Anyone found that working full time when you have primary aged child isn’t that financially viable

[Kittencuddle]

So been sahp for years
do voluntary work and have a busy and full life
dh in high salary so no benefits etc

anyway a job has come up with the organisation that I volunteer for
it not well paid 25-27k per year
but I think it would be really enjoyable

ds in year 4
well half way through year 4

so he would need to go to before school club and after school club
I think this is over 20 quid a day
maybe around 25ish ?

id need a second car and it’s a 50 min drive each way
so no idea how much petrol is use a month ?
it’s Mon to Fri 9 -5
so even getting back to collect from after school at 6 could be right if there’s any road accidents etc
plus in holidays
I guess I’d have to use holiday clubs or child minder

so I’m just wondering how financially feasible this is

dh sometimes works from home but it’s not reliable so I’d have to have a child care plan in place

It's rough but he goes to school in October and I'm looking at a promotion that will bump me up to 43k a year. Works out well in the long run. My point is that I'm making it work. I also sell a shed load of stuff on vinted as a side hustle 😅

I didn't have a choice really - had worked part time throughout - but then when youngest was in Year 5 primary, went back to work full time. And it involved an hour's commute.

I'm very glad I did now, as it's made a big difference to my pension. Also I enjoyed going to work!

Have you checked if the role absolutely needs to be full time? Many non profit orgs are more flexible and it might be that if you could work for example 3.5 days, or 4 days over 5, you'd reduce the amount of wraparound care needed and also be able to manage with 1 car.

what the heck are you planning to drive???
how many miles?£19 - I think would get me in a smart car (which is a great second car) about 150 miles?

Thanks so much for all your advice and input
I’ve slept on it and I’ve decided to go for it

the only thing that worries me is the commute
I know I will enjoy it as it’s something I passionately believe in and enjoy
also I’ve the last five years build some great connections

but the fact it’s Mon to Fri 9 to 5
means it will be tight for me making it there for 9 if I drop ds off at 8 and again leaving at five to get back for 6
that’s the only thing really worrying me

it’s a fixed term contact so it’s a 2 year thing

Good luck, OP! Go for it and talk to them as and when you get the offer about eg leaving a bit early if the traffic proves tricky etc.

also, if your DH could do even one drop off and/or pick up a week, it would help your flexibility

Good luck OP

Glad you've made a decision and good luck!

Two little things:

• your DH can use pension contributions to bring his salary below £100k for the tax free childcare eligibility calculations. He may already be making hefty contributions (as you're a SAHP, he's effectively saving for both you and him), so he may come under this threshold without any change - it's worth checking.

• for any 'am I better off?' calculations you can widen the time-scales, how will the two scenarios look financially in 5 years or 10 years? Sometimes the working vs. SAHP financial calculations make it look like you're working for nothing, but working would really pay financially in the long term (and sometimes not, of course, it depends on the type of work a lot).

Yep.

But don't forget she can also now give her tax free allowance to DH, and he can write of tax at 40% against it. So her £27K a year is actually completely tax free and with a nice £2500 bonus on top of it.

Not a chance unless you are driving some 3.5l monster car.

For reference when I drive to work (in my 1.6l SUV) it's 75 mins each way, 38 miles (75 mile round trip). It's around £13 a day in fuel costs.

I think you meant to quote @SimplySeb to correct him on his extremely outdated views on equality in the workplace.

Me and my DH pay for childcare in proportion to salary so I don't lose out.

I've worked in both the private sector, including for financial companies, and public sector.

With the private sector while you may go and do stuff with your kids, pets, sort out your car etc in working hours but you end up making the time up particularly as work is not continuous and there are deadlines.

Helps that I do lots of hybrid working and WFH. There have been occasions when myself and a few others, who have children, have logged on again at 9pm to do stuff for a deadline.

The best managers/directors I've had to work this way have been men who have had to be a carer for their parent, or are the main carer of their child/children as their partner earns a lot more.

We do the same in our household as well. I don't really get why women always disregards their partners salary when it comes to divvying up childcare.

I think it's more that when (like OP) you're doing a "is it worth it financially" evaluation, it's doesn't really matter whose salary is paying for childcare - more that you compare extra incomings (OP's pay) versus extra outgoing (childcare = cost of work/commuting).

And, as in this case, if a family manages their finances jointly, the concept of who pays for it, doesn't really come into it.

This objection makes no sense in this context. It's been explained so many times on this thread 🙄

Childcare will be a new cost to the family outgoing. If it exceeds the new addition to the family net income, the family will be making a net loss.

If you split childcare costs, yes, you (the woman) will have some leftover salary in your pocket. However as a family, your net spending budget (eg on groceries, holidays) will still decrease compared to before you went to work.

In many cases – eg woman's financial independence (doesn't really apply here as OP has plenty of independent wealth), sense of self worth, mental stimulation – this choice makes sense.

However, if you're returning to work to increase the family household income and family standard of living, then it's counterproductive.

how does this work ?

We don’t have a 3.5 litre car
I’m not sure the engine size I think it’s 1.6 but I might be wrong
I used the reg number on go compare to work out the fuel cost

Yes that’s how it with us, everything shared and works well for us as we never argue about money and we both have the same amount of spending money so all very fair

I do wonder if the fact it’s a fixed term two year contract if that will put a lot of others off applying ? That could be a good advantage to me

You sound like you want this job, I would make it happen. Some things shouldn't be about the money. You can always leave if it isn't sustainable. Go for it!

Maybe it's just me but I couldn't put my child in morning and after school club for that long. I'd feel cruel. My son is still at nursery but I would change my hours to suit his school hours when the time comes or at least use morning club and collect when school finishes. I am very very fortunate to have a flexible job who really look at after working parents. I appreciate I am very lucky

@Couldntthinkofausername24 your child is at nursery, OP’s child is 8 or 9. There’s quite a difference. And you may feel differently once yours has been at primary a few years.

Well I must admit the thought of him being in that school building from 8am till 6pm isn’t ideal or my ideal dream for him
but this type of thing doesn’t come around that often
its like the right thing at maybe the wrong time perhaps
I don’t know if I could allow him to be home alone for a bit from year 6
maybe more after school then before school

agree