It's 3:00 am and I sit, blurry eyed, in front of my computer; another futile attempt to balance our books. The problem as I see it - no matter what I do, the assets aren't growing, but the liabilities sure are.
I always planned to stay home when my children were young. My vision is to provide them with a time in their lives where we don't have to rush to work and daycare each morning; a childhood where we can read a story in bed before going to breakfast. I want them to have an opportunity to live free of societal pressures before the big bad world comes knocking; and these days that is often all too soon for many children. I want this time to be enjoyed by my entire family. When my husband and I reminisce we hope for more than a blur of work and errands and stress.
I ponder the future and the options in front of me, this is not going as planned. I have a failing home business, which to be successful would require more time and energy that I'm willing to give. I have been dragging it along behind me for years. The choices: go back to work or take the family into debt. We aren't big spenders and the expenses are legit. There's a mortgage, utilities and groceries bills looming and they must be paid.
I finally fall asleep, resigned to starting my job search the very next day. The next morning the kids show up early at our bedside, cheery and bright with books and songs, and my weary soul is happy when I convince them to snuggle in for some tickles and a little more sleep.
Later in the morning, as I watch them play, they begin to change before my eyes. Last night I worried about our liabilities and considered us to be a happy, but broke family, today I see things a little more clearly. An investment as defined by Webster's Dictionary is "an expenditure of money for income or profit or to purchase something of intrinsic value: Capital outlay." Well, I have certainly had a lot of capital outlay, and of course my children have intrinsic value.
So I ask myself - if we're not investing in people, then what are we investing in? It's considered a savvy financial move for an investor to incur debt if they think there's going to be a return, but if cash is the only measure of return then why are we working and what are are we living for? In that moment, it dawned on me. I'm not taking on consumer debt; I'm making a financial investment, in myself and my family, so that I can stay home with them.
So what's the return on investment? What will make it worth putting off retirement plans for a few more years? What will we talk about at the end of our days?
We hope for two happy, adventurous, and grounded children. Children that know home is the safest place in the world, a place they are always welcome. Like most investors, if I want my investment to payoff, I have to be available. I have to be around for board meetings and make sure my shares have voting rights.
That morning happened a few years ago. Since then we have remortgaged our house, and sold the second car. There have been sacrifices, but this investment has ended up being as much for my husband and I, as for the kids. I have gained the confidence I needed to say good bye to my home-based business, may it rest in peace. I have spent many wonderful hours with my children. I've had time to develop my writing and other skills that I plan to use when I return to work full time. Because there's no shuffling of schedules, pickups, or drop offs, my husband has been able to develop and grow his business while I have been home.
Go to the next page for Tips for Making This Work!
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Tips for Making This Work
Unnecessary Consumable goods are not an investment
It takes a fair amount of restraint to make this decision. If you're using your credit card to purchase a new flat screen TV, then perhaps you should re-evaluate your decision to call this an investment.
Understand the difference between good debt and bad debt
I wouldn't recommend using credit cards or other high interest credit. If you have access to low interest credit, such as a line of credit or you're able to remortgage your home and use the equity as a pay check for the next few years, then that may be a wise investment.
I recommend the book: "How to survive without a salary: Learning how to live the conserver lifestyle" by Charles Long
This is a fun book that really got me thinking about ways I could reduce my need for a salary.
Buy used or better yet; get stuff for free
There are a ton of websites in every city such as kijiji.ca or craigslist.com where you can find used items for a lot cheaper than new. Or even better, you can sign up for freecycle.org, where you can clean out the clutter from your basement and get things you need for free. These are resources I use all the time.
Remember the goal is to spend more time with your kids
If you make the decision to invest in your family then stop spending money on things that take your time away from that. TV is a killer because it costs money and takes up time. Buy long term items such as bicycles, swim gear, recreation center passes.
Make your own fun: cheap
We make home movies using fairy tales, go for walks and bike rides when the weathers good.
By making the decision to invest in our family we have all received what we need most!
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