SAHM--luxury or right?

This debate is going on strong over at the Bargain Board on Babycenter:

http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus5465

What do I think? Well I think it's an other. I really don't think it's a luxury. Luxury to me is having something you really can't afford. I would love to think it's a right, but..... There is an entire gray area here.

I have been staying home for over 5yrs. When we first had Madison, I was the one who carried the health insurance. That meant I had to go back to work. Then I got pregnant with Olivia. Denny and I both decided that it would be silly for me to keep working after she was born. I would barely bring anything home, after paying daycare for two kids.

He found another job, which allowed me to stay home. We made A LOT of sacrifices. No more eating out on a whim, no new things, buying only what we need, buying on sale, really paying attention to our funds, etc. And that is what has continued. Well we are a bit better off now. We still don't have the extra cash to buy all the fun things, but we certainly aren't in the same situation.

Yes, we have a satellite dish. Yes we have cell phones. Yes I have an Ipod. Yes we have high speed internet. Yes I have Vera Bradley bags. Yes my kids have name brand clothes. Yes my kids have dvd players. Yes Madison has a Nintendo DS.

How do we afford these things, and with another child? When before we couldn't?

1. We got a great deal from AT&T for our satellite and high speed internet.

2. I will never be w/o a cell phone, due to my luck with vehicles breaking down.

3. I saved and saved my $$$ for the Ipod. All from Christmas and birthday $$$, stashing a wee bit back here and there.

4. Ditto for Vera Bradley. AND all my items are from the outlet sale (doh, you have to be an idiot to buy them regular price!)

5. I buy when things are on clearance and out of season. I can get The Children's Place clothes for LESS than Walmart's prices.


6. My kids both have personal dvd players and this is ONLY because Denny was able to get them through one of this tool guys. And at a great price. They were Christmas presents too.


7. Madison does have a DS, but only because Denny did a side job for work and was paid quite good. She had been wanting one, so we decided to use part of the $$ for it. And it was her birthday present.


I know some of you are still shaking your heads in disbelief. But this is what we did and do, and it works for us.

(I had that all typed up last week, and now have totally forgotten my entire point! LOL!)