Shopping is still a challenge, but paying in cash really compels you to weigh whether you MUST have something or not. Shopping with coupons isn t just limited to the grocery, either. I do a lot of bargain shopping online using coupon codes, most the time for way lower of a price than I could have got in a store. WIC provides food vouchers for free items like milk, cheese, beans, cereal, eggs, peanut butter and so on, and could really be an aid to your grocery bill. The program is income based, with pretty liberal limits.
Health insurance is often an issue as well when one parent decides to stay at home.
For my family, it was a major factor since we got insurance through my job. Again, there are public assistance programs that may help with insurance for your child for little or even no cost. Finally, some states do pay unemployment to employees who elect to quit to stay at home and care for their child. Check with your state's Web site for more information on the programs your might be able to take advantage of. Living within your means Housing, because of its permanence, is a tough debt to reduce very quickly.