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Original poster

How many hours a week do you work? Want to drop to part time

72 replies

Knowingmeknowingyou1 · 25/06/2022 22:30

I work on average 37/38, 31 years old, have a partner but no children.
I know some people work way more but I even feel like this is too much and I'd like to reduce it by 5-10 hours.
I get paid hourly so it varies, but for 37 hours I can come out with around 1700 net. Dropping to 25 hours would see me coming out with around 1300 (as of July)
Part of me just wants to go part time and learn to manage on the 1300, thinking that life is too short. Another part of me thinks it'd be 'lazy' of me, that I should work full time hours as most people have to, and that I can put the extra 400 in savings.
Anyone else?

OP posts:
Original poster
Knowingmeknowingyou1 · 25/06/2022 22:43

Partner works anything between 20 and 34 usually (0 hours contract)

OP posts:
20viona · 25/06/2022 22:47

I work 30 hours Monday - Thursday with Fridays off. I love it. Iv worked 4 days a week for about 6 years but it was 37 hours. I reduced when I had my daughter 3 years ago to 22.5 hours and upped it again this year as I wanted some extra money and toddlers are hard work 😂. If you can afford it then why not. I always enjoy the work life balance more of 4 days as I have one day to sort the house out, do menial crap jobs and still have the weekend to enjoy.

angerelle · 25/06/2022 22:52

I work 33 hours a week, dropped down to 30 hours, alongside my husband, when our kids were babies, both back up to 33 when they were at school, we still haven't gone back up to 37, even though they are both pretty much grown. Briefly considered full time when I was promoted recently, but decided against it!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/06/2022 22:53

People should work the amount of hours in th middle of the Venn diagram "want to work" and "need to work"

If you want and can afford to work fewer hours than you currently do, why wouldn't you?

maddening · 25/06/2022 22:53

Can you both afford you to drop the hours?

thebeesknees123 · 25/06/2022 22:54

I work 29. Children are 13 and 18 now. Also have an eldery mother to look out for. Sometimes it feels a bit much but couldn't afford to drop more. I quite enjoy getting out of the house, though, and would definitely work more if my responsibilities dropped

hamdden12 · 25/06/2022 22:56

I work anything between 30-60 hours a week, 60 is when I've got no staff so pick up the slack myself. I've got kids but they are grown up so they look after themselves. I'm also hourly paid not salaried, I definitely wouldn't do it if I wasn't getting paid for it.

Nogoodusername · 25/06/2022 22:58

I work 32 over 5 days (so that I can do 2x school pick ups.) I worked more PT when my children were younger then school age - first 17.5 hours, then 21, then 25. Went up to 32 when youngest was in reception

IfIhearmumagaintoday · 25/06/2022 23:02

Do you want children? That's a big wage drop £400 a month.

NeedMoMoney · 25/06/2022 23:03

36 hours, come out with around £1300, two babies on the way so I'm not sure what I'll do after maternity leave is over but I'm hoping to go down hours for a few years then back up once there at school, I'm lucky that my parter works full time also, around 40ish hours a week and has said he'd rather me be happy and reduce my hours as that's what I want to do, much sought after babies after Ivf so I don't want to have to go to work and let someone watch them grow in there first few years while I'm stuck at work paying someone else to do what I want to do! You only get one life!! Do it, and if it's not working out just you can always change back! 😊

coffeecupsandfairylights · 25/06/2022 23:09

25-30 most weeks. I'm 33 and no DC.
DH works anything between 30-40 hours,

We're both self-employed so we can pick and choose our hours/workload to some extent.

riotlady · 25/06/2022 23:11

I work 24 hours over 3 days, earn £1300 so pretty much what you are considering.

Personally I work these hours for health reasons- I think if I was able to I’d like to work 4 days a week, have a bit more money, have a few more opportunities to do things at work, but still keep a day off for relaxing and getting errands done during the week. It might just be where I work but 3 days feels noticeabley part time in my office in a way that 4 days doesn’t, so that’s something to consider.

I do think our society attaches quite a lot of moral value to working as hard as you’re able to, but actually if you don’t want or need to then what’s the point?

ExhaustedButHappy80 · 25/06/2022 23:12

Currently I work 24 (3 x 8hr) and have done since having kids…. Youngest DC is 3.

