S/O from SAHM lifestyle thread

[keptwoman]

Do you have a marketable skill?

If something happened to your husband or your marriage ended, would you be able to work to support your family at anything more than a low/minimum wage job?

I wouldn't, and it's something that bothers me but I feel powerless to change it.

[Rosy]

I voted yes, but I would have a hard time supporting our family...it would take a while to get to that point.

[MissKNG]

Yes, I have a Finance degree and many years of office experience especially in accounting. I'm pretty sure I could find something descent.

[Pretty in Pink]

This is why I'm currently in school. I'm working on a BSN.

[GaHadley]

no. My dh has an excellent life insurance policy in place that will support me and my children in the lifestyle to which we've become accustomed.

 

DH and I do not believe in divorce. I'm not saying it could never happen to us, but I am not going to have a nest egg waiting - or go to school on that chance. If it came to it, I'd rather know that I spent all this time doing what I believe God called me to do, and get a minimum wage job to feed my family while.

[joannqn]

I don't have a degree, but I feel I have enough skills to get an adequate job. Ultimately, I'd like to get our income up to a decent level so we can purchase enough life insurance so that neither of us would need to worry. For me, it would be enough to cover loss income while DH shifts his business focus (right now some of his work can be done remotely but not all of it). For DH, the minimum would be enough to cover all of our income until all of the kids were old enough for me to return to work without putting them into school.

[JoyfulMama]

One of the things impressed upon me by my wise women relatives was the importance of being able to earn an income when needed. My great-grandmother was a midwife (trained by her mother), and all women since them have been educated in some way shape or form, even though my mother was the first to attend college. She was the first to obtain an Associate degree.

[keptwoman]

no. My dh has an excellent life insurance policy in place that will support me and my children in the lifestyle to which we've become accustomed.

 

DH and I do not believe in divorce. I'm not saying it could never happen to us, but I am not going to have a nest egg waiting - or go to school on that chance. If it came to it, I'd rather know that I spent all this time doing what I believe God called me to do, and get a minimum wage job to feed my family while.

I feel the same, and we need to review the insurances. But the main time I see an issue is in an unemployment situation for DH.

[kpupg]

Do you have a marketable skill?

If something happened to your husband or your marriage ended, would you be able to work to support your family at anything more than a low/minimum wage job?

 

No.

 

I have a degree in engineering and worked as such, and as a computer programmer, before I had kids.

 

But that ended 15 years ago, and my skills are entirely outdated.

 

I would probably do better claiming skills as a professional declutterer LOL.

 

Karen

[4kiddies]

I voted yes, although I wouldn't initally make what my husband makes. I have a degree in English and have written for newspapers as well as worked in event planning and public relations. I feel that these are all skills that would make me marketable should I need to go back to work.

[jujsky]

I have an English degree and lapsed teacher certification. I could probably become re-certified with a few college courses.

[amyable]

No.

 

I have a degree in engineering and worked as such, and as a computer programmer, before I had kids.

 

But that ended 15 years ago, and my skills are entirely outdated.

 

I would probably do better claiming skills as a professional declutterer LOL.

 

Karen

 

This is me (right down to the decluttering) except my degree is in speech-language pathology. I got my degree 14 years ago, quit work when I was pg with my 12 yo, and let my license lapse shortly after that. I guess I remember some of it, but I'd have to re-learn so much, re-take the licensing exams, probaby do another internship year... and honestly, I'd rather do something else!

[profmom]

I feel the same, and we need to review the insurances. But the main time I see an issue is in an unemployment situation for DH.

 

We have adequate insurance -- double-checked and updated when we went through Dave Ramsey's course a few years ago.

 

I'm a CPA and keep my license current with education hours and annual fees (even though I haven't worked for almost 11 years). If my dh were unemployed, though (depending on the reason) it might be difficult for me to find a job because we're in the same field!

[FO4UR]

I voted yes. I have a BSE music ed although I'm not certified...so I'd have to jump through some hoops to get certified before I could actually teach in a ps.

 

We are also working on getting enough life insurance for the both of us that if something happened to dh, I could continue to be home for the dc (at least part-time) and that dh could hire "Mary Poppins" if something happened to me.

