Yes, sometimes being at home is less expensive than working, especially when you add up all the extras. I always looked forward to the summers when I wasn't teaching, because I saved a lot of money then. The most obvious and a big chunk, was daycare for my daughter. That hour and a half after school cost a lot!

Even when we were out in the motorhome, we spent a lot less eating, because I cooked 3 meals most days from scratch, and we picked wild berries and stopped at the fruit and produce stands along the way. Our utility bills at home were minimal, and we seldom spent money on resorts, choosing instead to use BLM and park campsites. Our only real summer expense was gasoline.