how to transition to staying home {getting started}

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Day 2- how to transition to stay home {getting started}

Today, I will be sharing a small excerpt from my e-book (chapter one): You can be a Stay at Home Mom on One Income. (You can see more on the e-book for sale for $2.99 here)
Also, this money-saving series is one that I will be sharing with Paula from Beauty Through Imperfection (so I guess that makes it a 6 part series because she is doing three on the same day as me and we are sharing our links for you!)

HOW TO TRANSITION TO STAYING HOME: GETTING STARTED: DAY 2

Evaluate where you stand, financially.

Get a notebook or sheet of paper (or do this in excel on your computer) and write out where you have spent your money (every dollar) for the past three months.

If you haven’t been keeping track, now is a good time to start. I was able to look at our spending and make a chart with it in one night because we use our debit card for everything, which means that it is viewable online. I could easily view our statements on our bank’s website.

We only use our credit card for gas, and I don’t use cash (I spend it too quickly if I have it, so I prefer not to have cash) and if I do need cash (for a preschool payment or to buy something on Craigslist), I can see a withdrawal on my bank statement.
Remember that you need to write everything down, even that diet coke or sweet tea that you got at McDonalds earlier today!

Once you are ready to start writing, separate your spending into categories.

For example:

You will want to do as many categories as you find useful. Every dollar has to have a place.
Add them up and see how they vary each month.

Find where you can cut corners. What HAS to stay and what can go? When you get rid of your “wants”, take a look at the incoming money and work together to decide if you (or your spouse) can you support your family on that one income? Can you supplement it with a little work here and there? Once you have figured this out, try it for two months.

Stay tuned… tomorrow is the last day of this series.

In the meantime, you can purchase my ebook, You can be a Stay at Home Mom on one Income for $2.99. Today’s post was a small excerpt from one of the chapters, but the ebook has all of my financial advice and tips to save money and spend what in a way that will help your family. I also talk about ways to make money from home to supplement your spouse’s income. CLICK HERE to have the book within seconds.
Head over to read part 2 of this… Survive on one Income by Paula at Beauty Through Imperfection.