If you could drop a day at work and afford to, would you?

[Watermocha]

DH works full time and brings in a good income to cover all the big bills and save some too. We try to collectively save £6-700 a month.
We have 2 very young kids who aren’t in school yet so I work 2 days a week.

I earn £1400 per month currently but if I work 1 day a week I would get £1000.
I find it hard leaving them in nursery and I know I am very fortunate to be able to maybe drop a day if I want to.
It would mean less savings and less monthly pension contribution, but we’d be able to keep our disposable income the same (around £3-350 per month each),

If you could would you? Or would you prefer to work more so you’re overall better off financially?

For me, working 1 day a week would be too little. I don’t think I’d feel like a part of the team and it would be difficult to follow up on things. I’ve done 3 days a week since I went back after my first maternity leave around 7 years ago. For me, it’s the right balance, I still feel like I have my career, time with adult company, paying into pension etc, but I also get 2 days a week with the kids (and now a bit more time to myself/to do life admin etc as they are in school).

I would continue with 2 days if I was you, but I guess you need to decide what’s most important to you

I would do it. You maybe able to increase your hours as your children get older. They’re only little once - enjoy them while you can!

In general, yes - but not from 2 to 1 days. The only person I know who worked 1 day a week with small kids found it so frustrating she went and got a full time job instead. I'd say going from 5 to 4 days would be fine.

I'd hold your nerve and consider transitioning to something like 4 short days when they're in school.

Yes going from 5-4 days or 4-3 days but I wouldn’t go from 2-1, seems pointless I’d rather do 2 days and have the extra money.

I went to two days three years ago. And up to three days last year

I think it depends massively on the job you do.

One day a week might work if it's a 'go in...do your job...go home...forget about it until next week' role but it would be hard to be involved in team meetings, time with colleagues, personal development, keeping on top of what's going on in the business etc.

If there's a chance that you'd be bringing work home, trying to catch up on a week of emails/messages or putting in additional unpaid hours I'd stick to the 2 days.

I'd go from my current 5 to 4 days and plan on condensing my hours when my eldest has a baby and is returning to work after maternity leave. I wouldn't drop from 2 days to 1. Think that seems pointless even working at all to be honest as I'd never be able to complete any full tasks in a week.

I'd stick at 2 days a week. I thought from the title it would 5 days to 4 not 2 to 1!!!

I’d feel like it wasn’t ‘ worth it ‘ to work 1 day ,
2 days is a lovely amount , I do 20 hours but spread over 3 days

I only work half-time and dd is in secondary school now. I’m a high earner so even at half-time I bring home more than most people make in a year. Dd also has some Sn and having one parent with extra flexibility was very helpful for our family. I don’t really need to be half-time at this point, but I’m also not highly motivated to increase my hours to full. DH earns enough that I really just work in case something happens to him. The extra money is nice, but we don’t actually need it. For us it’s about balancing our family life with my need to work for security.