To cut my working hours?

[CutMyHoursOrnot]

ExH has cut down on seeing DD (aged 7) from once per fortnight to once per month, he says due to work.

He has increased his CM payments to reflect that I work on the weekends he usually has her but it’s more than I’ve lost in income and actually means I could cut my shifts further because even with cost of living increase I can afford it with increased maintenance.

Pros
DD would get an extra night a week at home with me she’s always saying she doesn’t get to play with her own toys enough and I could help her with schoolwork as she’s behind at school (due to SN and covid not through lack of engagement from me)
I’d feel more relaxed as doing less running around
I can put my hours back up if needed as I choose my own shifts
Saving money in school holidays as one less holiday club day needed (saves me around £20 a week so an extra £260ish a year)

Cons
Not that much of a saving with ASC
More reliant on ExH for money – I left him due to violence and control including financial abuse so wary of being reliant on him
During lockdowns DD and I ended up falling out a lot so wary of more time together negatively affecting our relationship

The change would mean instead of 3 nights in ASC, 1 night at an activity (she’s taken by my mum) and 1 night at home she’d have 2 nights in ASC and I could finish early enough to take her to her activity so she’d have 2 nights at home.

WWYD?

YABU – Don’t cut hours
YANBU – Cut Hours

on the face of it, this sounds like a no-brainer as more time with DD for same money and you can put your hours back up if you need to.

Cons you haven't considered

• impact on pension. Will you pay the shortfall amount?
• impact on career. Are you working enough hours to be considered seriously for promotions etc?
• will you be able to get the ASC place back if you change your mind?

What are you actually cutting your hours from and to?

@RedskyThisNight I have a private pension anyway that I have alongside my work one I know my employer doesn't contribute to that but pension isn't a major consideration, I'm also only in my early 30s so plenty of time.

There's also no chance of promotion in my current job anyway, looking for another one.

ASC probably won't get the place back but my mums happy to help me once a week if I do need to go back up hours wise, and once DDs in summer term of year 4 she can walk home herself so it's for at most 2 years (currently Year 3) as Year 5 are allowed from September to walk home.

@Lavenderlid Currently work 25-30 hours a week I'd cut one day so go down to 20-25 hours a week (I sometimes do overtime on the weekend DDs with her dad hence up to 25/30)

I would cut your hours, you would have a better work life balance and you can spend more time with your child.

Soon enough she will be old enough to not need you around so much and you can increase your work back up if you wish to

Right now, it would be wise to work as much as possible and save what you can.

I wouldn't. Given possible further increases in the cost of basics such as energy.

I wouldn't.

Prices everywhere are shooting up and your thirties is exactly the time to be paying into a pension - the more you can pay in when you're young, the better.

If you choose your own shifts, can't you just pick more of them around school and the time your ex has her, and do a bit less over the holidays?

No way would I reduce my hours & income at the moment.
Prices are going up everywhere for everything and once cut the hours have gone to someone else & so has the ASC place so upping them again will be tough/impossible