No pay rise in years - work more hours?

[TetherWhether]

I'm in a constant dilemma as to whether I should work more hours.

We're a typical "just about managing" family.

No debt but equally no holidays in a while, the cinema feels a massive splurge...

And no prospect of a pay rise soon.

I'm part time - a bit more than school hours. I work 5 days, finishing at 2.45 to pick up DC. I could technically apply for flexi so I could do an extra 8.5 hours a week making me on full time pay. It'd be an extra £10k a year before tax.

But my DC are only Y2 and Y5. And I'd be doing the extra hours in he evening meaning fewer bedtimes, probably a bit more tired and grumpy. Definitely less time with DH.

I've always concluded it's best to stay part time - for DC and for me. But the energy prices, weekly shop going up and up etc just feels so miserable, I'm starting to think I should just go FT for a bit.

What would you do? An extra £320 a month (ish) and sacrifice a few evenings regularly, or time with family?

I'd say there are a few options here. Is there really no one else at school who has 2 working parents? There has to be someone, and they're making it work.

1. Get a new job that pays better. Likely to still need some childcare though.

1. Share pick ups with your DH - why is it you in the dead end career having to do all the running around after the kids?

1. Look into nannies/au pairs/childcare swaps. Campaign at school for some after school clubs.

1. Ask for a pay rise!!!

Thanks all.

At risk of sounding stuck in my ways, I'm pretty stuck job wise. I'm vastly overpaid for what I do. Have few qualifications but got lucky pre-kids as I'm good at my job and got a few pay rises. Newer joiners in my job get paid £15k less. I'm on legacy terms so I keep my high-for-the-job salary but it doesn't increase.

I can't just do an hour after school - I need to get my head into it so 2-3 hours minimum a session to be effective.

Lots of nannies (but no childminders) around here but £££ and not worth suddenly spending on childcare - my extra hours money would disappear completely. Changing school to get a ASC seems extreme. In a few years they can walk home themselves while I keep working. Just not for a few years yet!

Feel very conflicted!

@EmmaStone I can't share pick-ups with DH. School finished at 15:15 - his job cannot accommodate that. He does drop off twice a week though. I don't think it's that unusual for one job to have to take priority.

What hours do you have to take on as an increase, OP?

can you do 4 extra / 1 evening and see how that goes?

@EinsteinaGogo i am thinking an extra 8. I could do 4. Just worried that's be so little money it would be worth it!

[quote TetherWhether]@EinsteinaGogo i am thinking an extra 8. I could do 4. Just worried that's be so little money it would be worth it![/quote]

Could you do 4 to start with, then if all goes well, increase to 8?

An extra £150 ish a month is great for days out, holiday savings etc. if it doesn't all go on utilities.

It's fascinating how coincidentally it's always men's jobs that could never possibly accommodate picking their children up from school.

Why can't and won't he make any of the sacrifices you are making for his own children?

I would try my absolute best not to have to take the extra hours, I'd hate to work evenings.
I'd have a look at my budget /spending for cuts first. Obviously if you have already done that and there's no wiggle room then it's different.