I wouldn’t say you’re doing anything “wrong” but you certainly could free up some money. First, while I can appreciate a family contributing a 10% tithe, I would bet on the fact that even God himself wouldn’t want you to do so if it was at the expense of saving for yourself. Why not stop tithing until your student loans are paid off and you and your wife can volunteer your time at your church instead? I kind of doubt you’re going to take that advice so, how about your gas expense. If you are renting, move closer to work. Your grocery bill also seems high for a family of 3. We have 5 in our family and average $400-500. And by the way, I have stayed home full time with my 3 kids ever since my first was born. We have always had life insurance and always contributed to retirement and college funds. Our housing expense is a lot less than yours though due to the fact that we bought pre-bubble and had a large down payment (both of us are big savers). Having me stay home with the kids was always a huge priority for us. So if we couldn’t swing SD on one income, we’d move.
