Write What You Know...

Recently, I have been discerning about going back to work outside of the home.  I am pregnant so it would not be until after baby boy is born, more likely at least a year after baby boy is born, as was my original intent with our oldest son.  But living where we do, I could not find a job that would pay enough to make it worth working outside the home.  I have been a stay at home mom since our first son was born in August 2012. 

I have liked staying at home and being the one to raise our son with my husband who is a pastor in a small rural town in what is referred to as North Central Montana.  But I often feel very isolated most days.  Being a city gal in a small rural town has been a challenge.  I am often at a loss for things to do and places to go with our son that don't require driving long distances or spending money.  I am thankful that our son is easily entertained by a trip to the town park or a walk around town.  Otherwise things would really be tough.

The idea of working outside the home is appealing for a couple of reasons.  For one thing, it would force me to leave the house.  Getting out of the house is a lifeline for me.  Even if I don't see anyone, the fresh air and nature are reviving.  But it would be nice to interact with more people, even for a few moments at a time depending on the work I do.  Another thing that makes working outside the home appealing is the second income.  With how bogged down we are in student loan debt these days any and all extra income will be helpful.

Then there is another part of me that loves staying at home with our son, soon to be sons.  I love the fact that I am raising my kids along with my husband.  I love the flexible schedule and not having to accrue time off or lose a days pay because we decide to go somewhere as a family.  The big downside is figuring out how to sanely live on one income with all of our student loan debt.

For the time being I'll be staying at home with our sons.  So what to do then about my anxiety about money?  Well, we have a budget that I meticulously keep track of every month.  I am also looking at work from home options but with my time constraints it is hard to find options that pay well and are flexible time wise. 

One option that I keep coming across is to monetize my blog, which I have already done, or to write what you know and self publish on Amazon.  I love to write and blog, so I am going to see where I can go with this option.  Writing about what I know and sharing those things with others will be an interesting experiment in time management, but I am going to give it a shot.  Maybe I will be successful and I will be able to continue to stay home with the kiddos and alleviate some of my anxiety about money at the same time. 

I have a lot of work to do to get started, so I better get started.