Contributing Financially

For the last few weeks, I’ve been studying A Wife after God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George. One idea she presents is that as wives we contribute greatly to our husbands and household budgets by being wise, thrifty, and diligent in managing our home.

How true this is – and how easy it is for me to forget it.

For nearly two years, we lived on my income, while my husband managed the home and the kids. When he would get upset over not being the “provider”, I’d remind him how much he was providing for us. We weren’t paying child care for 4 kids. He was cooking our meals, often from scratch, and doing the household chores (much better than I!). He was saving us thousands each month! And – he was eliminating huge child care related stresses that I would have otherwise had to deal with, making it much easier for me to work.

So in realigning my life, I need to remember this. Especially when I am stressing over how to meet the income requirements he asked me to meet as a freelancer. I can contribute not only monetarily but also in savings. I need to look at how I am spending my time and determine if it is better to spend the time savings us money or earning us money.

For example, I can have fun spending time with the kids making convenience foods (mixes, frozen meals, etc) or I can spend energy working (which causes to us to use store-bought convenience foods or eat out more). There is a balance to find here too.

>>>>Quotes of the Day>>>>
“You contribute even more by heartily supporting your husband…as he puts forth the effort and hours – to do his part in providing for your family” – Elizabeth George in A Wife after God’s Own Heart

“You contribute much to your husband by the wise, thrifty diligent management and oversight of your part of the household budget…”
- Elizabeth George in A Wife after God’s Own Heart