What should the plan be? Childcare

[Thecostoflove]

My husband and I are thinking of trying to have a baby next year. We both work full time, I’ve finally found a job I like but I only earn £23,500, we live just outside London. My husband earns more than me but how would we afford to pay someone to look after the baby after maternity leave? So if I earn £23,500, childcare for full time hours will be even more than that. What does this mean? As I would technically be bringing no money home, just outlaying on travel and the added extra of nursery as it is very expensive. We will be no better off than if I went back to work or I stayed home and only my husband worked. Am I missing the point? Just feeling a bit negative, would like to work still, or even just part time. Just trying to understand if it would be better to wait longer and try to save as much money as possible, I’m 32 and my husband is 35.

Personally I chose to stay in low paid work but part-time. I definitely wouldn't have wanted to work FT and I couldn't have anyway as like you childcare would have cost way more than my wages. But I do feel better keeping a little pension going and keeping my foot in the workplace. I mean, I could quit and go back in minimum wage in a few years I'm sure, but like you I've always quite liked my low-paid jobs. They have always been office or home based and not stressful at all. I wouldn't really want to give that up and then find the only thing I can get later is retail/hospitality/cleaning/care work which I've seen happy to many peiple. Personally I'd find all of those things much more difficult and stressful than the jobs I've had.

And tbh I wouldn't want to be a SAHM, I find that more difficult and stressful than any of the jobs I've had! I love my kids but I'm honestly a better mother to them having a couple of days away from them where I can take proper lunch break and not be switched 'on' the way I have to be with them.

But everyone is different and takes different decisions accordingly. But I do think it's a bit silly when people say about staying in the workforce and only being able to get a minimum wage job to someone who is only in one anyway! It's a completely different situation to someone earning decently.