 

My dad died when I was 5yo and I lost BOTH parents at that time b/c mom then had to work really long hours. It's important to me that they not lose us both if one of us passes away too early.

 

All these threads have my wheels-a-turning about making myself marketable LOL!

[OnTheBrink]

I said other. My answer is yes and no. I have the skills and experience to work in the clerical or medical/dental field, but need to updates some of those skills. I have enough skills to get an entry level job. Entry level would support me and DD.

 

I also want to finish my degree, but that's neither here nor there as far as marketable skills goes. I just want to finish it for me.

[Firefly]

Yes, I could hang out a shingle so to speak as a psychotherapist, but I'd have to reapply for certification which would take some time.

[Amber in AUS]

Yes. I worked extensively in the insurance industry (home & commercial) before having my children and have relevant qualifications. I could step back into a wide variety of rolls all of which would support my family well, but would not provide to the same means as my DH's current income, he has a very lucrative job. With those skills i could also step into a number of more minor admin type office rolls which would be closer to the min wage and i also have experience behind the bar pouring beers if it should ever get *that* bad.

 

As PP have said we also have extensive life insurance policies and we also have critical illness and total and permanent disability insurance so if my DH were hit by a car and became a quadriplegic we would still receive an income, same if he has incurable cancer.

[bunnytracks]

no. My dh has an excellent life insurance policy in place that will support me and my children in the lifestyle to which we've become accustomed.

 

DH and I do not believe in divorce. I'm not saying it could never happen to us, but I am not going to have a nest egg waiting - or go to school on that chance. If it came to it, I'd rather know that I spent all this time doing what I believe God called me to do, and get a minimum wage job to feed my family while.

:iagree: This is us too. I do realize that death/divorce happens but I am not going to "plan" for it. We have very good life insurance...way more than our "lifestyle" (we joke that DH is worth more dead than alive) we dont have debt. So if a tradegy happened I could handle it. I could get a job if need be. I have older kids so there would be no child care costs. Really I am not worried about it at all.

[Parrothead]

Yes, I could get a job and support dd and myself if dh and I divorce. If dh dies we have enough insurance. I actually had all that planned out last Monday when dh went to training. It was one of those 99% of the time no one gets hurt trainings. I was prepared to be the 1%.

[2squared]

Well, I could easily outearn dh, but I've been out of the workforce for 4 years and my professional contacts aren't in this geographical area. So, the answer varies depending on why I'm going back to work and if we are relocating.

 

We have the same life insurance $ on each of us - enough to support our current lifestyle through death for the remaining spouse. If dh dies, I'll continue with the status quo. If I die, dh will stay home with the kids and homeschool them. :) He was a SAHD for three years before we switched roles, and he was wonderful at it. He would probably need to hire a cleaning lady though. :glare:

[Impish]

I used to. An assault by a client means I can never work again.

[Cheryl in NM]

Yes, kind of. I have an associates in Bookeeping, 10 years of experience and had my own bookkeeping for 6 years. Dh's life insurance would pay off the house so the mid wages I'd earn would pay expenses. I'd like to get my BA and CPA, but my associates is now obsolete and I'd basically have to start over. I'm not about to do that with a teen!

[MelanieM]

Yes. My most recent experience is as a business and prosperity coach (working with mompreneurs), freelance writer and Reiki practitioner. In past lives I've also worked as middle management in the finance sector, a corporate trainer (technology and sales), web designer, online retail business owner, technical writer, curriculum developer, tech support... That's the short list.

 

I feel completely capable of doing whatever needs doing. I also hold a philosophy that multiple streams of income is a better approach to earning money than "getting a job", and I think looking at options in that light, the idea of generating an income that can support a family seems far less daunting.

 

I wouldn't, and it's something that bothers me but I feel powerless to change it.

 

Sandra, I can think of half a dozen things that you could do if you needed to generate an income, just based on the very little bit I know about you. For starters: tutoring, child care, a home-based craft business (I saw your awesome crafty blog!), freelance writing... I would bet if you looked at the things you're interested in you could come up with quite the list of potential money-making ventures. Here's an article I wrote about creative jobs for stay-at-home moms, if you need some inspiration to help you feel a little better about how many options you do actually have, should you want to exercise one of them.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Do you have a marketable skill?

