Working SHifts, does it work???

[Skribble]

I have an interveiw next week for a job that involves wotking 4 days on and 4 days off. Day shifts only though 8am - 7am.

Anyone have any experience of this and how it worked with family life. DH works an awful lot Mon - Fri but a lot of evenings and weekends too. Kids have a lot of afternoon activities and I worked out that I would be off for example 4 wednesdays in a row, but then working 4 wednesdays in a row. Not sure how MIL will cope with this, she has them quite a lot anyway, not sure if she will be happy ferrying them to activities more often.

Its such a pain I have been desperate for a job and only 1 I get an interveiw for is 1hr away and involves 11hr shift argh!!! We so need the money to get back on our feet, I don't want to do it for ever perhaps for 1 year.

[Desiderata]

Oh, skribble! If I'm honest, that sounds like a whole load of knackering crap for you, and I would strongly advise you against it.

Something else will turn up. It's an hour away and it's an 11 hr shift. You're going to be too knackered, and unless the roof over your head is threatened by lack of cash, I think you should look for something nearer to home, and with fewer hours.

Do you have any gaps in the day? I've only got the one ds, so it may not be pertinent to your situation, but I do cleaning jobs (very well paid, btw), for a couple of hours when dh gets home from work. I also take ds to one of my cleaning jobs (but I appreciate that would be difficult with more than one if they aren't of school age).

Please have a rethink. I doubt, tbh, that MIL will thank you either ...

[Flibbertyjibbet]

This can't possibly be the only job available? What about the 4 mornings when dp and you both going to work, will they have to go somewhere before school? You will have to leave at 7am to get to work.
Don't make helping out with the children into a chore for MIL or she will resent it.
Also think of the strain on your marriage if you are both essentially working shifts and odd hours.

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

I personally wouldn't work those shifts no - especially with a long commute and very long shift.

Although I must say that it is possible to maintain your marriage (indeed even rebuild it after it nearly falls to pieces - not due to the shifts we were working I hasten to add) working "opposite" shifts. It's hard work - but it can be done

[Desiderata]

I agree with Flib. There must be something else for you to do?

People are desperate for cleaners. You can charge upwards of £6.00 an hour and you can walk if it's in your local area.

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Bit of a hijack here so I apologise but Desi-the cleaning thing sounds pretty good! Tell me more - did you join an agency or?? Am getting quite sick of the stress with my job and clock watching with taking DS to nursery etc....

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

Thread hi-jack (sorry)

Desiderat - tell me about your cleaning jobs (please). I'm going to have to go back to work in February (end of Mat leave) - but not to my old job. Firstly because it was awful, I was treated like cr*p and hated the people I worked for/with (the people I looked after were lovely), and secondly as it was nights - and DH is now doing training at work (and hopefully soon getting a promotion to a Managers position - which could involve staying away for up to a week). Means I can't work nights.

I'm "lost" as to what to do to earn some cash - especially with the DS's to factor in.

[LaDiDaDi]

I work shifts and it's not too bad though I work normal 9-5 days between 13 hour long days and night shifts. It's been how I've always worked since I qualified so I'm totally used to it. It is a pita at times but I really love my job which helps!

I think though that you need to work out how much you would see your dc on those long days. The days when I get fed up at work are when I do three long days in a row at the weekend and I feel like I barely see dd from Friday morning til Monday...lucky for me then I'm off on Monday before I start nights on Monday night . I would find it hard not to see dd at all really for four days in a row.

[Desiderata]

Well, Queeny, you have more than one child, which make it more difficult.

I guess the first question is, do you have parents nearby to look after them for a couple of hours?

This is my week (and I earn upwards of £200.00 a week).

Monday: All day free until dh gets home at 4.30pm. Then off to a lady who looks after dogs when their owners are on holiday. I clean her, (obviously terribly filthy house) for two hours until 7pm, then return home to cooked dinner from dh.

Earnings: £12.00.

Tuesday The same as Monday.

Earnings: £12.00.

