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Many argue that being a stay-at-home mom is harder work than going into an office. There are no financial benefits, no paycheck, barely any time off, and often, very little thanks. Previous research has found that a SAHM’s salary should actually be over $145,000 a year if you factor in all the roles and tasks she performs.
One woman says she’s been a SAHM for more than 10 years. She’s always depended on her husband financially and doesn’t even have her own bank card. The mom of two was left reeling recently when her husband said he wants a divorce and would be cutting off her access to his finances. In a TikTok video, the woman has warned others of the dangers of being a SAHM, but not everyone feels sorry for her.
RELATED:
This stay-at-home mom has always depended on her husband for money, but now he wants a divorce
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
She’s 37 with 2 kids, no income, no safety net, and doesn’t even have her own bank account
Image credits: cortneygetsfit
Image credits: jet-po / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: cortneygetsfit
And you can watch her video here:
@cortneygetsfit I never thought I’d be here. 37 years old. Two kids. No income. No safety net. And suddenly being told I need to ‘use my own card’ when I don’t even HAVE one. This is the reality for so many stay-at-home moms — and nobody prepares us for it. Maybe this is why I’ve been drowning in anxiety and depression. But I’m sharing it because too many of us are suffering in silence. If you’re going through something similar, you’re not alone. We deserve security. We deserve support. We deserve to feel safe starting over. #sahm#womenempowerment#divorcesupport#mentalhealthmatters#momsoftiktok @Cortney Gets Fit ♬ original sound – Cortney Gets Fit
A stay-at-home mom could, or should, earn around $145,235 annually, if not more
It is said that a mother’s work is never done. And some might even argue that even that is an understatement. One report found that the work mothers do in and around the home could be worth the equivalent of a six-figure salary.
The Insure.com Mother’s Day Index revealed that a stay-at-home mom could, or should, earn around $145,235 a year, if not more. That figure is up 4% from 2024.
These figures aren’t just thumb-sucked. The team uses data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, along with hourly rates, to work out the salary.
“Stay-at-home mothers juggle multiple jobs behind the scenes without compensation,” says Insure.com Managing Editor Nupur Gambhir. “The Mother’s Day Index is our way of recognizing some of the economic value of caregivers – their extraordinary workload would easily earn them six figures in the job market.”
As many moms will tell you, they’re juggling dozens of tasks daily. They’re chefs, childminders, cleaners, hairdressers, stylists, and even mental health counselors, to name a few.
According to Insure.com, many of the jobs a mom does have seen rises in their average hourly rate over the last year. This, in turn, pushed up the amount of money a mom should be paid.
Image credits: Kireyonok_Yuliya / freepik (not the actual photo)
Here’s a breakdown of a SAHM’s potential salary, based on their many jobs:
- Accountant/Auditor: 0.5 hours per week, $1,169 annual wage
- Baker: 3 hours per week, $435 annual wage
- Chauffeurs: 9 hours per week, $8,794 annual wage
- Childcare Worker: 40 hours per week, $33,134 annual wage
- Cook: 14 hours per week, $12,478 annual wage
- Elementary School Teacher: 20 hours per week, $24,156 annual wage
- Hairdresser: 0.5 hours per week, $543 annual wage
- Judge: 3 hours per week, $10,320 annual wage
- Landscaping: 1 hour per week, $1,022 annual wage
- Laundry Workers: 4 hours per week, $3,268 annual wage
- Licensed Nurse: 2 hours per week, $740 annual wage
- Maids/Housekeeping: 10 hours per week, $9,043 annual wage
- Meeting & Convention: 8 hours per week, $2,003 annual wage
- Mental Health Counselor: 5 hours per week, $5,584 annual wage
- Social Service Specialist: 40 hours per week, $13,459 annual wage
- Other Designers: 5 hours per week, $1,500 annual wage
- Other Teachers: 10 hours per week, $13,768 annual wage
- Personal Care Aides: 3 hours per week, $2,624 annual wage
- Private Detective: 5 hours per week, $1,186 annual wage
These are the figures listed on the Insure.com 2025 Mother’s Day Index.
Together, it totals 183 hours per week on average, and is equal to an annual salary of $145,235. But as we know, most of, if not all of this work is performed for free.
People were divided, with some saying the woman should have known better
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What do you think ?
Dilly Millandry 1 hour ago
To be pedantic (and I feel like being pedantic as I've been up all night with my dog who has cystitis so my mood is grim!) if your eldest child is 7 you have not been a SAHM for 10+ years. Clearly wanted the seemingly easier option of being supported and not working. Daft to sign a prenup and have no way of supporting yourself should the relationship fail. Don't do this people! Make sure you can always find a way to support yourself. She'll need to find a job, she has transferable skills (see that list!).
sturmwesen 1 hour ago
SAHM and prenup that gives her nothing? How stupid can you be? Hasn't the generation of divorced, jobless mothers before you taught you anything? This is exactly why I want women to think d**n hard before giving up your job and/or studies/schooling.
StrangeOne 1 hour ago (edited)
Is this satire? Are the replies for real? No one prepared her? Really? My mom always told me to make sure I have my own money, my own bank account and never share credit with a spouse. Just because you're a SAHM doesn't mean you can't have your own bank account, your own credit cards, your own source of income, even if it means tax credits. Agree on who takes care of rent and who takes care of the bills. In the meantime, build skills you can use at a job, volunteer, take some courses. My recommendation is a CPR and first aid course. This can be useful at many jobs. Take a computer and business course. Anything that can be used in various fields of work. It can save you from having to resort to working at dead-end, entry level, minimum wage jobs in your middle years. Not that there's any shame with that, but, from experience, it's definitely not ideal for supporting a family. Create a safety net. IF things go south, where will you be able to go, and how long will you be able to stay there?
Dilly Millandry 1 hour ago
To be pedantic (and I feel like being pedantic as I've been up all night with my dog who has cystitis so my mood is grim!) if your eldest child is 7 you have not been a SAHM for 10+ years. Clearly wanted the seemingly easier option of being supported and not working. Daft to sign a prenup and have no way of supporting yourself should the relationship fail. Don't do this people! Make sure you can always find a way to support yourself. She'll need to find a job, she has transferable skills (see that list!).
sturmwesen 1 hour ago
SAHM and prenup that gives her nothing? How stupid can you be? Hasn't the generation of divorced, jobless mothers before you taught you anything? This is exactly why I want women to think d**n hard before giving up your job and/or studies/schooling.
StrangeOne 1 hour ago (edited)
Is this satire? Are the replies for real? No one prepared her? Really? My mom always told me to make sure I have my own money, my own bank account and never share credit with a spouse. Just because you're a SAHM doesn't mean you can't have your own bank account, your own credit cards, your own source of income, even if it means tax credits. Agree on who takes care of rent and who takes care of the bills. In the meantime, build skills you can use at a job, volunteer, take some courses. My recommendation is a CPR and first aid course. This can be useful at many jobs. Take a computer and business course. Anything that can be used in various fields of work. It can save you from having to resort to working at dead-end, entry level, minimum wage jobs in your middle years. Not that there's any shame with that, but, from experience, it's definitely not ideal for supporting a family. Create a safety net. IF things go south, where will you be able to go, and how long will you be able to stay there?
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