If something happened to your husband or your marriage ended, would you be able to work to support your family at anything more than a low/minimum wage job?

I wouldn't, and it's something that bothers me but I feel powerless to change it.

 

Life insurance and savings are also a good thing. I hope nothing happens to dear husband but we took out 30 year term life insurance on the 2 of us:)

 

I do have a skill as an RN which I got many years before I met my husband and I am grateful for.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

no. My dh has an excellent life insurance policy in place that will support me and my children in the lifestyle to which we've become accustomed.

 

DH and I do not believe in divorce. I'm not saying it could never happen to us, but I am not going to have a nest egg waiting - or go to school on that chance. If it came to it, I'd rather know that I spent all this time doing what I believe God called me to do, and get a minimum wage job to feed my family while.

 

I know of many, many people who do not believe in divorce who ended up divorced:(

 

There are no guarantees in life unfortunately even when you do everything right which is next to impossible since we are all human:)

 

I am glad to be at home and do not believe in divorce as well, but I also think it is good to have a plan B and C and D:)

[Joanne]

Yes, a business degree would get me in a door. However, skills associated with that are terribly out of date.

 

I am acquiring an education that leads me to a profession that speaks to my heart.

[kmacnchs]

I put "other" - yes, technically, but not something I would want to do. I have a BA in Spanish Education and 1/2 of my credits towards my Master's in TESOL. However, I did this before I was married and did not like it at all! I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching my own kids, just not others' kids so much. I would probably do it but also go to school at night to do something else (not sure what...) However, I saw in SS that my dh would "make more" dead than alive - weird, interesting, sad...any # of things come to mind:glare:

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I have been doing family/children/senior photography this past year. I would have to improve my skills vastly in order to consider it a career, but it is a definite possibilty, and one that would be family-flexible. I don't know that being self-employed in this economic climate would be very secure, though.

[keptwoman]

Sandra, I can think of half a dozen things that you could do if you needed to generate an income, just based on the very little bit I know about you. For starters: tutoring, child care, a home-based craft business (I saw your awesome crafty blog!), freelance writing... I would bet if you looked at the things you're interested in you could come up with quite the list of potential money-making ventures. Here's an article I wrote about creative jobs for stay-at-home moms, if you need some inspiration to help you feel a little better about how many options you do actually have, should you want to exercise one of them.

Thank you :) Yes there are things I could do to generate income, I don't think any of them could come close to my husbands income though. Thank you for the article link. I think you are absolutely right on the mark with the multiple streams of income concept.

 

I have been doing family/children/senior photography this past year. I would have to improve my skills vastly in order to consider it a career, but it is a definite possibilty, and one that would be family-flexible. I don't know that being self-employed in this economic climate would be very secure, though.

This is where I think I would like to head also. I am considering whether I need to do a course to get some qualifications or whether I just need more time behind a camera. Once upon a time, many moons ago, I did start a photography degree. I'm rather glad I didn't finish it as things have changed so much from those film days that I'd be almost starting again anyway.

 

I'm also considering pursuing something to do with adult education and training as that can be very flexible.

 

I'm really fascinated that so many people still have marketable skills. I would have thought more of us would have been out of the workforce for long periods of time.

[Rosie_0801]

No, but I'd be able to live on Centrelink payments and keep homeschooling. Hardly ideal, but I'm not sure whether dh will ever be able to afford for me to study further, since he's done too much of it himself. The best I can do at present is work hard to keep our relationship strong so that won't be necessary!

 

Rosie

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Yes. I have gumption, a positive attitude, resourcefulness, people skills, organizational skills, and the ability to learn quickly. Do I have a degree? No. But, if I had to, I have no doubt I could support our family.

[Ester Maria]

Well, a degree in Literature is not that marketable, but Italian - even if it was without a degree, though I have one for that too - has proven relatively useful and marketable for various translations, tutoring, etc. I speak a few other languages though I didn't seek yet any job with them, but I guess they could prove useful too.

