Going back to work

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My little boy is 11 months old so it’s now time to think about returning to work which I’m dreading. I have been speaking to my employer for the past 3 months and still no further forward my maternity runs out end of this month and they are looking for someone to do a job share with me but I don’t hold out much hope.

Has anyone managed to not go back and any tips to save money? I will get redundancy if they make me redundant but will have to find something else if I can’t work out how to cut back. My oh has a good job but I do like having a bit of spending money in my account.

Any advise please
Thanks

If you decided not to return after your maternity leave finishes then you will have to resign and you won’t be entitled to redundancy. You will probably also have to pay back your enhance maternity pay. I went back for over a year but I have now left. I would have left earlier but as a teacher I could not just leqve when I wanted.

We worked out a budget and know it will work but we have both have had to make scarfices. DH and I both have the same amount of spending money each per month.

Try posting in credit crunch a list of your one salary income and all your outgoing for advice. Money saving expert is also a brilliant website.

If they make you redundant that's great, if not, in most places you will have to pay back your maternity if you leave.

Everyone is different,I suppose it depends what you spend now. I cut back on shoes,bags and clothes lol but seriously I plan meals more and waste a lot less. I have a list of shopping each week and I have the time to nip to different shops if it's a better offer.
I am assuming your sky/tv package is first on the list if you have one.

I would sit down with your partner and be clear about your finances, does he give you money weekly, do you have a joint account you access. How much can you afford? You should hear the amount of issues I hear about finances, do what works for you both, there is no "he should do ...." Or " "you should...." Noone knows your relationship better than you.

My DH gives me a set figure every week for shopping for house, although he gets most of his food shopping, he pays all the bills. After work he will do any chores that need doing.
I have savings but don't touch them unless I want something extra thats a bigger purchase that's my whimsical buying.

It works perfect for us but we both needed to adapt but well worth it to be at home with my DS.

Thanks so much that’s really helpful as we don’t do anything like that and if I need money I just dip into his account! I Saved for maternity as no maternity package with my work just the statuary so I have been using that for the past year.

Just heard back from work and they have come up with a redundancy package which is a few thousand more than I’m entitled to as only been there 3 years. So might just take there offer and then try and properly budget to make it last a while.

I don’t really spend on me it’s just difficult to resist buying my baby cute clothes etc!

If my redundancy could give me an extra 8 months off that would be great but then it’s trying to find something part time which is never easy.

Thanks for your replies xx

You are very lucky that they are offering you redundancy!

Are you married? I feel like such a Debby Downer but there is no way I would give up work unless I was married. I am currently watching my good friend who was not married split up with her partner. If she was married she and therefore her child would have been entitled to so much more. You can have a tiny ceremony with just you two or you two and a couple of witnesses for £50 rather than a wedding.

You definitely need to get finances sorted either way. In my opinion your are a family unit and money should be split equally. You both need equal spending money and anything for your child comes out of family funds. This should apply if you are full tolime, part time or SAHM.

Become a SAHM is definitely a big life style change for us as a family and long term we hopefully have a plan for my lack of pension.

I actually get married next week it seems to have flown by I can’t wait. So yes they have made my actual job redundant as they no longer have the budget and the job they were looking to offer me just isn’t getting any applicants at the moment so I think I will go with the redundancy.

Yes I definitely need to do that as I’m the one that pops to shop if nothing in for tea etc but all these £10 shops soon add up.

Thanks for reply

Congratulations on the wedding and I suppose the redundancy.

Definitely try the free moneysavingexpert budget planner.

We now shop at Aldi which has given us savings but is has also coinsided with potty training.

Went get do baby groups but DD had also grown out them. We go to free library sessions, toddler groups in church hall, and the toddler Thursday afternoon specials for soft play.

Are you sure you would be eligible for a redundancy payment? Where you actually put at risk of redundancy? Was this prior to Mat leave or while you were on leave? I was put at risk while on mat leave with my youngest. If you have been put at risk of redundancy while on mat leave, they have to offer you any suitable replacement role without you having to apply for it and ahead of orders at risk. In your position, I would be pushing for job share. They should offer you the position as part time and advertise for the other half of the job. They can't just make you redundant because they don't have someone to go on job share with you!

Yes they just rang yesterday giving me an enhanced redundancy offer. I think because its easier for them then having to go through interview process for a job share hence the enhanced pay.

Only problem is that money won’t last that long so depending on how manage money may still need a job in future

Could you do the role full time while they look for a job share partner? I know you don't want full time but it might be better to do that and keep looking for part time/job share then leave and have to look for something new part time?

It would cost me too much in childcare. I’m taking holidays so I wouldn’t be going back until start of November which is giving them ample time but they said that they wouldn’t be prepared to let me take holidays unless they knew for sure that someone else would apply and be successful with the job share.

I had hoped to put my holidays in from end of this month to start getting paid again but now I can’t do that.

It’s just frustrating as I just want to know where I stand. Gonna try and not thing about it until after my wedding next week then will need to get it finalised
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