When It Comes Down To It

Why my staying home will actually save us money:

-I didn't get paid much...at all

-It cost $38 a month to have a membership at the Y for our family so the kids could utilize the child watch while I worked.  I know that's dirt cheap as far as childcare is concerned, but when I'm only making a couple hundred a month, $38 takes a big chunk out of my take home pay. 

-I worked most days M-F 5-7.  Meaning the kids leave the house before dinner and get home around 7:30.  Therefore, we often grabbed dinner on the ride home.  When I only made (after taxes) less than $15 for my time at the Y and it cost $13 to get the basics on the dollar menu through the drive through, you do the math.

-Gas is over the $3.30/gallon mark.  There would be a couple days a week I would go in both in the morning and in the evening.

-Due to being over extended and having Anneliese still napping, my time for grocery shopping is limited.  We have been living off Wal-Mart groceries and I've been having a hard time getting to Leavenworth for Aldi.  When we first started Aldi shopping it saved us over $200 a month.

-I love to make things from scratch and save us tons of money that we would be spending on processed foods.  Over the last several months our diet has gone from primarily home made goods, to primarily processed goods.  Today I made a batch of 6 loaves of whole wheat goodness :)

Friday was my last day, and yesterday was technically my first day that I didn't have to go in.  Jared and I laid around all day watching the first season of House.  We haven't had a true day off in as long as I can remember.  It was such a blessing and a day of refreshing for us both.

I am so thankful.