Am I losing perspective on these jobs offers? I don’t know what to do and running out of time!

I’d take the lower salary for the flexibility

Take the first one. The pay difference is negligible. Presumably it’s more or less the same level song won’t harm career progression. It’s not worth the stress trying to get back for nursery pick up. And as a pp said, you will spend the difference in transport costs.

I’d take job 1 and get my own private health insurance. It’s not that expensive

Go for job 1. The flexibility of working from home is well worth £70 a week.

Are the pension contributions and holiday allowance the same with both? Lunch breaks and hours the exact same? With job 1 is it still possible for you to go into work if you wanted to? Would either expect you to work outside your designated hours?

I would go for the first job I think. Both are well paid, it’s not a massive salary difference and the second one sounds stressful as a single parent. Plus, it’s likely you’ll save money working at home. Add up petrol costs for journeys to and from the office for a month and see what the maths indicates.

A job working from home will let you keep on top of things so much better. Seems an easy choice to me.

I'm a firm believer of being in a job that pays less but you're happier, overall, than a job that pays more but you're miserable in..

Can I ask what you? I knew I was already in the wrong job but this just confirmed 😂..

What percentage is the bonus ? That could make a huge difference.

Job 1 but consider where the office base is in case they change positions on wfh - would that make you worse off than job 2?

Job one definitely, £250 per month to avoid the stress of rushing out the office sometimes mid meeting to make sure you get there before closing time is an absolute bargain. Plus once your DC is at school what with different finishing times, school holidays with holiday clubs with shorter hours etc the benefits of wfh are priceless.

Job one. You will spend much of that £250 on lunches, drinks, impulse buys

Well done OP! Take job two. 250 is a lot per month - over 12 months it's an extra 3k!

Job one. Going into the office 4x a week sounds ok on paper but it's just another layer of faff, commuting costs, traffic, parking, dropping off, picking up.

Assuming "finance job" means in to the city, the traffic should be pretty light from nursery to home in the morning. Or you could move nursery to closer to home?

How long til you need to deal with schools? If starting school in only a year or 2 into the future, take job 1.

I think us Brits place to much importance on career and status. If the lower paid job is enough to pay your bills, have spending money and maybe even save a little, and it's doing something you enjoy them what's wrong with choosing what YOU want over what you think society/family/peers expects you to do? Why should you choose awkwardness in commute and less flexibility over a more relaxed environment and being and to work from home more? Career and advancing yourself isn't as important as we've all been led to think. I benefited greatly from understanding the phrase "enough is a feast". If you've got enough to satisfy your needs with the meal you're given, and you can eat your fill and sit there a bit pogged and happy and full, it doesn't matter whether there's no food left on the table, or whether there's still plates and bowls full in a great big feast of left over food still spread out in front of you. If you've got 'enough' in the first job to satisfy you then there's no benefit in taking the second one just because it's more. Instead choose relaxation and happiness.

If the take homes were under £2k I can see why this extra £250 would be a concern but surely at that salary it’s ‘nothing’. Even add in paying for health insurance for yourself and by the time you’ve saved money in travel and potentially food/coffee when in the office you’d be breaking even more or less.

If it’s a long term job you’ll probably also save on wraparound care in the long run when DD is a bit older and can come home from school instead of having to go to after school till you finish work.

It’s an absolute no brainer if you ask me!

How far is the nursery from home, as assume you'll still have to commute there every day?

The op is talking about salaries of £4k ish net a month.

Do you think it's likely that her annual bonus would be anywhere near buying-a-holiday-home-outright level? 🙄

What would the bonus look like with offer 2.

My neighbours son bought himself a Cornish holiday cottage outright with his bonus last year.

Not that I'm advocating taking homes from Cornish people, but are we talking a few hundred as a bonus or six figures.

I think because you have to drive to nursery anyway and then either back home or to the office, the wfh/commute situation doesn’t make much difference.

for me I found wfh incredibly lonely and isolating. Thought I would love it, I’m not even alone, husband is alone wfh. Still hate it. Turns out I need more from work than just work!

think about which job you prefer. I personally wouldn’t consider the salary (very similar), or commute (as nursery means travel time either way) but would think of the job itself, the company, and if WFH is for you/ do you have a lot of time with adults outside of work?

just my view!

Job number 1. Hands down. There’s no significant difference between the two salaries either.

Definitely the working from home job. It has to fit in with your life. You'll have less travelling bills too!

What about the actual jobs though? Does one appeal to you more than the other? What are the companies reputations like? How secure are the jobs? What will career progression look like in each?
there’s more to consider than just pay and commute but if all things are equal, as a single parent of a young child I’d take the WFH job. You’ll appreciate the flexibility especially when dc start school.

Just how far is the commute, it sounds short? If so, job 1 is not such a no brainer. WFH can be very isolating, also not great if you are looking to progress in the future. I would prefer a job going in. 2-3 days a week, but 4 is a lot for a single parent. I wonder would they be flexible in the future, do you have any back up for sick days? And how much potential bonus for job 2?