- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Dual income households, what's the cost/benefit of the lower earner's wage?
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:44 am to Kujo
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:44 am to Kujo
Didn't plan for the wife to work after my son was born. She went stir crazy being at the house all day and wanted to work. Her job covers daycare, the maid, the lawn guy, and her student loans for the most part. And not to forget having health insurance through her own job was a big savings. Benefit is she enjoys working and everyone is happy. Plus she has a masters degree and is getting more and more experience in her field, so she will soon be making more and more money. She just got a raise this week 
0
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:44 am to Kujo
How much do you weigh in your own wants over what's better for the kids?
"Sure we don't get to spend as much time with or are involved in our kid's lives..... but we have a better retirement for us"
"Sure we don't get to spend as much time with or are involved in our kid's lives..... but we have a better retirement for us"
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:45 am to CorporateTiger
quote:
I'm sure home schooling is nice, but seriously any second income is great for long term planing
Priorities might be kitty-wampus.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:45 am to CorporateTiger
quote:
Benefits (1) a paycheck, (2) keeping her from dreaming up home improvement shite to spend money on, (3) keeping her from spending all day online shopping
Costs (1) none.
Easy choice I say
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:46 am to ShoeBang
quote:
1) She covers her car note, student loans, cell and the daycare / day to day expenses of working with her small salary, while being happier and feeling more self worth.
2) There is no "2"
This is great, but there is a "2" - your kids are now going to daycare which has its own set of pros and cons. You also have to squeeze all of the day to day chores into 3-4 hours after you get off of work instead of the entire day like you used to have.
I'm not trying to downplay your decision - my wife and I made the exact same one - but there was definitely some give and take.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:46 am to Bucktail1
quote:
Home schooled kids turn out weird, I've never met a normal one. Kids need the social interaction to be able to function in society.
You haven't met many. That is, on balance, a false statement.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:47 am to CatsGoneWild
I expect my wife's career in engineering to eventually out earn my career in IT. We use the second income for savings (80%) and vacations/fun (20%)
We ensure all household bills can be covered with the lowest paycheck.
We ensure all household bills can be covered with the lowest paycheck.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:47 am to slackster
quote:
but there is a "2" - your kids are now going to daycare which has its own set of pros and cons. Y
I think people are too selfish to see the impact, they discount the effect and say "the good school district is good enough...I've done my part"
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:49 am to Kujo
quote:
How much do you weigh in your own wants over what's better for the kids?
I never stayed home with our kids but my wife did for the first year. I have just as strong of a relationship with them as she does. You can still be a great parent from 5-10pm and on weekends and such.
That being said, it is an example of what I reference in an earlier post - your weeknights become hectic. You can't afford to slough off too often or just mail it in every few nights or else you could be sacrificing time with your kids that you cannot get back.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:49 am to Kujo
Just for reference me and my wife make about $200k combine but live like we make $50-$75k. We have zero kids. It's awesome, if she didn't work I'd be disappointed.
This post was edited on 1/22/16 at 7:50 am
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:50 am to Kujo
It isn't as if putting your kids in a daycare says you don't love them.
I grew up in a dual income household (at a time it was much less common). I still knew my parents loved me. I grew up and have been perfectly fine.
Additionally, having a good retirement situation is important to my wife and I so we never become a burden on our children, financial or logistical. I have seen to many distant family members struggling to take care of their parents who didn't save enough, I have no intention of putting my kids in that situation
I grew up in a dual income household (at a time it was much less common). I still knew my parents loved me. I grew up and have been perfectly fine.
Additionally, having a good retirement situation is important to my wife and I so we never become a burden on our children, financial or logistical. I have seen to many distant family members struggling to take care of their parents who didn't save enough, I have no intention of putting my kids in that situation
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:50 am to Kujo
quote:
I think people are too selfish to see the impact, t
I don't think is necessarily the case - this is an online message board so people are going to be pretty brash with their opinions on the matter. I just wanted to point out that there is a "2", but it is usually outweighed by the benefits for most couples.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:51 am to Kujo
It costs us money for me to work. Financially, it would make more sense for me to stay home but being in the house all day would drive me nuts and I love what I do so I chose to get out and work. 
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:55 am to Kujo
No one is better for being homeschooled, very much the opposite. Do you refuse to vaccinate your children also?
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:58 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
We have twins and it would have been 1320 a month for ours. My wife doesn't make very much but she definitely made more than 15,840.
Assuming 25% federal, 4% state, and 7.65% FICA taxes, she'd need to gross $25,000 to take home $15,840. This also doesn't take into account the potential effect it would have on your income (perhaps a higher bracket). Granted, you can deduct some of the childcare costs, but you get the idea.
Additionally, just covering the financial burden isn't the only think you have to consider. The pros of working with adults and having more social interaction are nice, but it usually brings an added stress to the family and makes mornings/evenings much more hectic than they were. People put different figures on what that is worth to them, but I can certainly understand some low-paying jobs not being worth the money/extra hassle.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 7:59 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
I don't understand
Should have left it at that. Your analysis is off.
How much over the 15840 does your wife make? Now divide that by the hours she works. Along with other costs associated with working and the fact that the second income will be taxed at your highest rate, you have to ask yourself is it worth it. To some people it is, but not everyone.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 8:00 am to shawnlsu
quote:
No one is better for being homeschooled, very much the opposite. Do you refuse to vaccinate your children also?
Any data to back this claim up? I have a feeling you don't.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 8:00 am to Kujo
This, precisely.
No adult, when asked if they were born all over again today and given the choice of A) staying home with their mom or dad all day or B) sitting in an unfamiliar room for 10 hours sharing the space, time, and attention of 3 barely literate high school graduates with 19 other screaming babies would choose B.
As for the debate over whether there is enough to do to stay busy all day, I work about 14 hours a day taking care of my kids and house. I have a lot more flexible schedule than some- I can post on the internet while I eat breakfast, watch tv, and talk with my kids while they are eating, like we're doing now- but make no mistake, I'll be on the clock til at least 930 tonight.
No adult, when asked if they were born all over again today and given the choice of A) staying home with their mom or dad all day or B) sitting in an unfamiliar room for 10 hours sharing the space, time, and attention of 3 barely literate high school graduates with 19 other screaming babies would choose B.
As for the debate over whether there is enough to do to stay busy all day, I work about 14 hours a day taking care of my kids and house. I have a lot more flexible schedule than some- I can post on the internet while I eat breakfast, watch tv, and talk with my kids while they are eating, like we're doing now- but make no mistake, I'll be on the clock til at least 930 tonight.
Posted on 1/22/16 at 8:03 am to Hu_Flung_Pu
quote:
Average daycare costs are around 600-720 a month.
If she's in Houston you can double that
Posted on 1/22/16 at 8:04 am to its1999
quote:
No adult, when asked if they were born all over again today and given the choice of A) staying home with their mom or dad all day or B) sitting in an unfamiliar room for 10 hours sharing the space, time, and attention of 3 barely literate high school graduates with 19 other screaming babies would choose B
only if they want to justify their actions. Did you really need a $300k home and 60-80k worth of vehicles...for your kids?
Page 2 of 12
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News