I've spent much of my marriage content to let my husband make the bulk of our income. It was convenient for me because it enabled me to spend as much quality time with my kids as I wanted. It seems those days are coming to an end, and I'm left with mixed feelings about it.
My husband has been cut down on his hours at work. This was nothing new at first, he's a journeyman plumber, and so the company he's been working at for 14 years has definitely been affected by this economy. Nearly two years ago he went from working 60 hours a week down to around 45. Honestly, we were all a bit thrilled by this because it meant that we got to spend more time as a family with him.
Last year he was lucky to make 40 hours. It made things tight for Christmas, but forced me to look for ways to save money, and I feel very enlightened as a result. I'm a coupon-clipping, internet searching fool now, and loving every minute of it.
Now, he's been cut down to just over 30 hours. I have to admit, I'm more than a little fearful about this. We have a little money in the bank, but that's only going to cover the loss for so long. It's made me more creative in how I manage my bills and creditors too. But for once, that's not going to be enough to keep our heads above water.
Hubby suggested he get a second job. While I didn't denounce that idea, it got me thinking: why should the financial burden be placed solely on him? What can I do to help him? What's more, what can I do that won't take me away from home and my kids?
My answer? Writing. I'm happy to get back to it after a long break. I've started writing articles for eHow.com, I've started networking to draw more attention to my writing and I've learned that it's possible to make money doing something I really love to do. How much money? I don't know yet, but it's good to vent while I'm finding out.
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