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How to Win at Family Finances with a Single Income

Admin • February 2, 2024

Deciding to have one spouse stay home with the kids while the other spouse works is a big decision. While there are many benefits for your family, it also means living on a single income. For many families, this transition can be challenging from a financial perspective. However, with some planning, lifestyle adjustments, and clever strategies, you can thrive on one income — even with kids! 

So let’s explore the dynamics of single-income households, talk about some helpful financial planning tips, and review the key strategies for thriving as a single-income family. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or a working parent, understanding the financial implications and planning ahead is crucial for a secure future.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Single Income

Managing a household on a single income, whether due to choice or circumstance, comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. 

Advantages of a Single-Income Family:

  1. Quality Time with Family: In a single-income household, one parent can devote more time to family activities and child-rearing, strengthening family bonds and creating lasting memories.
  2. Streamlined Lifestyle: With a single income, families often become more intentional about spending, focusing on needs over wants, which can lead to a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle.
  3. Flexibility for Pursuing Passions: For the stay-at-home parent, having a single income can open doors to explore personal passions, hobbies, or even side businesses without the constant pressure of a 9-to-5 job.
  4. Potential Cost Savings : With one parent staying home, the cost savings for childcare can be huge! According to ValuePenguin , the average cost in the United States for full-time childcare for one child is $9,991 per year. Depending on your state, that cost could be even higher.  

Disadvantages of a Single-Income Family:

  1. Financial Strain: The most apparent challenge is the financial strain that can potentially come with relying on a single income. Budgeting becomes crucial to make ends meet and plan for future goals.
  2. Dependency on One Income Source: Single-income households are more vulnerable to economic downturns, job loss, or unexpected expenses. Diversifying income streams becomes essential for financial security.
  3. Career Sacrifices: The working parent (particularly in a single-parent situation) may face limitations in career advancement or opportunities for professional growth due to the primary focus on family responsibilities.

Tips for Thriving on a Single Income 

Thriving on a single income requires careful financial management and planning. Whether you’re a working parent with a stay-at-home spouse or a single parent living on one income, here are some tips to help you thrive in a single-income household:

Evaluate Your Budget and Expenses

First things first: Take a good, hard look at your family’s budget and expenses. Where is your money going each month? Are there areas you can cut back in order to save? Even minor lifestyle tweaks can make a difference. 

For example, can you cut your grocery bill by meal planning, using coupons, or buying generic brands? Evaluating every expense and analyzing if there are wiser financial alternatives is essential.

Use a Budgeting System

Get serious about budgeting, and find a system that works best for your family. Popular options include the 50/30/20 budget, zero-based budget, the reverse budget , and the envelope system. While budgeting takes some time upfront, committing to a plan is crucial.

Stick To Needs vs Wants  

When money is not as plentiful, it’s critical to differentiate between needs and wants across all spending categories. Focus household spending on true needs — food, housing, transportation, utilities, insurance, debt payments, healthcare, etc. 

Wants like dining out, vacations, new gadgets, and hobbies may need to take a backseat. Create limits for discretionary categories until your income increases. Focus on spending on essential needs to help your one-income household thrive.

Lower Transportation Costs 

Getting around is likely your second biggest budget line item behind housing. So, put your transportation costs under the microscope as well. Could your family manage well on one car instead of two? Can you downsize to a more economical used car? Is public transportation a reasonable option for commuting? What about biking places when the weather permits, or carpooling with other families? 

Gas prices and car maintenance add up quickly. So, rethinking your transportation strategy can lead to significant monthly savings.

Take Advantage of Tax Deductions 

As a single-income family, take advantage of all the tax deductions and credits available to you to reduce your taxable income as much as possible each year. As the sole breadwinner, deductions your working spouse can take might include a portion of your mortgage interest, property taxes, student loan interest, and medical expenses. 

Many child-related tax benefits (state and federal) have increased in recent years, providing extra relief for single-income families trying to make ends meet. Make sure to keep good records to claim these deductions and credits. Every little bit helps!

