid for.

I just started a job with a contractor to Homeland Security that for now is full time and will almost double our income, but it has the option of going to part time later if I want to. Mostly I'm doing it to have something to do, get out of the house and meet people, but of course the extra income will be nice. Since it is a contract job I can be dismissed on a whim so we're not counting the money until it's in our hot little hands.

DW is two classes away from finishing her BA degree and later plans to look for a light duty full time or part time job doing secretarial or bookkeeping work, she is one of those super-organized people who knows where everything is, and she files and labels everything. If I can't find something she almost always knows where it is, except for the workshop area which is a mystery to her.

Her father is having a hard time now. He's 82, has an artificial hip, and is in declining health. He's living in a house where he's been for 35 years or so, but he's at the point where he'll have to move very soon. We're in the process of fixing the house up to sell - it's been neglected for years - and get him into a retirement community so he won't have to deal with house maintenance. He is open to the idea, even enthused, but for some reason is unable to deal with the mental complexities of actually making it happen. He has his "set routine" every day and is living just a bit above his means and that inevitably will have to change. When he goes into the retirement community that will be an environment that he can afford and can do without a car when that becomes necessary. They have all the options, from living in an independent house, to apartments, to assisted living, to full-blown nursing care if that becomes necessary so that looks like the best option for him.

And for us too, in about 15-25 years depending on our health.

We are in the blessed years of young children. I'm 32 and DH is 36. We have an almost 4 and almost 2 year old, both boys, whom I just adore...most of the time, lol. I work 30 hours a week as a govt legal counsel and DH is a middle school teacher hoping to land an administrative job in the next 2-3 years. We will then re-evaluate my job/working outside the home. I'm able to be home more with the boys than I am away from them with my current schedule/job. We both have advanced degrees which have been paid off. We have no debt, thanks to the support I have found here, except for our mortgage. We just bought a new-to-us older home (built in 1940) 1 block from an elementary school.

I'm an only child with older parents (dad is 73, mom will be 70). They live 70 miles away in my hometown. Both have health issues that require my help physically. My dad still works 50+ hours a week as a small town attorney--body is tiring but mind is like a steel trap! My mom retired from teaching 7 years ago and is battling breast cancer, which is breaking my heart. I try to drive home once to twice a month to offer any help around the house (most often declined by my mother) and to take my children to see their Papa and Nana (never declined!). DH parents live in our town and with the move to the new house, will be about 1/2 mile away. They are also in their 70s but healthy. DH mom stayed home with her kids and DH dad retired a few years ago. They help with our boys quite a bit. DH has 2 older brothers. Oldest brother lives in California (single) and middle brother lives here with his dear wife and 3 kids with a baby girl on the way this month. So we see family frequently, which we love.

DH and I have good health. We love a variety of sports: golf, running, biking, basketball. We are active at our church, too. I like to volunteer (or as DH says, "I like to NOT say no.") and I am on the board in 2 community organizations that assist women and children. We have full lives and are happy. We don't want to re-live our 20s but are looking forward to watching our boys grow up. I think about retirement but I don't worry right now since I am working.

We are 43 and 42, parents of 4 boys...1 adult, living near us, 2 teens and 1 10 yr old.  We have a very filled life, as we help very much my parents who live near us also.  My dh works week-ends, 3x 12 hour shifts..but he is on sick leave now for burn out and anxiety...

Right now, we are trying to get dept free and dream of the day my dh doesn't have to work where he does. He'd like to change and be in a less stressful job, but with the kids and the expenses, the school, the dentists, the meds.... we can only wait...but I do alot of things and efforts to save and greatly reduce our spending to a minimum. Unfortunately with 2 teens, it's harder, although, now they started a part time job recently so they can pay some of their *extras*...movies, expensive clothes, etc...kwim... 

Pinkcosmos:

.but I do alot of things and efforts to save and greatly reduce our spending to a minimum. Unfortunately with 2 teens, it's harder, although, now they started a part time job recently so they can pay some of their *extras*...movies, expensive clothes, etc...kwim... 

I understand this one.  My twins are 12 and the wants have increased as they've gotten older.  I'm 37 (DH is 35, almost 36), and we've been married 16 years.  We have three daughters, the 12 year-old twins and a 3 year-old.

We are 54 and 56. DH is retired military and has been for 16 years. He works a full time job which he likes but it does not pay well. I have worked in a Nursing Home for over 30 years and have settled here for the last 16yrs. We both can feel the aches and pains of age. I have several health problems which has limited me in the life I want to live and am working on this. We have a house we bought 14yrs ago and have no plans to leave. Both daughters and family live in this town also. We are trying to pay off bills so we will be debt free when we retire.  Not a bad life, we feel blessed.

I'm 26 and my husband is 37. We've been married 2.5 years but together about 5.5. We have a 18 month daughter and another on the way (due end of January). I work full time and though it pays great and has great benefits, my heart is for home and I have to really work hard to juggle both. I refuse to put my family and home on the back burner for my job (especially since it isn't one that I enjoy the least bit). I am very organized, enjoy being "domestic" and so that helps me to achieve my goals as a wife, mother and manager of my home though, as we all do, I do fall short.

We currently rent (dirt cheap) from good friends. It's a small mobile home (which presents a lot of challenges in regards to space and utility bills) but very nice. My goal is to eventually be able to be the house wife and stay at home mom that I believe God intended for me to be. In order to get to that point, I've been doing a lot of praying and have started this quest for frugality and simplicity that has now become more like a passion and hobby rather than just a temporary means to an end. We are on the verge of desperately needing another place to stay and are debating whether or not to get a new mobile home and just pay lot rent where we are at now or to go ahead and find a small piece of land or a cheap house (if those even exist in our area anymore!). In the meantime, I work hard to keep our small place organized, clean and welcoming.

We are paying off our credit card and various debt and should be done in less than a year (we could do it faster but would mean a lot more sacrificing). After that, we'll try to spend another year saving each month for a downpayment on whatever we decide to do about the living arrangements.

God bless,

Julie

 We are 58 and 59. Five children living, Three are married with 6 grandkids and one more on the way. All have good jobs, Two own homes, the third couple rent from the oldest DS . Two children still living at home, DS, 19 works full time, DD, age 16 graduated in June from high school, wants to do photography for work. She works parttime. DH is a pastor and I run a daycare out of our home. My mom is 84 and lives with us. She has lupus and fribro so needs a lot of help. We know that she will require more help as time goes on. MIL lives a mile away. She is still very independent but has some health issues. We talk about retirement but no real plans. We will stay in this house. It is a large house with the possibilty for being three apts. This will help us with finances as we grow older and need less space. Babs