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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To never work full time. Ever!

300 replies

Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:35

I work three days a week.
Two primary children, almost secondary.
Child maintenance plus salary plus rental income from a buy to let means very comfortable but not “rolling it in” ie high end holidays but I’ll shop around relentlessly for best deal rather than just book without thinking; nice car but second hand; cash savings that would be sufficient to cover six months but were not talking hundreds of thousands!

I like my job but don’t love it. I do however LOVE my two days off. They feel like a mini holiday every time. I don’t want to lose that! Not even when children are teens and grown up.

Anyone else have absolutely no intention of ever going full time?! Even though with more money would more of everything you already afford or better (rather than actually adding anything if you see what I mean)

OP posts:
sst1234 · 09/05/2021 11:36

Are you the poster from yesterday whose ex husband earns over £300k a year?

RandomMess · 09/05/2021 11:37

So long as your pension is decent and you can still afford to live when child maintenance ends but the costs of the don't it sounds great!

It's completely up to an individual how they arrange work/life balance within the realms of what they can afford 🤷🏽‍♀️

DolphinFC · 09/05/2021 11:39

What exactly is the point of this thread!

PlanDeRaccordement · 09/05/2021 11:39

YANBU
If you can work 3 days a week and meet all your present and future needs, then why not?

I would just wonder from your OP whether you are saving enough for old age?

Original poster
Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:40

@sst1234

Are you the poster from yesterday whose ex husband earns over £300k a year?
No - who was that?!

I wish. Ex earns £80k last I heard

OP posts:
Original poster
Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:41

@PlanDeRaccordement

YANBU If you can work 3 days a week and meet all your present and future needs, then why not?

I would just wonder from your OP whether you are saving enough for old age?

That would be my motivation for working more I suppose when I think about it Pension Mine is reasonable but constantly reading that should be pumping money in to it
OP posts:
FunTimes2020 · 09/05/2021 11:41

@DolphinFC

What exactly is the point of this thread!
Quite!
Grenlei · 09/05/2021 11:42

I know a few women who have taken the I can't be bothered to work ft approach, and then come unstuck when CM ended either because their child was 18, or in one case where the Ex became unable to work due to illness so CM reduced overnight to virtually nothing. If you're relying on that CM payment to cover essential bills then that's potentially a problem. Ditto if you're not paying enough into a pension.

However the people I'm thinking of were on average incomes, no Exs on 300k a year...Hmm

OwlinaTree · 09/05/2021 11:43

If you are happy and your family is happy then it's fine to work part time. It's not really anyone else's business.

The only thing to bear in mind is the impact on your pension.

sst1234 · 09/05/2021 11:43

@Egghead81

It got talent down. You had to be there. I wouldn’t do it justice if I tried to describe it.

Anyway, in your situation, I guess if you are comfortable, your choice is understandable. Though you are forgoing building a larger retirement pot and possibly limiting career progression, both are irretrievable later on.

AnoDeLosMuertos · 09/05/2021 11:44

After 1st child I went to 2 days. I felt out of the loop. Then after 2nd I went 3 days which was nice, but my overactive mind became bored. I went 4 days and that was the sweet spot for me! However, I was desperate to move jobs and get a bigger house, plus the children are both in school, so I went full time. I think everyone should have a 4 day week and I sometimes miss it... but not enough to lose the money Grin

LibertyMole · 09/05/2021 11:45

If you can manage financially without it, then don’t work full time.

Maybe you will feel like working full time later in life.

I love working full time now my kids are adults, but that is only because I find my job rewarding.

Original poster
Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:45

Child maintenance is useful, very useful
But I’d be ok without it
There would definitely be a deterioration in what we could do and I’d have to budget very carefully
I know it’s daft to be confident in current climate
But his job is very secure

OP posts:
Original poster
Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:46

[quote sst1234]@Egghead81

It got talent down. You had to be there. I wouldn’t do it justice if I tried to describe it.

Anyway, in your situation, I guess if you are comfortable, your choice is understandable. Though you are forgoing building a larger retirement pot and possibly limiting career progression, both are irretrievable later on.[/quote]
I am searching for it!

OP posts:
MoiraNotRuby · 09/05/2021 11:51

I don't know if you mean to but you sound very smug. I don't think I could morally be a landlord and profit from my tenants. So I will carry on working full time - but enjoy your mini holiday....

Gettingthereslowly2020 · 09/05/2021 11:51

[quote sst1234]@Egghead81

It got talent down. You had to be there. I wouldn’t do it justice if I tried to describe it.

Anyway, in your situation, I guess if you are comfortable, your choice is understandable. Though you are forgoing building a larger retirement pot and possibly limiting career progression, both are irretrievable later on.[/quote]
Not really, she's got her tenants paying her buy to let mortgage so I'm guessing she'll just sell it when she retires and be quids in

I wish I was OP. Instead, I'm the one renting paying someone else's mortgage, no money left to save to buy my own even though I work full time and to top it off, I only get £20 pw child maintenance if I'm lucky because the ex is skint. If I had the choice I'd work part time. Life is too short

Original poster
Egghead81 · 09/05/2021 11:53

@MoiraNotRuby

I don't know if you mean to but you sound very smug. I don't think I could morally be a landlord and profit from my tenants. So I will carry on working full time - but enjoy your mini holiday....
I inherited a property from my father You think I should allow a stranger to live in or rent free? Grin
OP posts:
Love51 · 09/05/2021 11:56

I made the decision to take on more seniority and work 4 days rather than stay at my old level and work full time. Next promotion up the money might make it worth being full time, but I enjoy working 4 days over 5 and not having to put the kids in childcare every night. The flip side is the job is quite stressful but no decision has no downsides.

minniemomo · 09/05/2021 11:57

Just be aware that child maintenance can be cut to zero if your ex looses his job, gets sick and when kids reach 18 (yes they can continue paying but not a given) university isn't free so saving for that is essential. I receive a substantial sum but will end when dd finally graduates and finds work (and I know I'm fortunate he is paying still when she's 23!)

WetF1reDay82942 · 09/05/2021 11:57

I would rather work FT when younger, save & pay into a pension

Who wants to be working FT at state pension age of 68+ ?

I plan to retire before 68

SylvanianFrenemies · 09/05/2021 11:57

If you have a pension YANBU. If you don't, it would be a good idea to prepare for the future.

Scarlettpixie · 09/05/2021 11:59

I dream of doing 4 days and am using some AL so I have a run of 4 day weeks coming up, i reckon I could manage the drop in pay to 4 days but not half time and at work it is full time or half time, nothing else.

I am also a single mum but get no maintenance from ExH. I could downsize and might at some point when DS is older) but we love our house so for now are staying put.

Yanbu to work 3 days if yiu can afford it. Not sure why you would think otherwise though.

MoiraNotRuby · 09/05/2021 11:59

That's not what I suggested. But inequality bothers me deeply and I wouldn't want to benefit from someone else renting from me, however I had acquired the house. I'm sorry for your loss... I'd probably sell the property and invest in something more ethical.

ilovesooty · 09/05/2021 12:00

Please yourself. As others have pointed out, you're fortunate to have your lifestyle financed partly by the hard work of your tenant and at the moment by a higher earning ex.
You appear to have landed on your feet.

Goodtohear · 09/05/2021 12:00

At some point you won't be getting cm. Could you still afford everything? Will you need to support your dc through university? Will their father help?
What will happen in retirement? Are you able to top up your pension now? Could you consider doing four days to help boost your pension?