Create New Income Streams  

While one spouse may provide the primary income, getting creative about bringing in secondary streams can significantly help ease the financial burden. Exploring opportunities for additional income from a side hustle can provide extra financial support. So explore your skills and interests to see if you can put them to work for your family.

Find Community Support

 

It can feel isolating and overwhelming at times to live on a single income. Connecting with others who “get it” is tremendously helpful. Join online groups of one-income families to swap money-saving tips and encouragement. Meet up with local stay-at-home parent groups for moral support, too.

 

Don’t Forget the Future

It’s essential to also plan for the future. Building a robust emergency fund is crucial to weather unexpected financial challenges — plan for three to six months’ worth of expenses in your emergency fund.

Remember to also add to a retirement account. Small, automatic deductions from each paycheck invested over decades can lead to significant gains. Even if only one spouse works, the non-working spouse can usually contribute to an IRA. Check with your financial advisor for special rules that may apply.

Also, consider the potential of passive income streams down the road, such as rental properties or monetizing a hobby. These additional income streams can also help to build your retirement funds.

Let Five Pine Help Your Finances Thrive

 

Living on one income will require adjustments to your family’s lifestyle and spending patterns. At Five Pine Wealth Management , we’ll work with you to develop a financial plan that will help you thrive and achieve your long-term financial goals on a single-family income. As fiduciary financial advisors, we are dedicated to acting in your best interest, offering guidance specific to your circumstances. To schedule a meeting, send an email or call us at 877.333.1015. Let us help you create a fulfilling life for yourself and your family.

 

