Weddingbee boards

Alright, it's kind of a long story, but I need some input.

When my hubby and I got married, we were both working, and rented the lower level of someone's home that was $650/mo including utilities and a garage space. The kitchen in it was extremely small with no space to cook or prepare meals which was our main issue with the place. So when our year lease came to an end, our landlord said she was raising rent to $700/mo. With a kitchen like that, sharing laundry etc, it was not worth the price and we told her that we can't pay more than $650, but she said she was raising it anyway. So we began looking for a home to buy, but couldn't find anything. Our amazing realtor worked out a deal with a homeowner to let us rent their home that was on the market for over a year but not selling, as a temp. solution until we found our own place.

They only charge us $650 for a 1500 sq ft townhome in the city we want to live in, and we just pay utilities. 

Then I we decided to start a family, so I quit my job to help prepare us for living off one income. My husband just started work in the education field, so his starting pay wasn't the best, but it should be enough.

It's been A LOT harder than we had anticipated, and tho I PT nanny that brings in only about an additional $100/wk. 

We have to get out of this temp. home anyway because it's being foreclosed on. We don't like it enough to buy it, but we've been losing money since I quit my job. Now I'm actually pregnant, so getting a job would be pointless. Our problem is that now we can't afford the closing costs of a house because of our financial struggles, so we're stuck. Unless we can find something much cheaper so we can pay of a few credit cards/debt, we're not going to get better.

The only thing cheaper than $650/mo where we live would be just renting a room and sharing a kitchen/laundry with another family. It's not ideal, but I thought maybe just for a few months to save some money/pay off debt it might help, til we could afford our own home. I feel pressured with a baby coming in March, but I don't know what else to do! My parents house is too small for us.

Would it be worth it to share living space with someone else? Has another couple ever done this? What did you think?

Advice would be sooo strongly appreciated! thanks bees

Well, my job was going downhill as it was. I haven't finished my degree, so I was a lead in retail and I hated every minute and had a terrible relationship with my boss. It was not the right situation, and the perfect job I had had before that, I had been laid off. We wanted time to adjust to living on his income, and we both agreed that it was best to adjust before we got pregnant/had a baby. 

I was never "salary" and made hardly anything, let alone enough to save a substantial amount. We saved what we could from what I made. 

The reason I am not working is because my husband got into a car accident and totaled our second car, ins. wouldn't pay for it, so now we share a car. I wouldn't be able to commute because he needs the car, and/or figuring out scheduling of who gets the car when is a hassle. We did it before and someone always ended up wasting time waiting around. 

I know it sounds confusing, but me working right now isn't much of an option unless I go back to a minimum wage job.

@Eva Peron: We would switch from renting an apt to renting a room NOW for the next few months or so, before the baby comes. 

@eloping: i spit out water ... but you are not alone

@OttawaBride2011: yeah my niece is 4 mos preg and just got laid off ... she found another job .. she's showing too...

It seems you need to work.  I really like the idea of you offering childcare in your home.  Working another job is doable too until you are close to delivery.  I don't think you should rent a room for now.  Having to pay to keep moving, security deposits etc. can waste money.  Rent an inexpensive apartment while you work and the two of you prepare for the baby to come.  That way if anything goes unexpectedly during your pregnancy, you are already settled in, and you already have a space to prepare for baby to come home to.  Baby doesn't need space for a long while so a small apartment will be fine.  

@cvbee: Well we don't have a home, so I can't do an at-home job, which is what I wanted. There is literally no where near my husband's work that is cheaper than what we have now. That is why there is no way to downsize. Believe me we already live on bare minimum as it is. We don't have TV, we have one car, I am a major couponer to try and save, I've sold anything of any worth in my house, etc. And where we live, honestly unless I want to work in food service again, there really is nothing. We're really rural in the middle-of-nowhere.

I've done a couple nanny gigs, but it's just not working out. 

I don't understand why it's such a big deal though, I was going to quit my job anyway and my husband wanted me to. He hated me being at that job, it was really stressing our marriage. He doesn't want me to work. 

And no, my parents don't have a spare bedroom. really, their house is small. When I moved back in before the wedding to save money, I had to share a room with my 6 yr old sister.

thanks for the support.

@soon2bhis: Well, I should have made this more clear. We CAN afford to live on one income, but it's harder while paying a few different debt payments - if we could just pay off a couple things, it would free up a lot of money.

And that was our rationale for buying as well, we can find a house with a similar mortgage to what we pay in rent. And yes, we are a part of a few first-time home buyers programs.

And just a couple weeks ago we were fine and had an offer written up and everything, but then we had car trouble and blew our savings to fix the car. THAT's why we're struggling now. My husband has a great steady job, it's not like we can't pay the bills or afford the baby a great life - we can and will, it's just at this moment, we're struggling.

@SapphireSun: moving where we live isn't so bad. When we moved into the temp home, it was only about $50 for the truck rental. It's just the work. But we have a lot of family to help with the move.

So I worked for minimum wage while I was pregnant. And it helps out alot. At least for us. That was our grocery money every month, plus some. And at the time I didn't have a license, so I took a bud to work every day. Some mornings I worked at 6 am, and took a bus, and I had to walk pregnant in the summer heat 4 blocks to catch a bus home. But it all worked out. So it can be done.

But if you aren't willing to work, then I don't really know. I guess you can live in a room. It might be awkward, and cramped, but if thats your only choice then so be it. It's not like it will be permanent. It will all work out in the end.