Am I losing perspective on these jobs offers? I don’t know what to do and running out of time!

[Linset]

I’ve been offered two jobs.

One has take home pay of 4,100 a month. Work from home whenever you want, with office presence every so often when you decide to do so.

Other is take home pay of 4,350 and opportunity for a bonus with health insurance on top. Office presence needed 4 times a week, sometimes 3 times depending on what’s on.

I am a single parent and do get maintenance of around 1k a month. DD is is nursery but has some free hours now so the bill is around 500 a month.

I don’t know which role to take. The nursery is on the way to the second job but the traffic is horrendous. I’d also feel stressed coming back from the office to be there on time for her as I am the only person who does nursery drop off and pick up (that isn't going to change).

I am conflicted as I feel silly not going for the better paid role but also the idea of having a commute on top of everything else I have to manage seems overwhelming. But am I letting myself down? I don’t know. I’m 39, not sure if relevant.

If you're looking to further your career, I'd actually take job 2 now whilst DC is in nursery, and build up some goodwill for when she goes to school. Nursery hours are longer than afterschool care, easier to manage pick ups and drop offs. After a year or two in the job you'll find it easier to negotiate compressed hours or leaving work early.

That being said, I well remember the stress of juggling FT work in the office and small kids, it was awful.

Not sure why anyone asks this question on MN.

The default answer here is always going to be do as little as possible for as little money as possible and for as few future prospects as possible.

You’re never going to an answer which implores you to think about bettering yourself, long term planning and maximising your potential.

The bar is quite low.

Depends how you are defining bettering yourself!

The first one for sure, even with taking all the expected costs just imagine it for example your child was sick for a week or two. The extra in time needed off and stress is not worth the flexibility of working from home.

Losing a commute is worth several thousand a year in quality of life!

But there are other factors. Job security? Prospects?

Take the smaller salary and save the commute. The flexibility will be life saving.

I would definitely go for the first one OP! i wfh full time currently and it’s so much easier while my dd is at nursery. Even small stuff like getting ready in the morning, I can just throw something on, drop her off then come back and shower/get ready and log in for 8.
I think if the pay difference was 2000, it would be different but it’s only a couple of hundred.
I think it would also be good to look at other differences of the jobs - is one more what you want to do? Is one more secure?

Job 1, you cannot put a price on freedom. You are already anxious typing about the demands of Job 2. Don’t take job 2. Your baby and you will be better for it. Career and money means nothing if you’re too tired and stressed from 3-4days commute. Your child and well being is more important. £250 is nothing. You step outside your door, you’ve spent £250. Don’t bother

When you take childcare costs into account there doesn't seem to be much in it, so it comes down to the wfh vrs commuting and the nature of the job itself in my opinion.

Honestly the pay isn’t very different between them and the flexibility/stress level with job no 1 makes it a clear winner.

Job one. 💯

working from home is worth the lower pay

who has health insurance anyway?

Hrft but add in your commute time the income would probably be about the same at a guess.
If its 1k different I might consider job2 but the benefits of wfh would outweigh at the moment.

What’s the value of the health insurance - that is a taxable benefit and could easily wipe out the additional base pay, though prob not the bonus.

The first one! £15 a day to avoid stress and travel costs is nothing. You won't notice the extra £250 a month the way you'll notice the extra hassle in your life.

The first one, definitely