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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I shouldn't have to justify working part time just because I don't yet have children

133 replies

fecklesswonder · 14/01/2015 12:53

I worked hard in London in my 20s, lived like a student even after getting a decent job.

So come 30 I moved out of the city to a small house that I could afford outright. Seeing as prices are crazy for the next jump up I'm staying put.

As i own outright I want to go down to two days a week, money will be tight but I would be rich in time so its all worthwhile.

Everyone seems to judge me on this.

For work to agree with it I will have to make somthing emotive up.

It doesn't affect anyone else, but everyone always say "what will you do?". Ffs I will do nice things, I'm not some office drone without any hobbies / interests!

OP posts:

Trills · 14/01/2015 21:21

I would love to work part time.

If 2 days would leave you with money "tight but doable" I'd probably go for 3 days (which I think many employers would be more likely to agree to).

My boss works 4 days a week (in a senior role) to leave more time for her hobby.

eddielizzard · 14/01/2015 21:23

good for you i say. the world would be a much happier place with more people doing that.

FightOrFlight · 14/01/2015 21:27

YANBU

I'd bloody love to cut down to 2 days a week if I could afford it.

If it's not impacting on them in any way then it's none of their business the cheeky sods

Apatite1 · 14/01/2015 21:42

I work three days a week, no kids. It's brilliant. Love my job, but I value my time way too much to spend all my time at work. I must say though, I have a high earning husband and I also earn more than the average full time UK salary so we are not having to pinch the pennies. I would probably go back to full time if money was tight.

notonyourninny · 14/01/2015 21:47

Just do it. Yolo.

museumum · 14/01/2015 21:48

I went p/t while setting up my own business. It was great. But I did do 3 days, for me personally I needed 3 days to stay "in the loop" at work.

Saki5000 · 14/01/2015 21:54

You shouldn't have to justify it but maybe people are just asking because they're interested? You presumably have quite a well paid job/career so perhaps people are just surprised that you want to give it up at the age of 30.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 14/01/2015 21:56

So you go so very part time at the age of 30. You might be doing this for 60 years....

SummerSazz · 14/01/2015 21:57

I'd be nervous about my pension tbh. I worked ft for 15 years with decent employer and employee contributions and now do 24hrs a week paying a fair bit in but my pension is still worth shit overall. I'd be a bit concerned about enjoying it all now but having to work ft at 70.

MoreBeta · 14/01/2015 21:57

I suppose people are judging because the imagine you just sit n your backside watching daytime TV and they are forced to work to make ends meet.

Its your time and you can do what you like if you can afford it.

I don't work at all. I don't need to but I am only 51 so if I can find an interesting job or on that involves a good work life balance I will go back to work. Try being a bloke with 2 kids and a wife who also doesn't work and the looks and comments I get are pretty much constant. I worked hard last year though so not a total layabout.

Its your life. Live it as you wish but perhaps spend time considering what more you could do with it might be worthwhile - you have the freedom to do anything by the sound of things.

Patsyandeddie · 14/01/2015 22:00

Bloody good luck to you, I am planning the same although quite a bit older than you, enjoy yourself and your extra free time!

ToBeeOrNot · 14/01/2015 22:08

I spent 9 months last year working 4 days a week, it was great. I wish I could have negotiated it for this position. 3 days would be ideal for me, 2 days I think would be too little for me in my line of work, too hard to stay in the loop.

msrisotto · 14/01/2015 22:11

I'm really interested and envious to hear about this, how do you know you will have enough pension to live on when you retire?

SASASI · 14/01/2015 22:39

Snap msrisotto !!
I plan to go back part time after maternity leave & stay that way (commute, elderly parents etc).

My pension is quite gd - I pay 9% my employer pays 19% & it's final salary based, plus has life insurance of 3 x wage if I die in service. Our mortgage is small.

I have no idea how to work out what I need to retire with, I just know that it's a generous pension scheme - amongst other benefits which is why I won't leave despite the pain in the ass commute.

