How do you manage financially?

[parachute]

I need to look for a job. Anything local, ie walking from the house is around 6.50 an hour. I can go further away and take the car but the hourly rate in the major city for admin is still only 7 an hour. Absolutely no point in that as I'd need a huge amount for either the car or train.

So at 6.50 an hour I'd earn less than 200 per week of which 175 goes to childcare.

How the hell do people manage?

I am so sorry if this sounds very nieave (sp) but we've just returned to the UK and to say I am shitting myself over money is an understatement!

I'd like to do childminding but while we are in this rented house I can't so I hope to do that next year.

If you are earning a low salary and have to pay childcare you will be entitled to help with your childcare from the gov. You need to go online and have a look at the Child Tax credits info.

Pretty sure you can do childminding in a rented house, but it takes up to a year to become registered!

I worked evenings when mine were little so I had no childcare to pay for as DH was home.

Now, I work during the day, part-time, term time only in a school as a receptionist.

DS1 is going into Yr9 at secondary and is old enough to look after himself (two days I finish at 4.30pm and he gets in at 4.10pm) and DS2 is going into Yr6 at primary and goes to kids club the two evenings which costs £18 a week. I started the job September last year and knew I would only have two years of two evenings after school club to pay for and then he would come home with his brother from Secondary.

I work evenings too as a retail manager. Most of my colleagues, managers and customer assistants, are parents.

We will be moving 20 miles away next February/March time so was waiting for childminding to kick in then. No harm in starting the process now though. Thanks.

I did consider evening work but my husband works shifts and I don't think an employer would like someone who can only work 3 weeks in the evening out of 4!

Bollocks. Have answered someone else's thread! Sorry to OP.

I work nights, so no childcare involved.

Prior to working nights I worked weekends for the same reason.

Online surveys can bring in a few hundred a month mixed between vouchers and cash once you know how to play the system. Not as easy as it sounds but no costs and no taxes. £100 a month within a month or two of starting is fairly easy. After that is can ramp up a bit.