I'm likely going to go full time soon as have an opportunity for promotion. I’d have preferred to wait until DC starts school but it’s too good an opportunity to miss.

m if we could afford it long term I’d ideally do 4 days. I think DH would like to do 4 days too. Unfortunately we couldn’t really afford it.

whatisforteamum · 25/06/2022 23:16

I work 55 hours week kids are off hand though.

SaggyBlinders · 25/06/2022 23:17

I work 30 hours, which is three 10 hour shifts, with one unpaid 30 minute break. Sometimes I top up with some extra hours, but that's entirely my choice, and I'm 'lucky' that I can pick and choose when because I work in healthcare and we're pretty much always short staffed (shock).

I love it and wish I'd done it sooner. I'm naturally a much nicer person at work now, feel like I can actually give 100% most days, instead of having to drag myself out of bed to go to work.

My pension will be worse off for it though, but I'm going to pay for some extra contributions to top it up a bit. And I'd rather enjoy my free time in my 30s than my 70s, so it's worth it.

OtiMama · 25/06/2022 23:22

I guess it's your life and only you know if you can afford to drop the hours.

I work 37 hours, but flexible with some element of choice on when I work those. I'm 31 and have a 20 month old and another on the way.

Wynston · 25/06/2022 23:31

feels like 400 but likely to be more like 30/40.
I was only doing about 20 but it just wasn't enough money to live.
I have 2 dc. I now work 3 days and top up the hours in the evenning when my partner is home.
I think I would be better to do 3 full days but i like my job.

justanotherlaura · 25/06/2022 23:38

Could you try living off 1300 for a few months and see if your life changes any? can you still save for a holiday now and again and could you top up an emergency fund if you had to dip in to it? That would make my decision for me

Theluggage15 · 25/06/2022 23:50

I work 25 hours, 5 hours Monday to Friday. My pay doesn’t need to cover any bills luckily and our children are grown up. I was so happy to go part time after working full time, it’s made such a difference to my life, my husband says I’m much happier too. if you can make it work financially I’d definitely go for it.

MysteriousMonkey · 25/06/2022 23:53

20 paid hours and we manage but we are frugal. I do voluntary work as well though that I don't want to give up, so on reality probably work around 30 hours a week.

Abouttimemum · 25/06/2022 23:55

I work 4 days over 3. When DS goes to school I’ll probably do four days over five to be able to do school picks ups. When he’s older I’ll probably go back to full time for a while to grab some cash before retirement!

all being well of course!

SecondhandTable · 25/06/2022 23:57

Before DC I worked FT which was 37.5 hrs a week over 5 days.

Since having DC1 I dropped to 30 hours over 4 days. Upon returning from mat leave for DC2 this was to drop to 28 hours over 4 days as a result of changes to everyone's working hours at my employer. However I decided this doesn't work for us as a family so I'm moving jobs and in my new job I will be dropping to 15 hours over 2 days. I also work another job which is 1 day a month. I'm also applying for another role which will be another 3 days a month so hoping I get that too. So really I'd be working 3 days a week if I get all that sorted.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 25/06/2022 23:59

Do the hours you need to pay the bills and to be able to save something for unexpected expenses.
Dh does 75hrs. I do anywhere between 37.5 and have done 109h per week.

Kite22 · 25/06/2022 23:59

Won't it depend on what you want from life ?
Do you own property? Do you want to ?
Do you want to have dc ?
Are there other things you would like but can't afford - driving? travel ?

You obviously don't have to tell us anything about your life, but 31 seems very young to be "settling" for getting by. That is the age when many people would be aiming for "better" things (whatever 'better' might mean for them.)

StillMedusa · 26/06/2022 00:05

I work 22 hours a week (over three days) .. I dropped to part time 3 years ago and bloody love it. However I'm 54, my kids are grown up (one still dependent as he has autism) and I look after my grandson anything between one and four days a week dependingvon my dd1 and her dh's nursing shifts so I'm equally busy on my non working days.
I feel SO much better about life in general working part time..however I am aware that my pension will be crappier for it. Dh is 60 and still working 60 hours a week most weeks but seems to thrive on it.