to refuse to work 40 hours a week for £100?

[dimplebum]

Basically, due to a raise in DH s wage, we are no longer entitled to tax credits to help towards to cost of childcare. Therefore, taking the cost of childcare into account, I will be working 30 hours at work and 10 hours from home for £100 a week.

I have been speaking to DH about it tonight and he reckons I should quit and spend precious time at home with our 2DSs. And then maybe get a weekend or evening job when DH can look after them. I would only need to work 15ish hours to get the same amount of money if I were to get say a bar job at minimum wage.

But it infuriates me that this is the situation, I love my job, I had to train for 4 years at university but £100 a week? Plus all the pressure that comes with the job I am in! I know I am not going to be in this situation forever, DSs will eventually both be full time at school but I feel it wouldnt be easy for me if I left the job now and tried to return once they were both full time.

It just seems so unfair and I am unsure what to do?

Before making this decision, you absolutely need to calculate what childcare vouchers could do for you. Sounds like you and DH are both at least middle rate taxpayers, so you could save about £950 each a year. Works out to around £160 a month I think. Meaning you'd be making £140 a week after childcare, if you really must express it in those terms.

I assume you've also looked at all other options like one of you going part time or doing 4 long days?

£100 a week is £450 a month. Seems quite a bit to me. Plus if you stop work how will you and dh arrange finances.....would you have to ask him for housekeeping? I couldn't do it.

I've seen a lot of women stop work for a few years and then try to get back into it when the kids have started school or got older and they've been unable to find a job.

If you did bar work in the evenings how long before dh starts moaning that he's working 9-5 and then having to sort the kids out in the evenings, etc. Weekend job means no family days out, etc.

You also have to figure in all the costs to your calculations here. Staying at home is not 'free'. You need to include the higher energy costs of being at home all day (this may be loads, depending on how efficient your house is), any activities you do with the kids, costs of transporting them around to do things, additional food costs (if the kids are fed at nursery, you'll have to feed them) and so on. This may come to more than you're imagining you'll save. (this does depend on things like any commuting costs, etc too - you have to balance it out). And remember to include the savings from child care vouchers in your calculation (as it will alter your costs; you should both be able to get them).

And then factor in what it'd do to any occupational pension you have (which is really delayed salary). 5 years out can mean you lose thousands over the longer term. You'll also miss out on any pay increases (which would affect your calculations in the future) and you may struggle to return to your chosen career (and this may have long-term income implications).

But, do stop viewing it as hinging purely on your earning capacity. It's about family income and, if you want to work and enjoy working, you shouldn't feel bad because you don't earn enough after deducting all the child care costs. Paying for child care allows you both to work; it is as much your husband's cost as yours. Earning a lower salary does not make you the junior partner in a relationship.

£100 a week is £5200 a year too, which is quite a lot actually.

Agree with many posters who've pointed out that the reduction in tax credits should be offset against the joint income (or even against just your DH's income, seeing as it's his pay rise that has resulted in the reduction).

I wouldn't give up work. Neither would I rely on tax credits as a guaranteed source of income.

I'd work for £100 a month to get me out of the house, I'd go insane as a SAHP.

And how much precious children enjoying are you really going to be doing if you're looking after them all day, then going to an evening job and working weekends? When will you actually have any time off?

I think its called....whats the word...REAL LIFE?

TheParanoidAndroid

where have you gone, Op ?

maybe she is at work

YANBU to be frustrated by the situation, but I'd suck it up if it was me. You trained for 4 years to do this job and if you quit and stay at home for the next several years will you be as employable when you choose to go back? I doubt it. And if you want and need this job, career, money going forward I wouldn't be quitting my job - not in this economic climate.

It is annoying - but these are the things we have do deal with if we've made a choice to have children. Perhaps this could be an opportunity to think outside the box? Maybe you could get some extra training? Or take another look at expanding your business?

I agree with those who say its worth saying for other reasons than current income, but it very much depends on your job, whether or not there is a clear ladder for you, whether you could pick up where you left off in a couple of years time etc .,

For me, a SAHM, if someone gave me £100 per week, asked me to forfeit the time I have with the children and the job wasn't one that would lead to steady promotion over time and be interesting, £100 isn't enough for that exchange of lifestyle.

If it was £100 a week for now and within a couple of years my earning would contribute to the pot so significantly we could go up a band in the stansard of living stakes, I'd probably return to work.

Its about more than the money and whether you feel there is balance. Every choice involves sacrifce. £100 per week at present isn't much of a convincing enough carrot for this donkey to return to work.

YANBU whichever you decide.