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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not work full time?

951 replies

Lazym · 04/07/2023 11:03

I have two children 16 and 12. Since my oldest turned 7 months I have worked part time. I cleaned in the evening for 8 years and for last 7 1/2 years I've worked in a supermarket 4 mornings a week, 4 - 8. Obviously when kids were younger this worked out well as I was back home for the school run and partner went to work. My youngest started secondary in September, so now childcare costs aren't an issue I've had comments from partner about finding a full time job. My point is I enjoy my job and am good at it so why should I leave this job to potentially start a job I could hate? The job I have doesn't have full time hours. I contribute to the household financially, pay for two weeks of food shopping every month and pretty much pay for all of the kids needs/clothes. One example, just spent £200 on my lad for his prom, partner paid nothing. So I work and do the usual household chores cook, clean, washing etc. Partner is very money obsessed, but I feel I pay my way too. From when they were very young he's always swanned off and done his own thing, leaving me to it. Another issue with working full time is my lad will be starting college in sept and he'll need a lift to the train station which is 6 miles away and collecting, so how am I supposed to do that? Just needed an opinion. Can never reason with partner as he's never wrong.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
ItsBarbieBitchhhh · 04/07/2023 17:16

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:15

It takes minutes to post something. Sometimes even less.

It's possible to be doing other things at the same time.

I agree that it’s super quick to post something. It takes more time constantly going back and forth and back and forth with trying to prove your point. I’m not sure how that doesn’t get a bit tedious for some posters

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:17

If you live in a council house and you're married or have a civil partnership , even if you're not named on the tenancy, in most (I can't say all, only because I haven't investigated all) cases then the tenancy automatically passes to you if your spouse dies. This does not happen if you're not married @Mumtothreegirlies

Honeychickpea · 04/07/2023 17:17

Lazym · 04/07/2023 15:35

Yes, sadly. Partner already had house an mortgage when I met him. His brothers ex took him to the cleaners when they split so probably thinks I'd be the same.

And apparently you are.

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:17

Mumtothreegirlies · 04/07/2023 17:04

So tell me how marriage is ‘protection’ when you live in a rental or council house? And how does it work if your house is down sh*t street and worth less then £200k and by the time you’ve divorced you still have £150k left on the mortgage to pay?

If marriage is so terrible and pointless and only a piece of paper, why did you get married?

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:19

ItsBarbieBitchhhh · 04/07/2023 17:16

I agree that it’s super quick to post something. It takes more time constantly going back and forth and back and forth with trying to prove your point. I’m not sure how that doesn’t get a bit tedious for some posters

Depends on your personality, I suppose. I enjoy discussion and debate so I don't usually find it tedious.

I also don't find that it takes up much of my time.

Mumtothreegirlies · 04/07/2023 17:20

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:13

You were being derogatory @Mumtothreegirlies And you're wrong.

Nope Grew up in a council house/homeless so I’m the last person to judge those in cheaper housing. Just being honest. I didn’t marry my husband to leech off him if we split not did I marry him with the fear he’d steal everything either. Wouldn’t Have kids with someone who I thought might leave us in the dirt.

ItsBarbieBitchhhh · 04/07/2023 17:20

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:19

Depends on your personality, I suppose. I enjoy discussion and debate so I don't usually find it tedious.

I also don't find that it takes up much of my time.

Fair enough!

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/07/2023 17:22

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:15

It takes minutes to post something. Sometimes even less.

It's possible to be doing other things at the same time.

This. ^ And the comment 'LOL at you all going back and forth on here.'

Does @ItsBarbieBitchhhh not know what a message forum is?! 😂 Fuck me. Her post is very condescending too, like oh I don't have time for THIS you silly wimmin chatting on here. Don't you have anything better to do?????' LOL jog on you patronising article! 😆

Supremely ironic too when this poster started a thread a few days ago on here complaining about being limited on twitter and had been told she has exceeded the limit! 😂 And she has the nerve to say don't we have anything better to do?! LMFAO!!! Grin

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:22

You are wrong @Mumtothreegirlies

If you're married and live in a council house the tenancy passes automatically in every council area I've ever worked with.

So you actually are wrong. Because that doesn't happen if you're not married.

Yours someone who lives in shit street in a house worth less than 200k with no mortgage coz I own it outright.

Lazym · 04/07/2023 17:22

Cosycover · 04/07/2023 17:06

I'd keep the job I liked and maybe pick up a few hours in another job? What about something from home?

Yes I'll be looking into something else to add to what I do. I didn't want this thread to turn into some slanging match. I've asked aibu, by the majority I am being unreasonable. This is fair comment. It's very hard in a few sentences to describe the past 20+ years. My partner has always been the same with money whether I worked full or part time, kids or no kids. I have questioned many times lately why I am even with him, there is no love there or even friendship and I'm more resentful by the day but as I have no financial security and don't want to leave my kids so I'm stuck. So I will now try to rectify the situation. I applaud everyone who has their s* together and hope they're never in this predicament. Hindsights a wonderful thing.

