As a women on the brink of becoming a 'proper' housewife, I need some research. It's quite a probing personal question. The fact that housewives are few and far between these days means I'm finding it hard to gather info.
Howmuch housekeeping is considered fair?
What should housekeeping money be used for?
Hubby's response is "housekeeping?HAHAHAHA"...Yet we both agree that the time has come where circumstances mean it would be alot easier if I gave up work.
Any advice??
Julie :)

As a long-standing member of the housewifely breed, gritting my teeth at comments such as "Oh, so you don't work, then" (Don't I heck, you just try it, chum) I try to keep all spending (food, clothes, bills etc etc, but not mortgage) down to an average of £100 a week.

I know all about those comments and I only work part time at the minute. I feel it's better for the family if our homelife is more stable. Juggling everything means something somewhere has got to give. It's bliss when the house is tidy, the diners made, the laundrys done etc etc Why should I worry that the dog is alone for an hour, the dishs are piling up, the house is a pigsty and heaven forbid my daughter has an accident and I can't be reached, just because of other peoples attitudes. I think to be a good mum,wife,friend etc are far better ways to live your life. And you're right being a housewife is bloomin hardwork.
Rest assured Jeangenie..my ambition is to be as good at it as you are.
Julie..the trainee :)

It's certainly the most rewarding job I've ever done. I got to play with my son when he was little (not a lot of money, but a lot of time) and be able to bring him home from school if he was ill....walk the dogs at a civilised time of day....nurse my husband at home after his accident, rather than leave him in hospital.....so many bonuses.

Downside: on call 24/7, 365 days a year.

Excellent decision :) I've only worked part-time since having the kids - only school hours before they were teenagers. When necessary, have given work up immediately (have had lots of problems with elderly family members in the last ten years, plus hubby's redundancy).

I hate the way woman are told that that they have the right to work and the right to have child care - what about the children's right to have their mum (or dad) around while they are growing up :( I have been to EVERY school play/prizegiving/assembly/sports day that I could in the last 15 years, always collected my child from school, and knew all the other children and their parents. We may not have been to Florida, Disney Land or had other fantastic holidays or material things, but my kids have had the best that I can give them and I can never regret that :)

Good luck, Julie :)

Daisy

Well , I have been a Housewife (aka Domestic Godees ;) ) for the best part of 27 years ..I have had jobs (including fulltime for about 3 years) during those years ..but more or less a fulltime H/W.

Housekeeping in our house is used for food / Birthday presents / Childrens clothes /my own bills and nothing else. Stephen pays the bills and anything else (including Christmas Thank Goodness!) out of his money and the car too ....but if I need anything else I just ask :)

How much housekeeping depends on how much is coming in and where you live ...it is more expensive to live down South ...work out how much you spend on food each month and add so much for whatever else you are going to pay out of it and see how it works out

As to BEING a housewife ..well it's okay when the kids are pre schoolers ..but it can get sooo boring ..doing the same thing everyday for 27 years (hoovering /washing/dishes/dusting etc etc) ...unless you train the family up at an early age you get very little in the way of thanks , you have to carry on even if you are ill (if hubby can't get time off work) , you are on call 365 days of the year and also 24/7 :) You have to put up with the snide remarks from woman who work for a living (as already mentioned) ...

BUT ...nowadays ....you can spend more time on the PC :D :D :D (I am so pleased they didnt have home PCs when I was first married ..or I wold never ever have got anything done )

Melody - Domestic Goddess Extraordinaire! :D :D

i have only had one casual job,during that i became pregnant and sacked at the same time(not for being pregnant,but for being ill.i said you cant sack me on those grounds, their reply:your casual we can LET YOU GO whenever we want) i always said that i wouldnt work untill the kids were in full time education,then hopefully get a job within the school,for holidays to work out etc.
anyway hubby goes to work,and terratorial army.i get the money,put it in the correct pots for bills,food,rent,loan,catalogue,petrol,school dinners etc,we get £5 each at the end of the week,thats all thats left untill debts are payed.i couldnt trust hubby to sort the money out,he'd just stick it all in the bank and hope the correct people took what was needed(:)) he doesnt complain,at the end of the day he see's his mates at work and the t.a's,i think he got the easy option really ;)
the terratorial give us a one off payment each year that pays for the car insurance and holiday if we are having one.
mel

Well I'm feeling alot better about it reading your posts. Hubby has had a look at the responses too. He gave a knowing snigger at Melodys' PC remark :D I think the time has come to bite the bullet and just hand my notice in at work. At the end of the day we all live to our means don't we. Family should be the most important thing.
Thanks Guys :)

I'd say go for it!
You may be poorer financially, but you'll be richer in what matters most! Good luck. :)

Go for it! I gave up work 2 years ago after re-marrying. My husband is American and loves me being at home, so do I now - I got a bit bored at first and went through a phase of daytime tv-ing, but we then got a dog, then we got another dog...... Sometimes the housework gets done, other times it doesn't, sometimes I do some temp work to top up my bank account, but mostly we live on my husband's salary. We're not rich by any stretch of the imagination and have only had one real holiday since marrying, that was to California in February this year (Hubby went one week before me whilst I stayed with the dogs, he had gorgeous weather. It rained the whole time when I joined him for the 2nd week!! ). But the dogs take up our time and we share housework and cooking etc. I'm not lazy, it's just that after almost 35 years of fulltime work I now do what I feel like doing when I feel like doing it! Just live for the moment, you'll enjoy every one of them!

