Okay. The time has come. After going through the figures again and again, I have the option of staying home or keep on working. Now, it's time for a hard decision. I'm not sure what I want to do. So I'm going to blog about the pros and cons of working outside of the house. Bare with me.
A BIG part of me wants to stay home and be a farm wife. I could make homemade meals for Hubby everyday when he gets home. I'll have all the house work done.(Ok, maybe most of the house work. Who are we kidding here?) In the summer, working in the garden would be easier. Working around the farm would not be so rushed. I would have more time to do things. Granted, I only work away from the house 3 days a week right now, but those three days can make a big difference.
BUT.......Another part of me wonders if I will go crazy staying home. I don't have children so it's just me here all day. Would I sit on the couch all day and think," Aww, I'll just do it tomorrow."? Will I miss the people that I see at work? Will I get depressed? Can I really do it?
Now, I understand that all of this is my decision, but I would like some feed back from you all. So my question is, " If you had the chance, would you quit your job and stay at home?"
So until next time,
Small Farm Girl, just wondering.
19 comments:
I do stay home and I love it. I do have one kid, but when she's in school and the quiet descends... ahhh, it's beautiful. If you get lonely, go do charity work and see people. I think you'll LOVE being at home. Plus what you save in gas and wear and tear...
I quit my job when we got pregnant (it was one thing we were sure about, me staying home to raise our child), and it's hard to say what's best for someone else. Since you don't have a child to look after at home, I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to do a lot of the work around the farm that would normally not get done, or not finished as quickly if you were working. But having said that, and having been a Stay at home mom & wife for three years now, I will say that although I am doing stuff around the house / farm, I do find myself getting into a slump every so often. There will be days that I just become a sloth and only do the bare minimum and I have to really motivate myself. Then there are other days when I'm running around all day, being productive.
Will not working hinder your current or future plans for purchasing items for your homestead? If so, I'd definately weigh in the monetary aspects of continuing working out of the home. Even though money can't buy you everything, it CAN buy you stuff you wouldn't be able to get without a paycheck. Maybe make a list of things you would buy with the the additional money coming in from your job and then say, when we've purchased such-and-such, I will quit. Same thing with staying at home; say I want to accomplish XYZ by staying home and figure out if it's worth it.
Then there's the social thing. Although we're pretty much ok at being homebodies, I admit that sometimes I just HAVE to get out of the house and talk with another non-family member or even just walk around a store or something.
You've got a lot of thinking to do! Let us know what's going on in your noggin & I'm sure we'll all chime in!
I think Carolyn made some very good points. I am single, work full time and farm the rest of the time. I would LOVE to retire/quit, but that's not in the cards. There is nothing written in stone that says you have to work like the dickens every day on the farm. I am sure there will be 'low' periods. Things to weigh - from my viewpoint - are similar to C's. Are there any big (read: expensive) projects on the horizon that would be tabled if you didn't have the extra income? Is it possible to work randomly - when you need to? Will the money you save (gas/etc) be significant enough to make up some of what you need on this projects? As far as not being around people, it's easy to drive into town to socialize. Or have a friend out for lunch, or do some charitable work. It's good to have some goals set up (my opinion, now) so that you have some structure. I don't do well without some structure. I, personally, would jump at the chance.
I did have the chance and chose to stay at home and raise my kids. I have been home for 3 years now, and it was the best decision I ever made. The family has a relatively clean house, fresh made from scratch dinner every night, clean clothes, and most importantly, a relaxed, happy mama! I joined a local garden club to get some grown-up time, and it helps me learn more about my garden, which I never had time for when I was a full time working mom.
I think only working 3 days you get the best of both worlds. I say until your sure, keep working. It will make you use your time at home more productively. if your anything like me, if you knew you had all week to do something you might put it off.
At least this way if you later decided to quite you can, if you quite now and decided you want to work you may not be able to get another job
I have worked full time and part time with kids and when I did finally quit I loved it. Now granted I have three little boys aged 5 years to 7 months at home with me it is a blessing. Like some of the others leaving comments have said. My family has clean clothes, fresh home cooked meals, and it gives me time to take care of the farm and my hobbies(along with homeschooling).In the end it was more cost saving for me to be home instead of at work. I think you might get bored if you do stop working that is unless you have enough stuff to do to keep you somewhat busy. Good luck with whatever you decide!
Coley
http://thewanderingkfarm.blogspot.com/
It depends on the job. If you like it and it is fulfilling a need, both financially and emotionally. By all means, keep working. You will find time for it all. If you don't like your job. Find another or stay at home. There are ways to make money at doing what you like. No matter what that is. Go with your gut I say. And good luck to you.
I feel fortunate to stay at home and still earn extra money baking bread and selling at the Farmer's Market each week. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of work and I treat it as my "job," but it is a job I truly love! Like Michaele said, if you enjoy your job maybe stick with it for awhile longer.
Not at this stage in my life, I would not stay home. I did when I had kids growing up. Now that they have grown up and are on their own , I work part time. Staying home all the time can lead to isolation and I am not a fan of isolation
quit and go back to school and do something cool.. lol,, become a DR. :)
That is a hard choice. I stopped working when my daughter was born almost 16 years ago. During that time away from the grind I discovered a love of writing that I probably never would have found had I been pulling a nine to five.
I say stay home, if you can, and discover something that you love and then run with it!
From a man's point of view here so don't kill the messenger.
If you did quit you job and loose that income all the burden would be put on your hubby. His stress levels would rise and sleep my not come to him so easy. Plus you will start off like gang busters on cleaning and cooking huge homemade meals every night and then it will slowly start to taper off to just picking up the house, laundry only when needed and cooking once or twice a week. Y'all will start fighting more and before long you will dread him coming home because you really don't want to hear it much less get off the couch.
OK, maybe that was a little to in depth there, but trust me you need to find something to occupy your time and make money even if it is just for your habits and hobby's.
Don't hate, you asked. LOL
I vote stay at home. :)
You guys are great! Such insight! Oh and MRN......You kill me!!!! Love it. I can see it happening. hehehehe
I mean MDR. Hehehehehehe
I figured it out. Thanks for taking the comment so well. I am just telling from experience.
MDR, I'm surprised you can sit down, with... well, I'm just saying, coming here and throwing out THAT statement. WOW!!! :) That was like waving a red flag!!!
Although I will say that I'm not sure who you get the scenario from. I've been unemployed for over two blissful years and I started off slow and now have a delightful system going... I can more, I bake more, I still suck at at laundry, but it gets done. The best thing... every morning when my husband drives out of the driveway I get to wave at him. It makes my day. And we're just starting year 27. :) Maybe some of us are just made for homemaking.
SFG - I don't miss "social" time at all. I have a phone and bloggy friends. :)
Meadowlark - I agree on waving the red flag and I also agree that some people are made for staying at home and others are not. I am on my 22nd year of marriage and I just explained my experience with a stay at home spouse.
My advice to SMG was to stay busy and do something with her time.
Good for you that you have held the Homemaker job to a high standard. I feel it is a very important, stressful and time consuming job if done right.
I would not want to do it, the hours or horrible.
I love the freedom of working from home, but honestly, I'd love a part-time job to get out some. I'm toying with one, but I need to make sure I can fit it in. Sigh.
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