RatherEmbarassed · 14/01/2015 22:40

I had a year or so of working 3 days in week in my twenties. It was a job share with a colleague with a young family, for me it was about having some head space from a very stressful job and being able to pursue some paid hobbies. I think it was definitely the right thing for me at the time (I am full time in a different job now), but some wordd of warning:
1- it can be very disorientating having so many unstructured days, for me trying to pursue my hobby I really struggled to find the motivation and not just have lie ins etc (but I am by nature a lazy arse)
2 - be mindful of whether you have friends etc who work full time, I found myself getting rather lonely with everyone working mon-fri

RatherEmbarassed · 14/01/2015 22:43

and yes I had to put up with lots of questions about why I was doing it too, people couldn't understand why one would be part time without having children. But I didn't care and they soon got used to it

voluptuagoodshag · 14/01/2015 22:49

Go for it. You don't have to justify anything. I constantly get asked if I'm going back to work now my kids are at school.
ive always wondered about why so many folk are so judgey about other folks' lifestyle choices when it doesn't have anything to do with them. Is this just in the UK or do other countries experience similar.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 14/01/2015 22:52

Will two days' work earn you enough money to enjoy yourself on the other five days? I'd have thought most job that paid enough to live on in two days per week would be senior level, which couldn't usually be done on such a part-time basis. What kind of work do you do that wouldn't suffer from going to just two days?

Obviously if you can, in two days, earn more than just enough to meet the basics (which would be pretty miserable, if you didn't have to be like that) and your job allows it then why not?

Jill2015 · 14/01/2015 22:52

In my company, while lip service is paid to work life balance, including flexible work options, in reality, part time work is really only approved for those with children, or possibly people caring for elderly parents. I don't qualify, in either category.

I'd say go for it OP, if you have all your calculations done re pension etc. Quality of life, IMO, is very important.

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 14/01/2015 22:54

Did you really spend 60% of your income on your mortgage? Is that usual? Ours is less than half.

NotGoingOut17 · 14/01/2015 23:06

No OP, you shouldn't have to justify it. If you can comfortably afford it then I'd say go for it. There is more to life than working 5 days a week, why work more than you need to, if you don't want to. And it sounds like you have worked very hard in your 20s to enable you to be in the position you have.

We all make choices in life, some people want a bigger house and are prepared to work longer and more hours for it, if you're happy where you are, then it sounds good to enjoy the consequences of the hard work you did in your 20s.

I don't have children but have spent the last year working 4 days a week (would have loved 2 days!) and was never bored, I found it great having a day in the week to catch up with family, friends with young children who are part time/on mat leave and it left me more time with DP at the weekend. My next plan is to have a year off and do some travelling before I start properly settling down to have children etc. I have no doubt people will question it but as long as i can make it work financially then that's all that matters. I'm a bit fed up in my job so I want to use the time to figure out my next career move. And whilst I can't say for definite mine and DP's current thinking is exactly the same as yours, I should be mortgage free by 35 and whilst it may be tempting to move up the ladder we are currently thinking why would we? We have a perfectly ok sized house (3 bed semi) and whilst we could afford more, we are excited about the possibilites being mortgage free relatively young will bring us.

What I would say is that just because you're doing 2 days now doesn't mean you can't change your mind in future and increase your hours if needs be.

Also whilst you may be able to afford to live on 2 days a week salary, the point about what this will do to your pension is a good one and worth considering.

dreamerdoer · 14/01/2015 23:37

People are incredibly judgemental about these kinds of things. It's bizarre. You'd think as long as you are earning enough to pay your way it wouldn't be anyone else's business.

For a while I did a job that required 14 hour shifts. I was contracted to do three a week. That's more hours per week then some full time jobs - and yet, because it was 'only three days' I would often get people (who knew the hours) asking if I was going to get another job for the other days, or ask for more hours, or treat me like I didn't have a 'real job' because of the four day weekends. If I had worked 9-5 mon-fri I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have asked when I was going to get an evening job!

Having days off, even if hard earned is considered 'slacking' by many, which is apparently some sort of character failing/mortal sin.

Knowing when you have enough money and not wasting your life accumulating more than you need is a lot more sane than the alternative imho (just make sure you do have enough money for the future - pension etc.).

pollyisntere · 15/01/2015 06:50

Who in their 30s thinks they will ever get to retire? The current pensioner benefits will not exist or the age will be very high and means tested in 40 yeara time

HowCanIMissYouIfYouWontGoAway · 15/01/2015 07:28

well, your family is easy to sort - "remember in my 20s, all those times you wondered why I was saving and why didn't I spend my money and enjoy my life? Well, this is why. I'm spending my money and enjoying my life, as you advised me all those times..."

I find "because I want to" to be a good response, generally.

EBearhug · 15/01/2015 07:53

I can't think of anyone who has gone from f/t to just 2 days - unless there are redundancies coming up, I can see a 60% drop on hours from someone could be problematic for most businesses. It would be easier for them to justify a 3 or 4 day week. A lot depends on your role, but I think you'll need to work hard on a business justification to get it down to 2 days, so be prepared to compromise.

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