 

I could make a living without my husband too, that's certain, but I'm not so sure if I could continue living as well as we do now relying on my own work only. I would probably have to use some of my own savings, or inherited money/property.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Ester Maria

[Just Me]

I answered no, as I don't really have any 'marketable' skills. We do have adequate life insurance, and I know that I can work like a dog, if need be.

[m0mmaBuck]

Yes, 100%. We own a business and I could continue to run it with our current technicians (minus DH of course). I am a Physical Therapist so I could also return to work and actually we would be ahead of where we are now financially. But it would make me sick to put the kiddos back in the public schools here.

[BigMamaBird]

I do have a marketable skill but if dh died I would want to choose a different field. It's not something I want to do.

[Heather in OK]

People seem to just keep having babies so my profession/skill is pretty marketable. :lol:

 

Yes, if something happened to my dh I could manage to get us by.

[laughing lioness]

Yes, I do.

But here's a perspective for you... my older kids would gladly work alongside me to insure that we would continue to homeschool our younger kids. In fact, 3 years ago, when my dh's job was jerked out from under him (long story) my older kids all worked and gave money to the household. One of our dd's had a huge nest egg from an auto accident and gave us whatever was needed from it in order to continue homeschooling. Yes, I would be able to support my family. My family would also, and has, willingly, worked to support the lifestyle of homeschooling.

[lionfamily1999]

Yes. I have gumption, a positive attitude, resourcefulness, people skills, organizational skills, and the ability to learn quickly. Do I have a degree? No. But, if I had to, I have no doubt I could support our family.

The same here. I have marketable skills and feeding my children would be all the motivation I would need. No degree, but that isn't the end of the world. There is work out there for folks without degrees (crazy isn't it?!?).

[Joanne]

The same here. I have marketable skills and feeding my children would be all the motivation I would need. No degree, but that isn't the end of the world. There is work out there for folks without degrees (crazy isn't it?!?).

 

Using this as a jumping off place. I don't in this thread and I didn't in "my" thread equate degree with marketable skills. A degree can assist, but marketable skills are much broader than a degree and can exist without one.

[happyhomemaker25]

I answered other because DH has made sure he has enough insurance to let me continue being a SAHHSM. Especially as we move forward with gazelle intensity of paying off our home/saving up to pay cash for our next home. We have no other debt, besides some student loan mess that will be paid off as soon as DH gets another job.

We do get a subsidy from the adoption of our children so that would help with any extras. At least until they are all 18.

If I had to I could get a job. Of that I have no doubt. I would do anything for my kids.

Divorce is not an option for us. We decided that before we got married. No matter what others say. I can say that with confidence because my DH does not cheat nor is he abusive in any way. He treats me like a princess. :)

[lionfamily1999]

Using this as a jumping off place. I don't in this thread and I didn't in "my" thread equate degree with marketable skills. A degree can assist, but marketable skills are much broader than a degree and can exist without one.

Thank you for springing off of me... I feel special :lol: That being said I see the two treated as the same so often now that it has started to bother me.

 

I'm guessing you know how this is, someone strikes a soft spot and then scads of people start throwing salt on it, so you feel the need to defend yourself... Here goes my example of how a degree is not the be all end all of existence:

 

Dh did not graduate from high school. He makes enough to keep us fed, in internet, electricity, water, in our home and myself at home, etc. He is not a moron, he reads, he's capable of intelligent conversation, and he is quite the history buff. He's not a lesser person for having stayed in school less time than most and his family has not suffered because of that.

 

Degrees are fine and wonderful, but it is possible to be a well-rounded, well payed individual without one. There are tons of m/s out there that have nothing to do with a degree.

[Ohdanigirl]

Yes I have a degree. I also worked as a waitress and went back to work two years ago when my husband had surgery. I actually made pretty good money doing it in San Diego, and could do it again while looking for a job related to my degree.

[HRAAB]

I have marketable skills and could support my family (easier now that they're only three at home), but I would not be earning what my dh earned. We also have savings and are debt free which gives me great peace of mind. Also, I imagine my older dd's, if they were able', would help me in anyway they could. I wouldn't ask or make them feel obligated, but it is the way our family works.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I have a degree in Business and finance but I haven't worked in 16 years. I could get an entry level job somewhere and probably work my way up, but it would take time. Plus finding a job when you haven't worked can be hard.

