Josh Duggar Spotted Out With His Wife: Were They Spending Anna’s TLC Paycheck?

Josh Duggar was spotted out and about for the first time after returning home from a faith-based treatment center, and he and his wife were indulging in a little retail therapy. According to an eyewitness, Josh and Anna Duggar spent Saturday afternoon browsing a furniture store.

A Previously.TV forum poster going by the screen name MrsJumbo reports that she saw Josh and Anna Duggar passing their baby daughter, Meredith, back and forth while they chatted with another couple at the Springdale, Arkansas furniture store. They were reportedly there with Anna’s sister Priscilla and her husband, David Waller, who were likely in town for the Easter holiday.

“Anna was decked out in leather jacket, knee length skirt & ankle booties & full makeup. She looked prettier & thinner than she does on tv. (Making me wonder if the rumor that she is trying to look good for Smugs is true),” the comment read.

“Smugger looked MUCH thinner than on tv. Maybe the stress is getting to him. They both looked happy & were passing the baby back & forth while they were talking with the other couple.”

“Smuggar,” or “Smugs,” is a nickname some internet commenters use to refer to Josh Duggar, and there are rumors that Anna Duggar tried to lose weight while her husband was gone. She reportedly thinks that she can save her marriage by changing her appearance.

The Previously.TV forum commenter revealed that she saw Anna and Josh Duggar at Sam’s Furniture, which is owned by a close friend of the Duggars named Joe Donaldson. Back in January, Donaldson attended the Fox Business GOP Presidential Debate with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

It’s possible that Josh and Anna were at Sam’s to purchase furnishings for their new home, even though Josh might not have a steady income at the moment. Last May, the oldest Duggar son resigned from his position with the Family Research Council (FRC) after In Touch Weekly discovered that he had sexually molested five underage girls, four of whom were his younger sisters. The FRC had paid Josh to speak out against gay marriage, other LGBT rights, and abortion.

I’m honored to #March4Marriage today in Washington! @FRCAction pic.twitter.com/1jMrEMp384

— Josh Duggar (@joshduggar) April 25, 2015

TLC cancelled the Duggars’ reality series, 19 Kids and Counting, a few weeks after Josh’s confessions, and things started looking even bleaker for Anna’s husband after Gawker found out that he was paying for an Ashley Madison account. Last August, Josh admitted to being unfaithful to his wife, and he checked himself into a six-month Christian treatment program. According to CBS News, Josh Duggar returned home early this month.

On the set #selfie with @TLC @EricaRHill & @duggarfam #19Kids @JessaSeewald @BenSeewald @SiDuggar! pic.twitter.com/7Oyhk27H19

— Josh Duggar (@joshduggar) May 20, 2015

There’s no word on exactly how Josh plans on providing for his family now that he’s home, but he can always help out with the family real estate business if he can’t find employment elsewhere. People confirmed that Josh won’t be getting a paycheck for appearing on the family’s new TLC series, Jill & Jessa: Counting On, but he’s still financially benefiting from Anna’s multiple appearances on the show.

It’s no secret that the Duggars have subscribed to a patriarchal brand of Christianity that dictates that men should be the breadwinners of their families, so it’s likely expected of Josh that he make more money than his wife. According to Life & Style (via the Hollywood Gossip), Josh believes that he can do this through paid public speaking gigs. He would only speak in front of sympathetic audiences full of those who share his family’s beliefs, and he would presumably try to convince them that his faith helped him turn his life around.

“He’s considering going on a public speaking circuit,” an insider revealed.

“He has to make money and this could be very lucrative for him. It’s likely Josh will travel the world to talk at Christian fundamentalist events this year.”

There’s no word on where Anna and Josh Duggar plan on living while they try to rebuild their marriage, but Anna didn’t have a home to call her own while Josh was away for half a year. Instead, the mother of four and her children had to crash at Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s house. Anna slept with their daughters in the girls’ dorm.

Josh Duggar probably isn’t in a hurry to step back into the spotlight, as he’s currently too busy furnishing his new house and getting to know the baby daughter that he has spent so little time with. However, his decision to finally come out of self-exile could be a baby step toward reestablishing himself as a public figure who gets paid for delivering speeches.

[Image via Josh Duggar/Twitter]