Childcare

[Sayra78]

I have 2 kids, child care is soo expensive. My husband is on 25k a year. I really want to keep working but thinking its better to leave and becone a housewife, so confused . Any other women in my situation?

I suspect, the overwhelming majority of parents of young children go through this dilemma.
It really is a very personal decision for you and your dh.
Yes, childcare does take up a large % of income when they are little, but, over a lifetime, it is for a really short amount of time.
Once you come out of the workforce, it can become very difficult to get back in.
A lot will depend on what you do for a job - is it something that has taken training? Qualifications ? Experience? Is it something where there is always a shortage of staff ?
Then, how much you earn, comes into it.
How much you enjoy your job.
How much you enjoy / or dislike being at home 24 / 7 with small people.

Many people really want to be a SAHP and think it is worth stepping away from paid work for 10 years or so and keeping fingers crossed they will then be able to find something.
Others find that working is about a lot more than just the money, and, even when it actually costs more in childcare than the net income of one of the parents, it is still the right thing for that family.
Probably more people do continue to work, but for probably a small income over the childcare costs, but they are contributing to pensions, they are keeping up to date with work practices etc, and, over a 50 year working life, "being broke" for 4 or 5 years is a price worth paying.

Plus, you can look into tax credits etc, and things like moving your mortgage (if you have one) to interest only for 3 or 4 years, etc.

Hi, are you cLaiming all the help you can , universal credits, child tax credits ? Once your eldest is 3 they will get the 15/30 funded hours Which will also then help. But you will only get the 30 if you are both working. If they are in a nursery have you considered moving them to a childminder or maybe a nanny would be cheaper option for you?

Maybe your husband should stop working and care for his children. You don't say what your salary is, for all we know you may be on £75k.

Thanks for the kind advice. I work in the pharmaceutical industry and earn 45k a year. I am the main bread winner for the family. I am seeing my husbands Mental health and Health take a huge hit due to the stress and its taking a toil on me as well. Our mortgage is just over 1275pounds a month and without me working, it will be impossible for us to manage. He is already doing 6 days a week now and our sex life is non exsistence , we also hardly speak to each other as he is knackered and soo am i. Its a price i feel we women have to pay to start a family.

Why would you give up work and try to survive on £25k??? That is completely mad.

Can you husband drop his hours down to part time, so you only need to find 2/3 days of childcare a week?

It’s also worth looking at childminders - they are significantly cheaper usually.

Yes we will have a similar dilemma soon, I am the higher earner but I think I will go part time while my babies are young to keep my foot in the door then go back to full time later. This will be less expensive than paying full time childcare and although I will be on a part time wage we will save money in tax with me doing less hours. This is all only if my job accomadates me though. It’s very hard to get the balance right but I do agree with the poster who pointed out about getting back in can be hard at a later stage!

Have I fallen into 1950?

Don't see how you can afford to give up work so he would either have to negotiate changes to hours or give up....or you carry on as you are and pay around half his salary and possibly less for
about a year....no brainerto me. once child is 3 you get 30 hours free childcare. Bill goes down....I do have families who both work pay £1200 a month in rent and earn way less so it is doable.