Go for it- I went back to work full time when my youngest was 1 and to be honest I HATED every minute of it:( Then when the opportunity to go part time came up last Feb I went for it:D All has been fine until recently when in a bid to get me back full time they said they're making the part time position redundant and I do I want the full time position:( So that I wouldn't be out of a job I stupidly said 'Yes':(:(:( BUT...............I went for an interview on Thursday part time- 9:30-2pm, 40p an hour less but who cares;)

When I worked full time before I had a childminder for the children and no matter how good they are- they can never ever take on the role of 'Mum' to the great level that you can yourself. I used to whittle about silly things like their collars being straightened before they go into the class room etc and the dodgy things you do such as if the kids have a dirty mark on their face you quickly turn your sleeve and wet it with your tongue, rub and remove the mark:D :D It was one particular coffee morning at nursery when I approached the teacher and she didn't have a clue who I was that did me:( You only end up spending half your holiday days on sports day etc anyway. I am so glad that I did what I did last year and spent the year with my Son before he started full time school, at the end of the day it was going to be no good wishing I had later on- it's something you can never get back! No matter how much money you have and spend on them it never ever replaces the fact that you're there for them to pick them up when they fall and rub their knee, praise them for the great picture up on the wall at school etc, whatever it is nothing and no-one replaces YOU:D :D :D

With regards to house keeping- electric, gas, water, tv, phone bill etc are all paid for each month direct debit (easier splitting the payments that way) and the shopping is done on a minimum. It's amazing actually how much money gets frittered away when you've got it- the more you have the more you spend:D If you want a more definate insight email me:)

Good luck and congratulations/well done in my opinion you are doing the right thing:D :D :D

Stacey x x x

Well it seems our desicion is final. I'm giving notice on Wednesday. I only work part time at the minute, but the money is very good. It's also a job I enjoy. David's job is alot more demanding and the next couple of years are going to mean he has to work 24/7. There's also a move on the cards soon, which would mean me giving up work anyway. I work evenings so the dog always has company :) but this also means my Mum takes my daughter to school in the morning most days and the teacher has no idea who I am either! I went to work fulltime when my daughter was two weeks old,I went part time a few months down the line but ended up being constantly pressured to cover shifts etc and more often than not worked fulltime. I then got this job and have never looked back, but even though it's part time it still feels like I'm constantly juggling/organising. Babysitters drop you in it (Granny warfare :D )life would be soooooo much easier if I didn't work.
I just hope my sanity remains in tact. I fear daytime TV addiction will set in before I locate the hoover.:D

Please, don't even start on daytime TV! The more you watch it, the quicker your braincells atrophy, and you begin to think that a stairlift seems like a good investment.....;)

Errr...you mean it isn't?

Curses!

As for those walk-in baths......you must freeze half to death waiting for it to fill. And then freeze the other half to death waiting for it to empty so you can get out.

Anyone for hypothermia?

:)

Incidently the interview I went for Thursday...................I got the job:D Anyone any ideas how to word my letter giving my notice at work? All I can think of is ;

*With regret I wish to terminate my employment with you as of 16th May 2003.*

My only problem is- I know it should be kept short and sweet but this doesn't even fill a line:o

Stacey x x x

I wish I could stay at home.

I miss my son (3.5yrs), I miss my dogs. my childminder & nursery are very good but its not the same.

I hate being here all day & don't much like the company any more. I eat cause I'm bored & now need to lose about 1/2 stone.

There has got to be more to life, so good luck with your move.

Kash, whats wrong with that line. Seems perfect to me.

I stayed home with my children till my son was in kindergaten. Now they are in school all day so I can work, and any problems or they don't feel good they call me or my husband and I am the one that gets off work cause he makes more and I can do that. Since he works till 5pm I make supper, and he cooks on the weekends, rather then that we both cook. Who ever cooks the other does the dishes and if we both cook we take turns doing the dishes. I do the laundry, he washes his own work clothes. I mostly do the vaccuuming and sometimes dust (he mostly dusts). Our money is combined and we agree on what to spend it on after morgage, bills, food ect.

U gotta do what works best 4 ur family and thats all that matters.

ttfn :)

I handed in my notice.
" I wish to terminate my employment, effective 19th may 2003. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Transco and would like to take this opportunity to thank all my fellow staff for their continuous support."
That was it. I have holidays booked anyway, so I've only got four shifts left. I did cry though, especially when my supervisor told me she was very proud of my decision as she has many regrets about working and not being a fulltime Mum/wife. I haven't met any woman who doesn't think I'm making the right choice. :)
Congratulations Stacey :) :)

Welldone. It worked for me! Good luck. :)

:)

Daisy