To give up work..?

[custardtart21]

I work 2 days a week currently. I am what is classified as a qualified professional, I have to pay indemnity and a yearly registration fee - but it's such a low paid career. I'm fully qualified, done it since 2009... and I'm on £11.25 an hour.

My husband earns £60k with a big payout coming up and his earnings are highly likely to go up a lot over the next few years.

We have 2 DC, one school age and one younger, the youngest's nursery fees are £51 a day which we pay on the 2 days I work.

My options are carry on, work more days, get a more flexible job and work evenings or weekends.. or be a SAHM.

What would you do?

Whats your pension like? I’d continue working to make sure I had a good pension of my own. Don’t be relying on your DH to keep you in old age.

Could you not go bank/agency? My friend is a qualified dental nurse and earns decent money from agency shifts, much more than if you’re employed by a practice!

I was a dental nurse too and won't be going back in Jan when my maternity leave finishes. I'd walk away with £74 after paying childcare for 2 for 2 days per week (all our income is shared but just showing what I'd be working for). I also work for a company who pay a very good wage (not allowed to discuss) but it includes travelling, and my son has a peanut allergy so I can't travel anymore.
I have to say, I am so relieved to not be going back. I have been doing it for 10 years and just had enough I think - the NHS is struggling which makes patients rude etc and I think why would I do that when I can be with my boys. I'm booked in to do a dog grooming course and will be setting up from home 😊

I would never give up work to make myself dependent on someone else. Married or not, it leaves you incredibly vulnerable.

If you don't like your job all that much, why not look to change career?

You need to advance in your role or move into something else.
Its not great pay but what level of study did your role require?
Did you need to complete a degree or post graduate training?
Did you accumulate lots of student debt?

I would make the sidestep into practice management if you can, or is there a private dental firm with a local head office which you could move to? Like dealing with the pay plan or insurance claims which require a bit of background knowledge?
I moved to NHS admin, not hugely better paid but more flexible and can WFH at times. Plus not on my feet all day. Also don't have to work with (some) egotistical dentists

I'd continue working.,what is the job? Something like podiatry ?? OT?? Anyway if it is NHS you'll be paying into your pension and also state pension. It also gives you a change of scene and identity

I'd keep the job as seems like a decent balance at the moment but think about what I wanted to do longer term. If you think of the aspects you enjoy can you find these elsewhere for better money? You have tonnes of transferable skills. Being a SAHM is a great option for many people, but if its not something you're really passionate about you probably won't enjoy it, and when the time comes to return to the workplace you'll probably feel the same about the low pay etc.

That’s a full time take home of £22,000 a year if you pro rata it to full time. Dental nursing is undoubtedly limited in terms of career progression. I was going to say to hang on in there for promotion but is there such a thing? I would keep working though. It’s not a bad take home and it’s a pleasant working environment. Frankly, it’s nit pressurised or overly regulated or managed. You also have the flexibility of part time and you are keeping the money. At least it’s not 100% of your earnings for nursery. You are obviously not in London! Your nursery is cheap.

Apologies I see dental nurse

My friend was a dental nurse but now works in an estate agent part time and earns much more. She’s doing admin rather than sales. I’d start looking at what local jobs are available.

I would always work. I work part time and my DH earns 4 times what I do but wouldn't want to be financially vulnerable by not earning. Plus the lack of state pension (or private pension) by not earning.

That said, maybe look for a career you feel better about?

If you do take some time off OP could you do a hygienist degree in that time? Then when the kids are in school you can pick and choose your hours and earn more?

I think you should stick with it. Being able to work very part time when the children are small is the sweet-spot, IMO.

I knew you would be a dental nurse!!! I left dental nursing to train as a dentist. Would highly recommend looking into dental therapy or dentistry degrees as you have the skills and so much transferable knowledge and experience.

If you can live on husbands salary you might as well and student finance will top you up while you study. Or look for a hospital dental nurse job, they can sometimes pay a bit more. I wouldn’t want to be totally out of work but I can totally understand why you don’t want to work to barely cover nursery bills.

Could you maybe retrain as a dental hygienist at some point perhaps when kids are at school? Much better money and you could be self employed and work 2 or 3 days a week and earn more than you're on now? It's the same field so you will already have a lot of knowledge and experience in that setting under your belt.

60k really wouldn’t be a salary to make me quit work. It doesn’t go that far for a family
of 4 these days.
Childcare costs doesn’t really seem like a reason to me either, you pay childcare for 1 child and it will be massively reduced in only 2 years.

If you want to be a SAHM that’s a choice, but your reasons so justify it don’t make a lot of sense.

Keep working you have a career there’s many aspects to work rather than money

also from experience it’s shit having to carry the full financial burden of the family on your own not far on your DH

60k really wouldn’t be a salary to make me quit work. It doesn’t go that far for a family of 4 these days

Yes - key to remember that the take home of 1 x £60k is far less than 2 x £30k as only one tax allowance is in play, and everything above £50k will be taxed at 40%.

That’s barely more than minimum wage. I’d do something evenings or weekends that worked around your DH’s hours so you don’t have to pay childcare. Don’t give up work completely or you’ll end up with no pension.

By all means re-train, find another job but please don't just quit. It leaves so many women in such a vulnerable position.

Most women would say "my husband would never" until their husband does.

Whatever you do, don’t give up your job to be dependent on your husband. Hugely risky.

Agree your salary sounds extremely low for someone with professional status.

Are there other adjacent careers that pay more?

This.
And have a look at doing hygiene therapy or theatre assistant course if you want to be clinical. Plenty of things dental nurses can sidestep to.

I'd never in a million years be a SAHM. I'd find it incredibly dull but I also value my financial independence.

Go agency. My friend works for Cavity. It’s far better money and they have been the best employer she has ever had.