Hey guys, I'm just looking for some thoughts on our situation if you have a moment.
Income
Me: Monthly take home pay $1310 ($300 already subtracted for health insurance, $100 for 401k, $50 for PA529, $20 for FSA)
Husband: Monthly take home pay $3080 ($150 already subtracted for 401k)
Total: $4390
I work 16 miles from home for $13.89/hr (social work)
My husband works 19 miles from home at his main job for $15/hr (retail asst mgr) and 43 miles away one day a week for a church gig. The church gig pays $13,500/year for 5 hours of his time a week (that includes the travel time) so it would be a huge hit to lose it. He could try to find work at a closer church but if you know churches, they do NOT pay that well. He really lucked out with this gig.
Expenses:
Rent $1145
Electric $100
House Gas $50
Water/Sewer $45
Trash $25
Cell Phones $140
Internet $50
Netflix $8
Student Loans $350
Car Loan $285
Car Insurance $146
Food $350
Car Gas $250
Day Care $700
Total: $3644
Leftover: $746
Some notes
Our plan is to put the leftover every month toward our student loans. But often there is not $746 left over. That money goes to miscellaneous or unexpected purchases like diapers, medical (we're just now opening the FSA in 2015,) clothes, the type of things that add up and you don't realize it. Usually about $3-400 leftover. Our loans just came down under $30,000.
I guess my question is what is the best course of action? I know we have some hair on fire stuff going on. And I know we need to get closer to work, but we currently work in opposite directions. Should I quit and stay home with the baby? My husband may soon be offered a job as a store manager 65 miles from home salaried at $55,000/year. Should I quit my job, he quit the church, and we move? I'm having trouble distinguishing if that will be any different from where we're at now, money wise. It would be a step up the ladder for him. Also, we only have a babysitter 3 days a week. The other 2 days my grandparents babysit for free, and if we moved away we would lose that, but I guess I wouldn't be working.
I'm not going to ask you to go easy on us because, like I said, I know we have some hair on fire stuff! But I am just going to ask if you could not be rude about it! Thanks.
ETA I am driving a 2011 Mazda2 and my husband is driving a 2010 Toyota Corolla. Both manual transmission. We generally get anywhere between 35-40 mpg. His car is paid off, mine has the loan. It's 0% interest but I still have 2 years to pay on it.