To tell DH to give up on his business idea & get a job

[lechatnoir]

For the past 18months DH & I have been very fortunate as my salary has afforded us some really great family time: I worked 3 days a week & DH left his paid employment to be a SAHD & use any spare time to set up a business initially for a bit of extra cash but with the potential to expand when DC were both at school
However, at Christmas my job changed & my pay cut quite significantly & we knew the only way we would cope was if DH upped the ante on his business. Three months in & very little has changed so we're now permanently overdrawn with no sign of improvement.I think DH needs to accept his business is great for a side line but not a salary & go & get a PT job. He thinks he can still expand the business & it's pointless working (for example) a whole evening in a bar for £30 when he can earn double that in a morning in his business. Agreed if that were happening but it's not & we're skint! I suspect there's a huge certain amount of pride at stake here but AIBU to insist he stops chasing a dream and just get any job going for the extra cash?
LCN
Ps I am looking into registering as a CM so my 2 days at home produce some money without the need for paid childcare & me changing jobs isn't an option as I'd earn less full time elsewhere so the onus really is on DH

YANBU.

Don't expect to make much as a CM either though - I made less than £5k for 9 months work, and that was with a full time child 8 hours a day and two part-timers who were almost a full time equivalent :(

YANBU.

It has been 3 months and he is not earning enough from this business.

How long does he want to wait before looking for another source of income, and how long can you afford to wait?

I would ask if he would consider getting a PT job and keep at the business, i would be pretty pissed off if my DP told me to completely quit the business at only 3 months of giving it a go.

YANBU. Tell him again what you propose, it may not have sunk in the first time. It's a very valid way to go. Tell him a sideline can still become a business but you have to pull together and do what needs to be done.

Being a CM that can only offer 2 days a week may not get you much business at all.

Three months is nothing when trying to establish a business but if his earnings and yours dont meet the bare essentials then yes a second job for either of you would be needed.

Oooohhhhhh YAsoNBU!!! Take it from one whose DH is now 3 YEARS into his business dream with no money coming in and both of us don't sleep at night!!! If you don't have a) investors or b) enough money in the bank to keep you going for at least 6-8 months DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT entertain this fantasy!

Sorry about the shouting, but unless you're prepared to go right down to the wire (i.e. cashing in pension funds, borrowing from family) do not do this. As you're already overdrawn, tell him that as a family you can't afford it. Maybe later, when you have got yourselves back on an even keel, and have 6 months living expenses in the bank.

I agree that 3 months isn't long enough to see whether it will suceed.

I'd suggest he works evenings and dedicates the 2 days you are at home working at his business. Does he know why it isn't bringing in that much. Are there clients out there that he just has to find and build up a list?

Why can't he work evenings in a bar and mornings at his business? Isn't that how it usually works for start-ups anyway?

Sorry it wasn't clear - business has been up & running for over a year making a handy but not significant sum part time purely from word of mouth recommendation. The past 3 months was meant to be getting his name out to a wider audience (creating a website, advertising networking etc) and this is where I'm struggling to say stick with it as he hasn't really done anything more.
WRT the childminding, the pay round us is pretty good (£5.50-£6ph) & demand is high especially anyone able to do local school run so even if it were just a day ir before/after school run, it would help ease the pressure. Not sure if it's relevant, but one of DH's concerns about getting even evening work tax/pay concerns because he's self-employed (& he's still convinced he can make a living from it!)

He just needs to put the PAYE income and SE income on the tax return.

BTW, you'd be SE as a childminder too.

On one hand I think it all sounds exhausting. Both of you would have one PAYE job and one SE job, having lots of different things to juggle. On the other hand, in the current climate, it's a good idea to not rely on one job.

Maybe just a couple of evenings work for him would be enough to pull you out of the OD in a few months?

You could set a time limit on the business. It brings in x amount within the 3/6 months or you get a full time job.

Maybe dh could register as a CM as well? £6 for an hour to do a school run is money for jam & wouldn't cut into his day at all.

It takes a year at least to get a business off the ground, you need to organise yourselves around that if you want the business to succeed