Dog lady is over-subscribed with dogs, so I look after mildly mannered little dogs for £15 per day when she needs to off-load a few.

Wednesday Clean my local pub (this is the only day when MIL has dh, for the morning). This takes two hours. From there, I walk a quarter of a mile up the road to clean a batchelor's house who works all the time. His house is immaculate, so there's very little to do apart from ironing a few shirts. Still, being conscientious, I stick it out for two hours, then go and pick up ds. I get £20.00 for 1.5 hours work.

Earnings: £32.00.

Thursday Clean pub, take DS with me. He's been coming with me since he was 3 months old, and is as happy as Larry there. Thursday Evening, back to the dog lady for two hours.

Earnings: £23.00

Friday Clean pub with ds. Rest of the day off.

Earnings: £11.00

Saturday Clean pub (without ds because dh is at home). Usually the evening off, though can often be called to work behind the bar of said pub (then earnings in excess of £30.00 per shift).

Earnings: Minimum £11.00, Maximum £41.00.

Sunday Regular night shift at pub.

Earnings: £27.50.

Disclaimer: I pay tax on some of these jobs, but not all. I don't claim any support from the government.

I guess what my very long post is trying to say is that, if you keep your eyes and ears open, and you have a couple of hours in any given day without children, you can earn money.

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

so are all your cleaning jobs pm then? I don't have family - but I have (very) good friends who would be willing to look after them sometimes. BUT I'm think if I can find something for the mornings then I'll only have DS3 to worry about - as DS1 is at school, and DS2 will be at Nursery (and seen as though we're talking about Feb next year it won't be long after that that DS2 will be at school).

Although I guess I'd still have the holidays to sort......... maybe ot the best idea for me LOL.

[Desiderata]

I think I've been lucky with the way things have panned out for me, tbh. I consider myself to be a SAHM, but I can still earn a buck.

It's a grind working (albeit not constantly) seven days a week, but I certainly couldn't have afforded to put ds in nursery, so was left with little option but to put myself out there.

With regards to cleaning, your best option would be to clean for single men who are out at work when you're there. Offer an ironing service (in their house) ... you'll have to have a set of keys, of course. Single men have a large disposable income, and will pay well over the odds to have someone come in, iron their shirts and water their plants.

Work out what hours you have free, and stick and ad in the local Post Office.

Is it ideal? Of course not, but it's a means to an end.

[Desiderata]

Sorry, Queeny. My pub cleaning job is in the morning, from 9 to 11 or thereabouts. The rest are mid-morning/early evening. The only late nights are the pub shifts.

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

If I stuck a card in the post office advertising my cleaning services, what's the betting that I'd get a bloke wanting more than his plant watering???!!

[Desiderata]

In which case, Crooky, I'd charge £40.00 an hour

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

You know I read about a high class prossie once who didn't even do sex...she just got paid for men to come to her house and clean her skirting boards with cotton wool buds, while she bossed them and wore high heels....

Clean house and money.....sounds alright to me!!!

[Desiderata]

I knew a man like that once, Crook!

Honestly!

[UCM]

Shifts can be good, if I am working nights, I get to see DS in the morning and after he comes home from the CM's at around 3.30.

The worst ones are the late turns, where I leave at 1 and don't come home until 1am. I will not see much of them then

[Skribble]

Goodness I only went to watch Heros.

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Really? Think he would pay me to boss him while he cleans my house?!!! lol!!

[Desiderata]

It's touch, isn't it?

Much as my ds drives me round the bend, I hate being parted from him.

[Desiderata]

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Thing is....not sure my hejab would quite fit in with the dominatrix image.....

That reminds me, I need some new headscarves.....

[Desiderata]

I'll buy you some for Christmas

[UCM]

You have to get them to eat out of the dog bowl whilst wearing a lead. Rolos or summat I read once and then poke them in the head or arse with yer high heels a couple of times.

You get 150 quid and they come on yer lino.

I would do that.

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

Must invite you for tea and cakes before Xmas then....

[CrookshanksinJimmyChoos]

lmao at £150 and they come on your lino!!!!

Quote of the week!