OP posts:
StormShadow · 04/07/2023 17:22

Mumtothreegirlies · 04/07/2023 17:15

Having a marriage certificate won’t make a nice new council house appear ready for you to move into. The house stays with the parent who has the children the most and the other parent moves out and either has to go into rental or wait 10 years for a home to become available. This happens married or not.
if OP gets chucked out she’ll be in band 1 and in fact she’ll be in a much better situation top of the list for council housing on the next available property (as she has no assets) . Life long tenancy all care paid for when she gets old. Vs having to work her butt off and sell the house when she’s old to pay for her care. Sorry just being honest

Nobody said it would. However, the situation is manifestly different to that for unmarried partners, because the unmarried partner who isn't the tenant can't keep the tenancy. If the parent who has the DC the most isn't the tenant and isn't married, they don't get the tenancy over the one who's the tenant. That would make you wrong.

Also, you don't even know where OP lives, so generalisations about waiting lists and bands are idiotic as well as contradicting your first paragraph. Just take the L!

SouthLondonMum22 · 04/07/2023 17:22

Mumtothreegirlies · 04/07/2023 17:20

Nope Grew up in a council house/homeless so I’m the last person to judge those in cheaper housing. Just being honest. I didn’t marry my husband to leech off him if we split not did I marry him with the fear he’d steal everything either. Wouldn’t Have kids with someone who I thought might leave us in the dirt.

I think the majority of women marry a man thinking they won't leave them in the dirt.

Sometimes it still happens.

StormShadow · 04/07/2023 17:23

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:22

You are wrong @Mumtothreegirlies

If you're married and live in a council house the tenancy passes automatically in every council area I've ever worked with.

So you actually are wrong. Because that doesn't happen if you're not married.

Yours someone who lives in shit street in a house worth less than 200k with no mortgage coz I own it outright.

B-but surely people who live in 200k houses can't possibly have paid all or most of them off!

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:24

Definitely can't have @StormShadow I must be making it up. And I didn't do it in less than 5 years either. And all by myself.

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:25

Also. Asking for a 50:50 split of assets in divorce isn't leeching. It's the very definition of recognising the unpaid labour that mostly women do in a marriage when the couple make the decision that one of them stays at home or works part time.

ItsBarbieBitchhhh · 04/07/2023 17:26

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/07/2023 17:22

This. ^ And the comment 'LOL at you all going back and forth on here.'

Does @ItsBarbieBitchhhh not know what a message forum is?! 😂 Fuck me. Her post is very condescending too, like oh I don't have time for THIS you silly wimmin chatting on here. Don't you have anything better to do?????' LOL jog on you patronising article! 😆

Supremely ironic too when this poster started a thread a few days ago on here complaining about being limited on twitter and had been told she has exceeded the limit! 😂 And she has the nerve to say don't we have anything better to do?! LMFAO!!! Grin

See, now I’m going back and forth which I find hugely unnecessary. Didn’t you just tell me bye?

How weird of you to search up my posts, is Mumsnet that serious to you? I don’t think my comment was condescending at all. You’ve been going back and forth with a poster for a while. I say one comment and you then seem like you’re willing to go back and forth with me. Isn’t that tiring/somewhat pointless to you?

I don’t go back and forth with people on Twitter. There’s actually a lot of things to do on there just like Facebook, I don’t need to argue my point with people because why would I do that?

I can see that Mumsnet is your life and that’s fine. For you to mention my recent posts in the hope that people drag me is quite strange but you do you.
Have a great time on here!

StormShadow · 04/07/2023 17:28

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:24

Definitely can't have @StormShadow I must be making it up. And I didn't do it in less than 5 years either. And all by myself.

We really need to stop letting people who live outside the south east of England on MN. Lower the tone!

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/07/2023 17:28

😂 I thought you were leaving @ItsBarbieBitchhhh I mean you're just going back and forth now. Do you have nothing better to do?!

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:29

@StormShadow I know. I should leave forthwith. It pure stymies some folk. Although it's fun to redd them up.

threadfan · 04/07/2023 17:30

Before you do anything you should have a firm financial structure on how bills are paid. I suggest paying bills based on the ratio of your incomes combined.

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/07/2023 17:31

I didn't search your posts anyway @ItsBarbieBitchhhh I REMEMBER them as it was only 3 days ago. I remember you saying you hated the limit on twitter! Grin I can see twitter is your life. Grin

NickOTeen · 04/07/2023 17:32

Let this thread be yet another warning to women who have children and give up work (or go p/t) without getting married.

OP may think marriage is "Victorian", but it's bloody sensible unless you are the one who owns the house and all the money. In which case it's sensible not to get married. But in the vast majority of cases, it's the other way round - meaning that the children can also be shafted in the event of a split.

Just get married.

speluncean · 04/07/2023 17:33

Exactly @NickOTeen (and that’s why I’m not ever marrying my OH)

PurpleButterflyWings · 04/07/2023 17:35

Anyway, sadly I have to go now, coz I'm off out for a meal with family. ENJOY everyone. Smile

GCalltheway · 04/07/2023 17:51

Op I totally get what you are saying.

He has properly stitched you up I am sorry to say! You have moved in to a house that is in his name only, he has paid the mortgage so you can’t claim any part of it - you have provided children to him and offered free labour for FOURTEEN years supporting his career and house payments - thereby depriving yourself of a home, savings or a pension. Whilst HE has been raking it in, fishing and enjoying himself whilst you scrub other peoples loos for your kids activity money!!!!! And the food.

I am shocked and incensed for you.
Get yourself on the mortgage pronto and then discuss the future division of Labour and bills.

You have been totally screwed over.

Get some financial advice immediately- and privately and work out how you can save yourself.

Do you have any inheritance coming your way at least? That needs to be totally ring fenced.

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