Is it worth going back to work if all my wages will go on childcare

[2015mom]

I have one child at the moment and expecting my second.

When I worked out childcare costs for two children it meant I would prob only have £100 in my pocket after working 37.5 hours and having to put two children in nursery because there is no family to help us with childcare because they are busy looking after other grandchildren.

Did anybody else have this problem? What did you do? Did you give up work and were you entitled to benefits?

Please help?

Any options for tax credits?

Yep same problem, I've given up work we claim child benefit. Money's tight but for our personal circumstances it's the best option. I love being home with the dc and will look for a job when they are in school.

Actually I have just worked it out again and I will have to get £300 extra to cover childcare costs because my wages will not cover childcare costs fully

When I had two in day care I was £70 worse off per month after paying childcare. I persevered though as staying in work was vital for my sanity tbh. Also, in a two parent household both are responsible for childcare costs. Is £100 per week or month? Either way I'd say you're still in profit so keep working. They won't be in childcare forever. Is really a very short time in comparison to the length of your working life. Keep your career.

I cannot claim any benefits whilst working

Is child benefit the weekly amount you get for each child... We get that for first child...

Do you get any other benefits because you are not working Roora?

Xpost.

Won't your partner be splitting the cost of childcare with you?

I will have to use £200 odd from my husbands salary because my wages will not be enough....

Husbands salary will cover mortgage and bills so will be very tight

Yes, why are you covering chikdcare alone?

I think it can be worth it when you look at the bigger, long term picture.

I went back to work pt & with 2 children barely more than a year apart so literally all my wages went on childcare. We couldn't claim benefits as hubbie had a well paid job (but also spent a large amount in petrol, car costs for travel). Have my parents living locally but they were tied up with demanding niece as my sister claimed post natal depression until my niece was 6 so they were no help. It was worth it for my sanity in the short term as I'd have gone mad as a full time stay at home mum with two children so close in age and longer term you stay in job market so better off financially longer term as would probably be doing a much worse job now if lost footing on job ladder. As an older mum being a p/t mum much was the best of both worlds as I love my children & feelI was a better mum working part time.

It depends. Would you still be able to get back into your career after a break? Do you want to be a SAHM?

For me the answers to those questions are no and no, so I'd spend all of my salary on childcare (and chase a raise or a job with a better salary).

If you are working in a job that you can just walk back in to in 10 yrs, then possibly not, unless you want to.
However, if you have worked your way up in a job over a number of years, or if you have a career you have trained for over time, or you are in a trade or profession where you have to keep your skills/training up to date, or if you are in a mob that relies on 'contacts' or reputation, then yes, it is worth it. You take the hit for a couple of years and have 45 years to benefit from that 'muddling through' for 2 yrs.

Depends if your husband earns enough to cover bills plus £300 childcare shortfall - if not, as a household, maybe you can't afford that particular work and childcare combination.

Work has benefits, such as pension contributions and not having a gap on your cv making it harder to get back in to the workplace.

Is there any flexibility in the type of childcare (cm might be cheaper than nursery) or hours? Could you and your husband do different shifts, ie one does 7.30-4 and one does 10-6 so you're minimising childcare requirements? Or would part time actually work out better?

Honestly it doesn't sound like it would be worth it. It could be worth considering a part time evening job or something where your DH could look after the DC when he is home. Even at maybe 10 hours a week it would give you a few hundred pounds pay and most importantly you wouldn't have a gap in your cv when it comes to returning to a different job in the future.

Think long-term. Over the next 12 years, if you stay on the career ladder but spend all your earnings on childcare for 2 years (after which you'll be I'm the black again as DC1 starts school) what are your earnings likely to be in years 3-12? If you become a sahp you'll probably be off for 4 years until dc2 starts school, then part time for the next 7 years until dc2 is in primary school, and start being ready for full time work again in the 12th year possibly very badly paid due to all the down time.

It depends what your expected career trajectory is but for some the 2 years of handing your salary straight to a childcare provider makes sense.

I was working and just about covering childcare costs at one point. I think I had enough left over to fill my tank with petrol, buy some extra food and a nice bar of chocolate for myself. That was all! It was so crap and I was so disheartened.

But, it's been worth it. I'm not desperately trying to get back to work like some friends who've been out of it for years and I have more spare cash every month.
It's tricky to know what to do for the best. Depends what your career is.

Definitely a lot to consider and a lot of things to weigh up

Yeah it's worth considering going back to work just to make sure I am up to date with my job....

Another option is to work part time that way still in a job and still looking after kids

May have to look at other ways of making money on the side

Plus worth going back to my current job even for a couple of months so that I can get my holiday entltlement pay that I have accrued over the year

So much for working moms to consider

I am expecting baby no 2 in February and I am going back to work this week until the due date

I am working 4 days a week so the money will be amazing ....
Then I have another tar to think about my options

Suppose whilst I'm on maternity with baby no 2 I will have to tighten the reigns with bills and find ways of saving money and making money on the side

It's a tough world out there

Not many incentives for people who go out and work really... Hopefully Theresa May makes some changes ... At least she acknowledged that more needs to be done for those who go out and work and struggle to make ends meet when she got appointed... Fingers crossed

Have my parents living locally but they were tied up with demanding niece as my sister claimed post natal depression until my niece was 6 so they were no help.

Maybe your sister just had PND. It exists you know!

You have some very valid points

I will certainly ask for even more reduced hours I think so childcare can be sorted

I may have to ask the grandparents to help some days ... Both sets of grandparents have three grandchildren each to look after and maybe I should be selfish and ask them to look after mine... End of the day my brother does and so does my husbands Brother so they can earn and be comfortable and both of those fusilier are living with the parents

We on the other hand have our own house and all the bills to pay when they don't but still get loads of help

We help our families loads so maybe they should return the favour
I didn't really want to ask because I don't like to put people out

If only we all had crystal balls to see what the outcome would be of each so we could make our minds up more easily

I think I will try and get a job in the government because they are more flexible with their hours.... Well some jobs are

My employer does not seem parent friendly or flexible ... But they have let me work mon to fri until my maternity which is great

Have you considered the 30 free hours per week for 3 year olds that will most likely take effect in 2017? Might make your money challenge a bit easier & make you stay in your job.