AIBU to take lower paid Job?

[ThunderR0ad78]

Looking for opinions on my work situation.

Current Job – 35k with 2k annual bonus
I currently work full time 10-6pm Mon-Fri. 5 weeks annual leave.

This means I take my two children to school every day (YR 6 & 4) and they do a mix of ASC / activities 3 days a week and my husband collects at 3pm twice per week.
I arrive home at approx. 7pm.
2 hour daily commute.
Kids do a mix of sports camps during school holidays when I am not on annual leave.

Potential Job – 27k – this is actual take home salary, FTE is approx 32k.
Job is term time only.
8.30 -5.00 Mon
8.30-3.30 Tues-Fri
So I won’t be able to take kids to school or pick up any day although the commute is only 15mins so will be home by 4pm, 4 days a week to collect from whatever new arrangement I put in place.

I want to accept the new job as I think this will be a much better work life balance.

WWYD?

Is the £35k + £2k bonus gross or net?

I'd go for the new job. Term time only wouod be brilliant.

I've recently started work again. Part time but I'll only be off 1 day a week so I've lost my school holidays at home. I'd prioritse that and a shorter commute and being home by 4pm over taking to school.

Its before Tax

Erm, it doesn't sound better. You can no longer do any school drop offs (or pick up from school). And it's less money. Am I missing something?

Oops sorry ignore me. Term time only!! That does sound easier.

I'd go for the term time only job - sounds bliss.

You'd be about £120 a month worse off. If you can afford that then I'd take the new job as the term time working is fab. If you're paying for childcare I suspect the reduction would be offset.

I work 3 days now and it's fantastic. It's not term time but it's flexible in the holidays and makes a big difference. Significant pay reduction but makes a diff with reduced childcare.

Term time only would swing it for me and the shorter commute.

To be honest the commute alone would do it, frankly!

So 7k (minus tax and pension) less to live on? Only you can know how doable the finances are. I imagine childcare will balance out as you'll need breakfast club but less holiday care.

I have a term time job and really like it as I see a lot of the children and I don't have to juggle or worry about childcare during the holidays. There's no battle with colleagues about who gets Christmas like in my old job. Although it's surprising how far 5 weeks annual leave plus 8 bank holidays can stretch (my old job) and I do miss the flexibility a little bit.

You don't say which one has roles and responsibilities that you prefer. Which one has the better career prospects?

If these are equal I'd say the term time one wins hands down.

Grasspigeons - it's £37k gross compared with £27k net - more like £1500 per year.

Go for the term time, if that's what you really want.

I have found that the more hours I work, the more money I need to throw at things (food, travel, all sorts of things) so working less hours doesn't necesarily mean less money, because it also often means less spending, too.

And the net saving on not paying for holiday clubs? For my two, I pay around £300 a week for 8-6 x2 kids. With me only having 5 weeks holiday, they end up in holiday clubs for 8 or 9 weeks a year. So around £2.5k out of my net salary. Approx. £3k gross. (Estimates before anyone jumps on my maths!) So, the impact on household income would be be negligible.

I would say your work life balance would be much better with the new job. But, you will need to find the money from somewhere to keep your children entertained in the holiday. If they are anything like my institutionalised children who are used to on tap activities at clubs, they will be rubbish at their own entertainment!!

It depends. How flexible are they in terms of school assemblies etc?

I’d take a pay cut for a shorter commute but would be wary re impact on not being around at school.

Also I'm assuming that job 2 has a walking commute if it's 15 mins. And job 2 has a driving or public transport one if it's an hour each way? You'd save a lot of the salary difference on the commute alone.

Well If that's 27k after tax then you'll actually only lose £79 a year, so that's hardly anything.

Oh sorry forgot to factor in the bonuses!