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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To want to work just school hours?

18 replies

whoops · 10/01/2008 22:19

Hello! Mumsnet Jobs team here. We've noticed this thread is fairly old now, and some of the information is out of date. We've put together this article of advice, tips and tricks to finding a job that will allow you to work within school hours. We hope it's helpful!

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I currently work full time but yesterday I was offered a part time job that would just be within school hours.
Financially it would be about a £15 drop in take home a month but from September I would be about £20-£40 better off as I wouldn't need to pay for any childcare.
DH has these big plans to remortgage in a couple of years time and would need me to be on a full time salary.
I don't see why for a couple of years I do this job and when it comes to near the time for remortgaging I see if I can up to full time for the purpose of providing payslips etc.
AIBU for this or should I just stick to my 9-5?

OP posts:

LilRedWG · 10/01/2008 22:21

Stick to your guns! If you are finacially better off working part-time from September then do it. You'll have more time with the children and your hard earned cash won't be all going into childcare. If it doesn't work out you can always go back to FT work in the future.

fingerwoman · 10/01/2008 22:22

definitely do it. if you'll end up better off then it shouldn't be a problem even for remortgaging purposes surely?

cornsilk · 10/01/2008 22:24

Agree do it. Your chn will be much happier, so ultimately so will you and dh!

ChasingSquirrels · 10/01/2008 22:25

I am assuming your youngest (or only) starts school in Sep?
What are you planning to do for childcare before and after school if you are working full time?
This might have a big impact on your decision.
Will dh be involved in school drop off/pick up enabling one of you to work early and tghe other late?
Do YOU want to remortgage? Do you NEED to?
Probably lots of things to discuss with your dh.

Twiggypiggy · 10/01/2008 22:25

Do it, do it now

Why should you work more when working less gives you similar money.

No contest in my mind.

catsmother · 10/01/2008 22:25

If the financial difference in take home is only £15 a month (is that right ??), then that would make sod all difference to any potential mortgage.

Assuming that was a typo then there is no "right" or "wrong" about this sort of decision. You maybe need to do a pros & cons list together to see if the advantage of being part time outweighs remortgage plans (without knowing what this'd be for, I couldn't comment). Are these plans vital ? Would they benefit the family as a whole more than the slight income increase / no need for childcare / reduction in stress / more time with kids and so on ?

somersetmum · 10/01/2008 22:27

Hi whoops

I've just changed from 8.30-5 to 8.45-3.15. I am absolutely loving it; I can take the children to school and be there to pick them up. I don't know how old your dc's are, but it is my older one (nearly 10) who is the main reason I've done this. He needs support with his homework and the chance to go to sports activities which he couldn't do before.

Go for it!

Original poster

whoops · 10/01/2008 22:35

The only reason that dh wants me to be working full time is so that when it is time to remortgage (we currently have a 100% mortgage so have a higher interest rate and remortgaging would apparently bring this down) we can put down my earnings as x. The fact that we wouldn't need to pay for childcare and that they children would be happier doesn't seem to come into things.
Childcare isn't an issue for me working full time as the school run a breakfast & after school club but as somersetmum has said I could get ds into sports clubs which I would love him to do.

OP posts:

ChasingSquirrels · 10/01/2008 22:41

hmm, often they will look at affordability rather than a just x times salary - which may help.
Could you remortgage NOW (proabbly not) on your full time salary then go part-time?
Just to say personally I would rather work part time for the same wage and be able to pick up/drop of my dc's, than send them to before and after school clubs. Actually I would rather work part-time and earn less to be able to do this than work full time and not be able to. Childcare may not be an issue for you - but would it be for your dc's?

Original poster

whoops · 10/01/2008 22:45

Couldn't remortgage now as we are tied in
Ds currently goes to the breakfast and aferschool club and dd goes to nursery so there wouldn't be any change now and dd is always with me when we drop ds off so she knows the club and some of the kids that go.
I would rather do the school rop & pick up but dh doesn't seem to think it should make a difference as we manage fine now. I know ds would like me to pick him up and drop him off but DH just seems to throw in that we wouldn't have the house we are in if I dropped to part time

OP posts:

ChasingSquirrels · 10/01/2008 22:48

but you ARE affording the house now? If so that argument just doesn't hold. Maybe look online and put the figures into mortgage websites and see if they would offer what you need (obviously it wouldn't be full cjhecks but would give you and idea) and use this to convince dh.
Would he be jealous of you being part-time? It maybe that he is using the mortgage issue to mask this?

nametaken · 10/01/2008 23:04

you should take the new job. Part time jobs that fit in with school hours are like gold dust where I live.

cat64 · 10/01/2008 23:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

yorkishbirdy · 10/01/2008 23:14

More and more lenders offer affordability rather than any other criteria, this is likely to get more prevelent in the future not less. As has been said you could go back to full time when the remortgage is imminent (sp?)

I found the benefits of working school hours were huge, not just time but on so many other levels. My advice would be to stick to your guns, explain to DH that your life (and your children's) is far more important than a remortage but that you will discuss what is required to make his plan work when it is time. Be aware that mortgages etc are changing all the time, what is available now (and the criteria around it) is highly likly to have changed beyond recognition in two years time!

Original poster

whoops · 11/01/2008 10:57

After a hige domestic this morning Dh agreed that I could accept the job if they pay me slightly more. SO I am now waiting for the agency to get back to me.

OP posts:

HappyMummyOfOne · 11/01/2008 14:00

Not being funny, but the money must be great already if dropping your hours is only £15 a month different so I wouldnt have dreampt of asking for more.

Your annual salary wont be much different to now for mortgage purposes anyway.

OrmIrian · 11/01/2008 14:05

I would do it.

And I think you might be underestimating the cost of after-school child care as well when your DC starts next year.

Original poster

whoops · 11/01/2008 14:19

I was asking for more to be able to have a drop of £15 as that was the top bracket of the salary offered but we discussed a lower figure at the interview as I hadn't looked properly into tax credits at that point.
OrmIrian ds already goes to the breakfast & after school club which is how I managed to work out the figures for when dd starts

OP posts:

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