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MNers without children

This board is primarily for MNers without children - others are welcome to post but please be respectful

Original poster

Considering going part-time, no kids & live alone. Is it a crazy idea?

49 replies

CosmicTea · 09/12/2025 15:36

Does anyone work part time with no kids and no partner?

Its something I'm considering but I'm worried that I only have myself to fall back on, which makes me a bit risk averse when it comes to the idea of dropping work.

At the same time, I am wondering why I am wasting my life working full time, when I only have myself to look after. I currently have no money worries, a decent amount of disposable income, but I don't want to put myself in a vulnerable position. Pension is currently on track, I have a £120k mortgage to pay off, but no other really big costs. I run a very cheap car and intentionally bought a flat that is low maintenance, lowest council tax band, low energy bills so that I wouldn't have money worries.

I am an artist at heart, and would love to spend more time writing and drawing and painting - fulfilling my potential in those areas. In some ways it's the reason I decided not to have kids, so I can concentrate on my passions, and instead I'm working full time with not much time to do what I actually love.

Maybe the short days and rainy weather is getting me down, especially when I am spending all my daylight hours working a job that's fine but not exactly my vocation.

OP posts:
random123456 · 09/12/2025 15:39

Absolutely not being unreasonable, so long as you would still be financially comfortable on your reduced hours. Do you think your employer would be open to it?

rumred · 09/12/2025 15:39

Go for it. Especially as you have a decent pension. I was part time on and off for years. Life is too short to give everything to work.

JaninaDuszejko · 09/12/2025 15:54

It's a balance I suppose, will it affect your plans to retire when you want or are you seeing it as a balance between living a better life now which means it should be easier to work a bit longer if needed (makes more sense really to balance working and leisure for longer).

Think about how it will affect how you will be perceived at work and if that affects your decision, at my work there are lots of people with caring responsibilities (either children or parents) or approaching retirement working PT which is considered completely normal but the younger childfree women who have gone PT so they can 'find themselves' in some hobby or other are viewed as a bit flakey. But if you have a job rather than a career that's probably fine.

CheeseIsMyIdol · 09/12/2025 15:57

What is your age?

cestlavielife · 09/12/2025 15:58

Do it. Follow your creative dreams.
Go on an artistic retreat to get you going.

Original poster
CosmicTea · 09/12/2025 15:59

CheeseIsMyIdol · 09/12/2025 15:57

What is your age?

Early 40s

OP posts:
Original poster
CosmicTea · 09/12/2025 15:59

cestlavielife · 09/12/2025 15:58

Do it. Follow your creative dreams.
Go on an artistic retreat to get you going.

Ooh. That's a lovely idea!

OP posts:
Original poster
CosmicTea · 09/12/2025 16:01

random123456 · 09/12/2025 15:39

Absolutely not being unreasonable, so long as you would still be financially comfortable on your reduced hours. Do you think your employer would be open to it?

Yes I think my employer would be open to it. It's a stable job with little risk of redundancy (touch wood) and my employer is very flexible and reasonable.
I need to do some calculations to see how much money I would have left at the end of each month. I think I could only drop to 4 days without worrying about money.

OP posts:
Original poster
CosmicTea · 09/12/2025 16:02

JaninaDuszejko · 09/12/2025 15:54

It's a balance I suppose, will it affect your plans to retire when you want or are you seeing it as a balance between living a better life now which means it should be easier to work a bit longer if needed (makes more sense really to balance working and leisure for longer).

Think about how it will affect how you will be perceived at work and if that affects your decision, at my work there are lots of people with caring responsibilities (either children or parents) or approaching retirement working PT which is considered completely normal but the younger childfree women who have gone PT so they can 'find themselves' in some hobby or other are viewed as a bit flakey. But if you have a job rather than a career that's probably fine.

There are other members of the team that work part time or flexibly, so that's a good sign. Yes I'd need to think how to frame it to my manager in terms of why I want to reduce my hours.

OP posts:
pjani · 09/12/2025 16:17

You could start off asking to go 0.9 (4.5 days a week, so every four weeks you'd have two working days to yourself) and see how that feels financially?

Otherwise you could end up in a pickle if you went down to 0.8 (four days a week) and it wasn't quite enough, and weren't able to go back up again.

BakedAl · 09/12/2025 16:20

You don't need to give a reason when you submit a flexible working request. The company only need to consider if it's feasible, not why you want to do it.

Tryingatleast · 09/12/2025 16:21

sounds good to me op, I say give it a go!

Ineffable23 · 09/12/2025 16:22

I have done various versions of part time/non standard hours, first started when I was 23 but never at less than 80%.

My favourite, though aligned with my last favourite job so sadly didn't get to keep the hours, was 80% annualised days. So I worked 80% days over the year which worked out at about 14 weeks leave. This worked because our work was allocated in weeks so it was actually more convenient for them as well as being nice for me.

My second favourite was 90% hours over 4 days. Minimal pay loss, days aren't stupidly long, still get a day off every week.

My current arrangement is 100% hours over 4 days which is the least bad option in my current job because it minimises the amount of unpaid overtime I do.

I think keeping that work life balance in some sort of order is a great idea.

patooties · 09/12/2025 16:24

I work 4 days a week. I never want to work FT again. It’s been life changing

BlueberryPup · 09/12/2025 16:28

Another option with a flexible employer would ask to work 4 10 hour days, if you're concerned about money. That would free up an extra day during the week plus you wouldn't just be stuck with your same work load, working harder but earning less.

Hogwartsian · 09/12/2025 16:31

I am child free, 30 and I went from full time working to just two days a week. It is utterly bliss! I spend my life doing what I want.

Navidismydad · 09/12/2025 18:46

Definitely do it, I can't recommend it enough.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 09/12/2025 18:47

Yanbu at all!

Can you take some overtime? Say, commit to 6 more months ans SAVE HARD

Then reduce your hours as much as possible?

Best of luck 🥰

iSage · 09/12/2025 20:37

As long as it works financially, including your pension, do it! No one ever looks back and wishes they'd spent more time at work.

KimberleyClark · 11/12/2025 09:45

iSage · 09/12/2025 20:37

As long as it works financially, including your pension, do it! No one ever looks back and wishes they'd spent more time at work.

Seconded!

Not quite the same but I took a voluntary early exit package at 58, am now 64. It’s been absolutely glorious and I’m so so happy I did it. I was unable to have children but it’s been a wonderful silver lining.

FFSToEverythingSince2020 · 11/12/2025 09:49

@CosmicTea As someone who is coming to the end of their life a lot sooner than I thought I would be… do it. Do it as soon as possible. The days are long sometimes, but the years are short. I think you’re being sensible by not leaving the job market all together, and if you’ve no money worries, then it’s time for your passions to come first, absolutely.

PersephoneParlormaid · 11/12/2025 09:50

Life’s too short, go for it ! It I’d suggest you have six months to a years worth of outgoings in the bank before you do.

NewGoldFox · 11/12/2025 09:53

Could you do compressed hours? Same pay but only four days in work.

Lennonjingles · 11/12/2025 09:56

I would start by dropping one day at first, you probably won’t see that much of a difference in pay with less Tax and NI. You can only ask, if your employer asks, tell them you have a hobby that you would like to spend more time on.

GeorgieFG · 11/12/2025 09:59

Great idea so long as you can afford it .

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