[keptwoman]

Thank you for springing off of me... I feel special :lol: That being said I see the two treated as the same so often now that it has started to bother me.

 

Degrees are fine and wonderful, but it is possible to be a well-rounded, well payed individual without one. There are tons of m/s out there that have nothing to do with a degree.

I completely agree! It's possible to have a degree and no marketable skills or VV, the two can go hand in hand of course, but often they don't.

When I think about making myself able to earn, a degree is not even something I'd consider. There's much quicker and cheaper ways to train oneself to have the capacity to earn money.

I'd love a degree, but not for any financial reason.

 

Rosie, as a NZ citizen we can't get any Centrelink benefits. Reason number 398 why we need Aussie residence!!

[Joanne]

{{Julie}} I see your how you feel the pain for someone you love. :001_smile:

 

Your understanding comment about my (self made) message board experience isn't going unappreciated, either. Thank you.

[lionfamily1999]

I completely agree! It's possible to have a degree and no marketable skills or VV, the two can go hand in hand of course, but often they don't.

When I think about making myself able to earn, a degree is not even something I'd consider. There's much quicker and cheaper ways to train oneself to have the capacity to earn money.

I'd love a degree, but not for any financial reason.

 

Rosie, as a NZ citizen we can't get any Centrelink benefits. Reason number 398 why we need Aussie residence!!

That and, as so many posters have said, degrees seem to 'go bad' if they sit too long... I've never considered the 'shelf life' of a degree, but I guess they don't age well :lol:

[Peela]

Of course I have "marketable" skills and I challenge anyone to say they have none. I can wash dishes. I can clean houses. I can pull weeds. I can buy or collect 2nd hand things and sell them online. I could work in a shop.

They mightn't be my ideal but my 21year old steppdd is getting $30 an hour to clean houses. Its a good, independent job. Could be flexible around homeschooling.

 

I also have a diploma as a naturopath but I think that would be next to useless in any kind of crisis need to make money- although I could use the massage diploma part of it to make some. It takes years to build a client base. And they are pumping out hundreds of natuopaths from several colleges in my city, yearly, and it's not a big city.

 

One needs some creativity and imagination and some willingness to think out of the box, and one can make some money. Maybe not doing their ideal job, maybe not enough to support their family straight off. But something. No one has no marketable skills, particularly homeschooling mothers! We are made of tough stuff!

[LibraryLover]

Yes.

 

I've rarely gone any length of time without making some money in my field, even as a SAHM, or even in my more recent creative endeavor of raising organic meat birds and eggs. (Not that i could live on it. lol) Oh, if you want a cash crop-- raise jack-o-latern pumpkins. People who freak over 3$s for a pound for organic lettuce, will drop $25 on a fat carving pumpkin that won't feed anyone but seagulls and rats at the dump. They won't make you rich, but they can fill a home propane tank for 2 months.

 

But above all, I've been married long enough that alimony would be substantial, if it came to that. And heaven forbid, but if I am widowed, heaven forbid, knock on wood, we have good life insurance.

Edited January 20, 2010 by LibraryLover

[eternalknot]

Of course I have "marketable" skills and I challenge anyone to say they have none. I can wash dishes. I can clean houses. I can pull weeds. I can buy or collect 2nd hand things and sell them online. I could work in a shop.

They mightn't be my ideal but my 21year old steppdd is getting $30 an hour to clean houses. Its a good, independent job. Could be flexible around homeschooling.

 

I also have a diploma as a naturopath but I think that would be next to useless in any kind of crisis need to make money- although I could use the massage diploma part of it to make some. It takes years to build a client base. And they are pumping out hundreds of natuopaths from several colleges in my city, yearly, and it's not a big city.

 

One needs some creativity and imagination and some willingness to think out of the box, and one can make some money. Maybe not doing their ideal job, maybe not enough to support their family straight off. But something. No one has no marketable skills, particularly homeschooling mothers! We are made of tough stuff!

 

:iagree: - very well stated.

 

I am currently employed, though I work very few hours. If I were to work full-time I would out-earn my husband. I'm confident in my ability to support my family, whether using my "job" marketed skills OR the marketable skills mentioned in the quote above.