Zero debt and half our house in my own name, which we’ve already paid off. We are both extremely careful with money, we saved loads when we both worked FT before children.
I get a bit bored on here with people criticising single earner couples. It’s actually much more financially prudent, as we have never overstretched ourselves. Every two-earner couple we know has taken on mortgages which are way too big and are in so much debt with car loans, credit cards, things we’ve refused to engage with. None of them could sustain their current lifestyle if one of them was suddenly made redundant or became too unwell to work.
We both lost a parent as children, and I know that if I died, my husband could afford to drop to 3-4 days and spend more time at home. Similarly, I could return easily to my prior career or similar earning less now, to care for my husband if he ever became too unwell to work. We’ve never liked the idea of both of our salaries being relied upon in case something goes wrong. We have a buffer in each other.
It also annoys me that SAHPs are criticised for being ‘dependent’ by people who have no problem remaining highly dependent on their own ageing parents/ILs. Relying on them for substantial childcare, help with clubs, homework, cooking and cleaning. It seems some of these women think all this is fine if done by a Grandmother, who has already spent years raising children, but not the actual mother!