To wonder how many people would give up work if they had the choice?

[malificent7]

I would. I do enjoy being kept occupied...for example i love study and crafts but i find workplace politics make me very anxious and depressed...i just can't handle them.
My ideal "job" would be an artist but i need to pay bills.
Jobs don't make me happy but i would be less happy if hungry and% or homeless.
If i won the lottery i would start a busoness so i would still want an occupation but one that wasn't in a position where I dont have to deal with too much politics( pipe dream i know.)

This thread has made me think about part time roles and thinking how few part time posts I see advertised these days, at least in the public sector, in education. Think they all disappeared in the last round of public cuts. So all that was left were stressed out full timers doing the job of one and a half people in the same hours and no spare capacity when anyone was off sick. All the fun went out of working then I think. No time to even chat to a colleague in the corridor. Tea breaks cut. Just stressed employees rushing from one task to the next. And young people coming Into that environment don’t know any different, just assume the stress is the way it’s always been. sickness policies became so damned strict. Hence coronavirus exploding in some places of employment, cos people having been going in while sick to work for a number of years now, in places like schools and hospitals, passing their germs on to colleagues, kids, patients.

And now, the public purse will have been decimated even more so probably even more cuts coming. I’m not expecting my role to exist within a year or two. Can’t say at this point in my life that I would be devastated to not have a FT job though. I’m lucky that I can say that, I realise.

If I could afford to live at least at my current standard of living (which is not fancy - not homeowners although saving and hoping to be in a few years time, can't afford the running costs of a car, still get a tiny amount of CTC and also CB etc) without working, I would definitely quit my job. I would still "work" as I'd be looking after toddler DD and I would definitely keep her at nursery a bit and do some volunteer work of some sort. I just wouldn't bother doing my current job. But it's not a "career" job despite me being degree educated and I get paid less than £10 an hour.

Now, I'd much rather have my own business so that I could dictate my own hours and create a better work life balance. I fear this is a fantasy, based on my experience/knowledge of running a business...

@Wewearpinkonwednesdays My Husband and I have saved and managed to pay off mortgage early. He works now 3 days a week and we manage on that plus savings as we like the simple things in life. Only pay out basic bills now as mortgage was a massive chunk ! We have no credit cards thank goodness. Shop in Aldi and stay away from pubs and drink at home as cheaper. We allow a budget of £1600 a month so more than enough to live on with no kids at home and two dogs.

When DH and I fantasise about winning the lottery (serious fantasy as we don’t play!) we talk about buying a much bigger house and fostering full time.

I’d pack work in like a shot. When I get up for an early shift the first thing I do is check the app to see if I’ve won the Lottery 😂. I’d prefer to go part-time but as pp said, there just don’t seem to be p/t roles advertised much now. I have seen the occasional one in retail but I have a shoulder injury that means I can’t lift/carry much. I did have a retail job a few years ago and I was having physio which helped but I couldn’t afford to keep paying for it.

We could just about afford for me to not work but things would be pretty tight; we’d be ok for the house (mortgage free) and basic bills but wouldn’t stretch to many treats. I wish I could work for myself but I don’t have a skill to sell. I think maybe it’s because I’ve never really had a ‘career’ just ‘jobs’ as I don’t (at 40) know what my true passion is. The only thing I was ever interested in is make up/beauty but I was talked out of training in that at 17 and it’s too late now, there are literally hundreds of beauty/nail shops (at least 10 within half a mile) where I am so no gap in the market.

I'm unemployed other than temp work. I do need another job, but if I didn't there is no way I would work - I love not working, even though when I was employed I planned to carry on after retirement age as I thought I enjoyed it. How wrong can you be, my life is so much better now.

I'd change career and buy a coffee shop. I'd employ staff to work there and I'd swan in for a couple of hours here and there just to help out and dabble (ooooh...to be a lady that dabbles), and generally check everything ok, the staff are happy, etc..

@nicky7654 are you building up enough pension to live off when you retire, though? While it’s admirable to live frugally if you want a good work life balance, I think sometime people forget that it’s not enough to think about what amount of income is enough to live on NOW, you also need to think about what you’re putting aside for when you retire, to maintain that.

Not just me then!
If i won the lottery my dream would be to own an eco hotel somewhere like Costa Rica and pay someone to run it for me while i swim, paint, go on rainforest walks and drink cocktails. Sigh.

If I won the lottery I wouldn't work , possibly start up a little business but if I had enough to live in for eat if my life and help set kids up , I wouldn't work
As would be travelling the world
Plus someone who needs the job would benefit from it more