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Original poster

Would you work part time if you could earn £30k?

70 replies

Thetrainisinthestation · 03/11/2021 11:45

A full time position is available at £50kper year but they are also offering it as a job share at £30k for a 3 day week.

I’m leaning on working park time as have a preschooler, but would I be silly in turning down the extra money?

OP posts:
SnaccidentsHappen · 03/11/2021 11:53

100%, I don't even earn that working full time

WaterBottle123 · 03/11/2021 11:55

Depends. Assuming you have a partner will he make up the shortfall in your pension contributions?

Antiqueanniesmagiclanternshow · 03/11/2021 11:56

@SnaccidentsHappen

100%, I don't even earn that working full time
This!!!!

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Tal45 · 03/11/2021 11:58

Will you regret the 3 day week when he's at full time school? He won't be a pre schooler for long - but at the same time is it more important to you to have that time with him right now? There are pros and cons for both, go with your heart.

Sprig1 · 03/11/2021 12:00

Yes, that's exactly what I do (but spread my hours across 5 days). It's great. I have time for me as well as being around for the school run etc.

CombatBarbie · 03/11/2021 12:02

Depends on what income you need....I'd snap that offer up!

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 03/11/2021 12:02

Yes.

MagicalFish · 03/11/2021 12:02

I earn just under 30k for 3 days a week. My DC are school age now and I won't ever go back to full time work if I can help it. I like being able to do school pick ups, attend events, etc, and having time to get chores done during the day means we can all enjoy our evenings and weekends more.

RuthW · 03/11/2021 12:04

Yes I would. 30k is loads more than I get working full time. In my opinion children need you far more when they are at school (up to about age 13) than at preschool.

MagicalFish · 03/11/2021 12:06

Obviously it depends on your husbands income and your outgoings and priorities though as to whether the extra money would make it worthwhile to go full time.

For us, we have enough to save a modest amount each month and spend on a few treats though nothing frivolous. We dont have to watch the pennies day to day and an appliance breaking down for example wouldn't be a disaster. If things were pretty tight then I would probably go full time.

MsRinky · 03/11/2021 13:42

I do exactly this and don't have any children. Went part-time at 40 from a £50k job when the mortgage was paid off. I make additional pension contributions out of my reduced salary.

I'm often asked to increase my hours to work on specific projects, which I agree to for probably a couple of months a year on average, but I'm always so happy to get back to part-time.

I'm very fortunate (although I also worked and saved very hard to get to this position) but mostly for me it's a stratight choice between time and money and I need the time more than I need (or want) more money.

Hoppinggreen · 03/11/2021 13:44

I work PT for just a bit more than that.
I have a lovely work/life balance

lovelybones1 · 03/11/2021 13:45

Definitely do them hours for that income

Blahdyblahbla · 03/11/2021 13:56

I do exactly this, work 3 days a week, earn 30k. Lovely work life balance, doubt I'll ever work full time again!

Carbdelight · 03/11/2021 13:57

Depends on your outgoings, what wage you are used to etc so only you know. I'd jump at that in a heart beat as it's far more then I earn full time.

ErrolTheDragon · 03/11/2021 13:57

Yes. 3 days pw probably works well when they're nursery/preschool age. Once they start school then five shorter days, which fit within the school day are better IMO. I went half time when my dd started school. Otherwise I'd have been having to shell out for childcare.

The other big plus is that at those salary levels, full time gets you into the higher tax bracket, part time isn't. So the proportion of take-home pay is significantly higher than the headline figures. And I still get company benefits such as group healthcare.

89redballoons · 03/11/2021 14:00

Will you have to put LO in paid childcare on your working days? If so I'd do some sums and see how much you'd be really better off by if you did five days.

50k after tax is roughly £3,100 per month and £30k after tax is roughly £2,000. An extra two days of nursery every week might be about £500 a month (depends on your childcare provider obviously). So you would end up with an extra £600 per month in your pocket by doing the full time hours, which is obviously a fair chunk of money but it's not as much as you might initially think looking at the raw numbers.

Then it's a case of weighing up whether the extra time with your preschooler and time to yourself is worth an extra £600 a month.

Also, is it the kind of job where you might be taken less seriously or not put on major projects if you are part time? Might you end up having to work on your non working days but only being paid for 3 days a week? It's a job share so hopefully not, but worth thinking about. And would you be able to increase your hours once LO started school? Again this might depend on the other person in the job share I suppose.

shinynewapple21 · 03/11/2021 14:01

I don't earn any where near that amount but have still chosen the part time when full time was available . Never regretted it .

Kangaruby · 03/11/2021 14:04

If I could move easily to full time yes and I did for a short period pre school but went full time when dc went to school. I work full time for the pension

fibeee · 03/11/2021 14:12

It depends on your circumstances. If you can afford it then I would say 100% yes. Where I live that would be a comfortable salary. I work 4 days a week for roughly that amount but if I received a significant salary increase I would try to reduce my hours further to have more time with my LO.

LadyCleathStuart · 03/11/2021 14:16

Yeah I earn a bit more than that for my part time hours and I can't see myself going full time again until my kids are highschool age at least - if ever.

nc777 · 03/11/2021 14:17

Yes

ErrolTheDragon · 03/11/2021 14:18

When dd was at primary school, the only couples I knew who both worked full time had either their own parents local and fit enough to cover the childcare outside of school hours, or in one case of two very high earners, a live-in au pair.

A full time job simply doesn't fit in between the morning and afternoon school runs

Comedycook · 03/11/2021 14:18

Yes if you can afford it but I'm the type of person who prefers free time over extra money!

MeadowHay · 03/11/2021 14:20

@SnaccidentsHappen

100%, I don't even earn that working full time
This would be a dream for me. I work 4 days and earn about half of that!!