You'd also be surprised at how much work costs sometimes. By the time you count daycare for kids [especially if you have 2 or 3], extra gas, possibly a more reliable car if you have a commute, work clothes, lunch out, etc., it's not always financially the best decision. There's a lot of expenses that aren't always immediately apparent. There may be other reasons, but sometimes, the financial aspect of it isn't as big as you might think.
I teach parttime at a community college. Last fall, they gave me three online classes and one seated. I turned the seated one down flat. From a purely financial standpoint, it wasn't worth it. That doesn't include that DS was due the week classes started, though he was early and I would have had to put him in daycare for 9-12 hours a week by the time it was all said and done. After daycare [3 kids] and gas, I would have brought home less than $10 a week which was totally not worth it. And DD6 started kindergarten and I would have gotten out of class less than an hour before her bus would arrive and that would have been pushing it at best.
I'm fortunate in that I can make decent money working from home but I am so ready for our finances to be such that I can stay home and not work at all or work for DH if he starts a private practice etc.
Food for thought
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Carol