The Best Long-Term Investment Strategy? Stay Invested, Stay Calm

June 20, 2025
When markets are calm, investing can feel easy. You contribute regularly, watch your portfolio grow, and start picturing that future vacation home or early retirement. But when markets get volatile, everything changes. Suddenly, headlines are full of dire warnings. Account balances fluctuate. And the urge to do something can feel overwhelming. At Five Pine Wealth Management , we understand how emotional investing can become during periods of market uncertainty. One of the most important things we do as fiduciary financial planners is to help our clients stay grounded when the market gets choppy. Let’s walk you through how we approach investment risk management and why having a clear, disciplined philosophy matters most when volatility strikes. Our Philosophy: Think Long-Term, Not Next Week When markets are moving fast, it is easy to think that the “best long-term investment strategy” must involve taking action to avoid losses or chase gains. The reality is usually the opposite. Reacting to market noise can often do more harm than good. In fact, one of the greatest risks to long-term returns is making emotional decisions in response to short-term events. We coach our clients to stay focused on their long-term financial plans and goals. Volatility is a feature of markets, not a flaw. By designing portfolios with realistic expectations for ups and downs, we help clients stay invested through all market environments. Here is what this looks like in practice: We use broadly diversified portfolios built around low-cost ETFs. We focus on asset allocation aligned with your time horizon, goals, and risk tolerance. We do not chase trends or attempt to time the market. We regularly review and rebalance portfolios based on your financial plan, not headlines. In short, your portfolio is designed to ride out volatility, not avoid it entirely. Fiduciary Financial Planning: Advice in Your Best Interest There is a great deal of noise in the financial world, particularly during turbulent market conditions. One of the most significant ways we help cut through it is by being fiduciary financial planners. That means we are legally and ethically obligated to act in your best interest at all times. We are also fee-only advisors. We do not receive commissions for recommending one investment over another. Our primary agenda is to help you reach your goals. During market volatility, this matters more than ever. Too many investors fall prey to sales pitches disguised as “solutions” to market risk. We focus on education and long-term planning rather than quick fixes. Being a fiduciary allows us to focus on what serves you best: Keeping you aligned with your personal goals and values Helping you tune out market noise and media hype Offering sound, research-backed guidance without conflicts of interest Your Coach Through Emotional Market Cycles One of our most important roles as financial planners is helping clients manage the psychological side of investing. It is one thing to know, intellectually, that markets will recover over time. It is another thing to watch your portfolio drop 15% and not feel anxious. Market downturns create powerful emotions. Fear. Doubt. Sometimes, even panic. As humans, our instinct is to take action to relieve those feelings, even when the logical course is to stay invested. That is where we come in. We help coach clients through these moments so they can avoid costly mistakes like: Selling during a downturn and locking in losses Chasing the next hot trend during a rebound Over-concentration in “safe” assets out of fear We remind clients that volatility is a normal part of the market. Markets have experienced recessions, wars, pandemics, and political turmoil before. They will again. Over time, markets have historically rewarded patient investors who stayed the course. When you work with us, you gain a trusted partner who is here to talk through your concerns, offer perspective, and help you make decisions that serve your long-term goals. Why Staying the Course Actually Works It may seem counterintuitive, but reducing activity during market volatility often yields better outcomes. Consider this: From 1999 through 2018, if an investor missed just the 10 best days in the S&P 500, their overall return would have been cut nearly in half . Many of the best market days happen very close to the worst ones. Trying to time the market is a challenging task, even for seasoned professionals. By maintaining a disciplined investment approach and staying fully invested, you ensure that you are there for both the recoveries and the long-term growth that markets provide. Our role is to help you build a portfolio designed for precisely this kind of staying power. We structure your investment mix to help you weather market cycles without having to guess what will happen next. Educating Clients About Normal Market Cycles Another key aspect of fiduciary financial planning is helping clients understand what is “normal” in the market. Volatility is not a sign that something is broken. It is a natural part of how markets function. In fact, without volatility, markets would not offer the returns that make long-term investing so powerful. We work with clients to help them see: Why some years will be down, but others will be very strong Why trying to avoid all losses is neither realistic nor necessary How staying invested through cycles often leads to far better outcomes than jumping in and out of the market Perspective is everything . The more you understand market behavior, the less likely you are to make emotional decisions during downturns. Different Stages, Same Principles Our approach also adapts to the varying needs of clients at different stages of their financial journey. For clients in their 40s to 60s: We may focus on prudently preserving and growing wealth. We help manage sequence-of-returns risk as you approach retirement. We may emphasize income planning and portfolio sustainability. We ensure that your investment mix aligns with your evolving goals and risk tolerance. For clients in their 30s: We provide education about typical market cycles (especially if this is their first experience with volatility). We coach clients to take advantage of their longer time horizons. We help younger investors see downturns as buying opportunities, not threats. In all cases, we are committed to helping clients invest with confidence, regardless of the headlines. Ready to Build a More Resilient Investment Strategy? Market volatility will always be part of investing, but it doesn't have to derail your financial goals. As your trusted financial advisor Coeur d'Alene team, we're here to help you navigate market uncertainty with confidence through our comprehensive financial planning approach. Contact Five Pine Wealth Management today to discuss how our investment philosophy and comprehensive financial planning approach can help you navigate market uncertainty with confidence. To see how we can help you support your financial goals, send us an email or call us at 877.333.1015.  Whether you're looking to preserve the wealth you've already accumulated or build a foundation for long-term growth, our team has the experience and commitment to help you stay focused on what matters most: achieving your financial goals.

