Let’s start 2023 by dissecting what made marriages stronger 60-80 years ago. These topics are sensitive, but let’s focus on the financial side of the house.
Somewhere along the lines, someone convinced the middle class that having two working parents was the path to financial success.
But will having two working parents lead to marital bliss? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. I believe one parent should stay home; however, they still can produce income.
Retire Rich, Retire Comfortable with a Business 2
Two working parents and the suburbs. The best book to read on the rise of dual-income households is “The Two-Income Trap” by Elizabeth Warren.
Initially, having two incomes gave families an advantage as they moved into the suburbs. However, over time, wages went down, and prices went up.
Today, it is almost a requirement for each household to have two incomes. Or is it? First, what are the benefits of having one parent stay home?
My story. I am 41 years old, and my wife and I have been married for 17 years. I met my wife overseas on a military assignment.
How to Start Dividend Investing 104: Choosing Your Stocks
My mom moved in with us early in our marriage, and my wife wanted to work. My wife strived to reach higher management positions for a while, but this made her unhappy.
The constant work-related pressures distracted her from the ability to foster a loving household. My wife still works but does not want to achieve high levels of management.
In essence, she found the quiet quitting movement almost five years ago. Quiet quitting is not about being a bad worker but shifting your life’s purpose to other areas (like family).
The real power couple. Having two powerful employees in the workforce will not make your marriage successful.
Introduction to Living Overseas on Passive Income
In fact, it will make it much harder for your marriage to thrive. I continue to serve in the military after 23 years because I have 100% support from my wife and family.
If she tried to grow and take her own assignments, we would have conflict continuously. Also, it would be hard for her to assist my kids in all aspects of their lives.
Even without kids, marriage works best with someone building in the workforce or business and someone in a support role.
This has nothing to do with gender roles. You must decide who is best equipped to put in the 50 years of work it requires to succeed.
The workforce becomes more challenging each year you work. It will beat you down and destroy your drive and ambition. But there is a better way.
Happy Cash Flow Retirement 2
The ultimate goal of working is to retire comfortably. Actual power couples understand the power of passive income.
The couple wins if they can build passive income during their employment years. This will free the worker to retire early and also give the homemaker free cash flow (and a mission).
Life never intended for us to spend 50-plus years working for someone else. Owning a business was always the way to financial freedom for one’s family.
The actual power couple follows the seven principles of building wealth. We all must live on a budget, even the stay-at-home parent.
The Business of Being Busy
The fancy stay-at-home parent. There is a shift in the middle-class mindset regarding stay-at-home parents.
For some odd reason, stay-at-home parents are spending more money than their working counterparts.
I have noticed that homemakers are traveling and spending more than ever—even through a recession. They also have far more time than their peers, which can lead to more spending.
We should all enjoy our lives, but there is a purpose to staying home. You can raise your kids (potentially home-schooling them) while building a business.
Blogging to Financial Independence
There is time: don’t worry. I know you are saying, “there is no time to start a business,” but I disagree. I currently work full-time but also write and produce full-time.
Creating a massive backlog of content is the best way to build passive income. You don’t do this at once; you do it incrementally.
Therefore, your mission is to create something every day. It doesn’t have to be a huge project; maybe it’s a short poem or 400-word blog post.
You could complete a coloring book page or record yourself doing homework with your child. It honestly doesn’t matter as long as you’re consistent.
Art Edition: The Biggest Book on Passive Income Ever!
Over the years, you will amass a vast collection and learn new things about yourself. I am two years into my journey and have 1,150 blog posts.
Creation is the key to happiness. We reach our true potential through creativity. Half of our brain is creative, so we must flex these muscles every day.
So while one parent is climbing the corporate ladder, the other is raising the kids and slowly starting a business.
This may take ten years to come to fruition, but it will happen. Now imagine ten years when the worker is up for promotion.
Real Estate is a Mindset (Beginner)
Let’s say their job offers them a promotion, but it requires lots of travel. However, the stay-at-home parent makes $5,000/month from their business.
The power couple can now CHOOSE the best path forward. The worker may take the position to increase the household savings rate—allowing them to retire early.
Maybe they don’t take the promotion and can stay with the family and help with the business. The most important aspect is that they created opportunities for choice.
Conclusion. Having two working parents with big careers leaves you little choice. There has never been a better time to make money from home, but it takes time and consistency.
52 Weeks of the Dividend Challenge
As you start your marriage, lay your expectations on the table. If you both have the same plan of building a career, it’ll be a tough marriage.
However, you’ll survive and thrive if you put your marriage above all. The easiest way to get on the same page is to choose a passive income number where you can both retire.
Let’s say the number is $10,000/month total. Now, you both are on the same mission. Perhaps one person’s goal is to work and invest in dividends.
The other person’s goal is to build $5,000/month in passive income by releasing music. You each plan for this to take 20 years.
You can reach these numbers sooner than 20 years because you are on the same page. This scenario is an example of a real power couple with a plan. Good Luck!
- PDF of the Month: Don’t Gamble with Retirement 9 (Free 394-Page PDF)
- Free PDF Downloads: Download FREE PDF LIST here
- Financial Mindset: Become CEO of Yourself 2 (Free 196-Page PDF)
- Retirement Planning: Your Retirement Planning Guide 2 (Free 255-Page PDF)
- Investing: How We Plan to Retire on Dividends 4 (Free 139-Page PDF)
- Cryptocurrencies: Counting on Crypto 2 (Free 159-Page PDF)
- Real Estate: Financial Independence through Real Estate 4 (Free 112-Page PDF)
- Business: Retire Rich, Retire Comfortable with a Business 4 (Free 149-Page PDF)
- Latest DGWR: Don’t Gamble with Retirement 9 (Free 394-Page PDF)
- Everything!: The Biggest Book on Passive Income Ever 3! (book)(Web Edition)(Art Edition)
- I bought a Kindle Oasis: Check it out on Amazon
- Read My Books for Free: Free Kindle Books Schedule
- Book Design: Design Tips on YouTube
- Kindle Unlimited: Why I Finally Subscribed Kindle Unlimited (learn more)
- Book Reviews: 505 Takeaways from 101 Books (pdf)
- Writing: The Publishing Chronicles (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)
- Best REIT- Fundrise: REITs vs. Homeownership (Join Fundrise)
- Follow us: On our Facebook Page and Join our Facebook Group
- Support the Channel on Cash App: $Kingmarine1981
- For more detailed analysis, join my Youtube: MFI YouTube Channel
Monthly Dividend Tracker Template: Buy on Etsy
Disclosure: I am not a financial advisor or money manager, and any knowledge is given as guidance and not direct actionable investment advice. I am an Amazon Affiliate. Please research any investment vehicles that are being considered. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. All Right Reserved Military Family Investing
Leave a Reply