After a few weeks, they decided to actually calculate their bottom line with and without her weekly pay. This should not have been a surprise because there was still no extra funds at end of month. Rachael’s second income necessitated extra expenses resulting in a near-breakeven budget once again.

When you consider hidden expenses of a two-income household you must include obvious ones like child care and commuting costs. Add to this -- order-out lunches, and those quickie dinners like take-out or prepared heat ‘n serve selections. Office clothes and dry cleaning will apply to some.

Increased exposure to common illnesses for child in daycare caused Rachael’s absence from work more often than her single co-worker taking another bite out of her weekly paycheck. Rachael’s second salary pushed them into a higher income tax bracket bringing an added burden at tax time.