From Full House to Financial Freedom: Smart Money Moves for Empty Nesters

May 23, 2025
The day your last child leaves home hits differently. It’s not just about the quiet hallways or fewer groceries in the cart. It’s the moment you realize that the life you’ve known for 20+ years is evolving into something new. For many, that change is deeply emotional. But it’s also a golden opportunity. At Five Pine Wealth Management, we work with parents who are entering this new season of life. Maybe you’re celebrating. Perhaps you’re feeling uncertain. Likely, you’re feeling a mix of both. This new chapter comes with financial freedom and decisions to match wherever you land. Let’s explore the smart financial moves you can make as empty nesters. Empty Nesters: A New Financial Season Meet Rob and Dana. After 25 years of raising three kids, their youngest finally left for college last fall. Their house, once bustling with backpacks, soccer cleats, and half-eaten cereal bowls, suddenly felt oversized and eerily quiet. They weren’t used to grocery bills being cut in half or weekends without games and activities. But what really surprised them? Just how much less money was going out each month. They came to us with a familiar feeling: a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "We think we're in a good place," Dana said. "But are we doing what we should be doing?" This is where a financial check-in becomes vital. With fewer day-to-day expenses and more flexibility, this is a time to refocus your finances. Here’s where to focus: Revisit your monthly budget. Your spending needs have probably changed. Without dependents at home, you may find new flexibility. Redirect those dollars toward long-term goals. Refresh your financial goals. That dream trip to Italy or the kitchen renovation you’ve put off? Let’s pencil it in, but also ensure your retirement accounts are getting the love they need. Update your estate plan. Now that the kids are young adults, your wills, healthcare directives, and beneficiaries may need adjusting. Freedom looks different for everyone, but for many, it starts with clarity. Pre-Retirement Planning: Your Next Big Financial Milestone For most empty nesters, retirement is no longer a distant concept—it’s getting real. Pre-retirement planning becomes a critical focus, especially in your late 40s to mid-60s. This is often the highest-earning period of your life and the sweet spot for pre-retirement planning. Here’s what we help our clients prioritize: Maximizing retirement contributions : As an empty nester, your cash flow could increase by 12% or more . Now’s the time to supercharge your 401(k), IRA, or other investment accounts with that extra cash. If you’re 50 or older, take advantage of catch-up contributions. Evaluating your risk exposure : Is your portfolio still aligned with your risk tolerance and timeline? Consider your tax strategy: With fewer deductions (like kids at home) and possibly a high-earning year, you may want to explore Roth conversions, charitable giving, or other tax-aware strategies. Running retirement projections : We help clients answer big-picture questions like: When can I retire? Will I have enough? What lifestyle can I realistically support? These aren’t always easy questions, but they’re essential. Planning for healthcare : Don’t wait until 65 to think about Medicare. Explore long-term care insurance and out-of-pocket expectations now. Rob and Dana sat down with us to run a retirement analysis. With only 8 years until Rob planned to retire, we helped them rebalance their portfolio to reduce risk, evaluate their pension and Social Security options, and make a plan to pay off their mortgage early. The result? They now have a clear retirement date and peace of mind. Should I Downsize My Home? One of the most common questions we get from empty nesters is, “Should I downsize my home?” It’s not just a financial question. It’s an emotional one, too. That house holds birthday parties, graduation photos on the stairs, and a dent in the drywall from a wild game of indoor tag. But it may also hold higher property taxes, more space than you use, and maintenance costs that don’t serve your current lifestyle. When deciding whether to downsize, we walk clients through: Total cost of ownership : What are you paying for the space? Emotional readiness : Are you ready to let go of the home? What would moving free up? : Cash for retirement? A move to your dream location? Family needs : Will your kids (or grandkids) be visiting regularly? Would a smaller home still support that? Downsizing doesn’t always mean moving into a tiny condo. Sometimes it means relocating to a one-level home with less yard or trading square footage for a better lifestyle. For Rob and Dana, downsizing meant moving to a townhome closer to their daughter and walkable to their favorite coffee shop, all while cutting their housing costs by nearly 35%. Give Yourself Permission to Dream Again One of our favorite things about working with empty nesters is helping them rediscover what they want. For years, life revolved around the kids. College tours. Dance recitals. Saturday mornings spent on the soccer sidelines. You were investing in their future. Now, it’s time to invest in yours. That might mean: Launching the business you put on hold Traveling during off-peak seasons (because you can!) Picking up a new hobby or volunteering more Creating a legacy through charitable giving or a family foundation Whatever it is, we want to help you align your money with your vision. Ready to Rethink the Next Chapter? This stage of life is full of opportunities, but it can also raise big questions. The good news is you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Whether you're considering downsizing, exploring early retirement, or just want to know you’re on the right path, Five Pine Wealth Management is here to help you plan wisely, invest intentionally, and live fully.  Take advantage of this pivotal financial moment. Call (877.333.1015) or email us today to schedule your empty nester strategy session. The empty nest doesn't have to feel empty. It can be the launch pad for your next chapter of financial success.