The Challenges and Blessings of One-Income Living

We are blessed to be a one-income family.  I am tremendously grateful that God has provided employment for my husband that allows me to be a full-time homemaker.  However, I grow weary of people telling me that they cannot afford to stay home, or that I am "lucky."  As anyone who has made this choice will tell you, it is not only a privilege but also a deliberate sacrifice.

NP and I have never really had two incomes.  When we were first married, he was still in graduate school and we lived on my income from teaching at a Christian school. We were in an extremely expensive area, and even with "government assisted" housing, I truly have no idea how we scraped by other than that God miraculously took care of us!  Shortly after he finished graduate school I became pregnant with AG - so even during our time of overlap when we were both working we were committed to living on one income, knowing that I would be a full-time homemaker when she arrived.

Looking back, I am grateful that we started our married life in this way.  I never got into the habit of just buying things I liked or choosing convenience over frugality.  It just wasn't an option!  While we are not nearly as strapped as we were when we were newlyweds, I still sometimes find myself holding my breath as I wait for the total at the grocery store check-out - being extremely conscientious about what I spend is an ingrained habit.

Today, I thought I'd share some of the ways that we have reduced our spending to make living on one income not only possible, but comfortable.

*We have had only one vehicle for almost two years now.  To be honest, it is a bit of a pain.  Between work and other commitments, my husband has to have the car at least three days a week.  On Fridays and sometimes Tuesdays, the kids and I drop him off at work in the morning - on Fridays we continue on to Bible study at the church, and Tuesdays are my grocery shopping/ errand day.  However, this one particular sacrifice, although sometimes frustrating, has made the largest dent in our spending.  Even with two vehicles that were paid-off, that meant two vehicles to keep up with routine maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. 

*As Alicia stated well, I find that I spend much less if I just stay home!  Having to work around our car "schedule" is oddly freeing for me.  While I sometimes wish that I had the flexibility to run out to the store, or just get out of the house, when I am away from home I often find myself spending unnecessarily on small things that add up to a significant amount at the end of the month.  If I need something from the store, I have to plan ahead.  If I'm getting restless, I need to find something productive to do rather than escaping to Target to browse!  If I don't feel like cooking... too bad.  No McDonalds within walking distance! :)

*Over the years, I keep learning new skills that help us keep our expenses down.  With fear and trembling, I learned to cut NP's hair - I've given him every haircut he's had since we got married!  I made my own baby food.  I used cloth diapers.  I've learned to cook nearly everything from scratch and finally developed a menu-planning system that works for me. I've experimented with making my own frugal cleaning products.  I've ventured into the world of couponing and rebate shopping.  I know a lot of people think that I just love doing these things because I'm odd. ;)  In fact, much of this has been out of necessity - and along the way I often discover that the harder way is usually better!

*We have learned to accept "hand-me-downs" enthusiastically!  God has blessed us tremendously through friends who are willing to pass on gently used clothing, shoes, and toys - and we are glad to return the favor and keep passing them along!  Recently, we started doing this on a church-wide scale.  We asked young families to bring gently used items they didn't need anymore to the church and then come back the next day to "shop" through other donated items that they might be able to use.  We have had two Clothing and Toy Swaps so far - and they have been a huge blessing to many families - and then extra items were donated to area ministries and to children's services to be used for children placed in emergency foster care.

If I've learned anything over the years of pinching pennies, it is that it is worth it!  I have seen God provide for us over and over again.  Sometimes His provision is obvious, like receiving checks in the mail and groceries on our step when NP was out of work!  Sometimes His provision is in the form of a great coupon-deal or finding clothing we needed at Salvation Army's half-off sale!  And amazingly enough, He often provides even more than what we need so we can bless others in His name.

If God has called you to be home and adjust to living on one income, don't let fear hold you back.  It's hard work.  It's a sacrifice.  But it's amazingly worth it - and God is abundantly able and willing to care for His people.

Resting in Him,
Kristi

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