Dont know if its worth it...

[juicychops]

Ive picked the nursery im gunna send ds to. he is 6 months and i just feel i need to work at least part tim just to feel normal again and to get away from stresses of being a mum. Also to help a bit with the bills as we are in a lot of debt.

Im not sure whether to go back full or part time. I can either do 1-5 full days, or mornings or afternoons. I have office experience and retail experience. I would prefer to work in a shop again... preferably John Lewis where i have worked in the past as they do flexi hours and its quite good pay. But when i work out what id get paid and then take off tax and NI and then nursery costs, i wouldn't be making hardly anything!!

Can anyone give me any advice on a descent paid part time job and advice on whether to work a few full days, or a few half days per week. I just dont know and im all confused. I really NEED to do some kind of work no matter how few hours it is but it needs to be worth my while too.

[Frizbe]

Make sure your claiming your tax credits, as these will give you monies back towards your childcare.

[SoftFroggie]

Due to the way tax allowance works, you actually take home more per hour the fewer hours you work.

If your journey to work take much time, working full days is better than working half-days, especially if by the time you've left work at lunchtime and got to the nursery you'd have to pay for the whole day anyway. And IME it's nice to have whole days at home.

And it's usually easier to increase your hours than decrease them, once you've got a job.