Cost of going back to work - what have I forgotten?

[Murtette]

I think (hope!) that I'm about to be offered a new job and, before I accept it, I want to make sure that I'll at least break even. The things I've thought of are:

• childcare
• commuting costs
• cleaner
• new office clothes!

Is there anything I've missed? I've realised that I'll need to make sure that my net (rather than gross) salary covers these.

lunches and any contribution you make towards a coffee/drinks fund in the office?
I found I spent more on nappies as I was unable to put children in nursery in washables (preferred by me) as understandably they wanted disposables and nappy sacks etc.

Food shopping came up more expensive as I was stuck with a big supermarket shop weekly rather than the ability to 'shop around' as I normally would.

The plus side is your self esteem and career progress, it's just the balancing act that's the tricky bit!

lunches
coffees
newspapers

btw, does your prospective employer operate any sort of childcare voucher scheme? We used the 'busy bees' one (now taken over by someone else, new name etc and I haven't kept track) but there are loads around - that can really help with childcare costs and payment if you don't qualify for much in tax credits :)
OTOH if you get a good percentage of your costs covered by CTC then it's not worth doing the vouchers iyswim.

collections for staff gifts/leaving etc.

On the plus side your energy bills will be lower (assuming no one is at home all day?) as you won't need the heating on.

I don't spend anymore on lunches tbh, in fact I find the opposite. If I am at home I pick a lot, if at work I take packed lunch (no canteen) and don't have time to buy/eat anything else. Also I only drink black coffee or water so just take instant coffee with me and am not in the "tea fund"

Parking
Dry cleaning

Maybe a bit extra on make up and hair?

Also (I've been wondering the same stuff - thanks for starting this thread) I was wondering if there might be a few more takeaway meals or ready meals because after the long commute, peeling lots of veg might not happen every night!

I found I spend less on day time snacks, but more on food as we are buying some noshy ready meals from waitrose etc as far too tired to cook from scratch every night.

yep, ready meals, lunches when you are too tired to make lunch the night before, decent makeup and hair, and work contribs like lottery, birthdays etc. All minor compared to CC costs mind you.

And WINE, lots of it at the end of a hard day

Why do you need a cleaner when you go to work?

jaabaar are you having a laugh? Everyone needs a cleaner irrespective of whether they are going back to work!

jaabaar - are you serious? You work 40 hours and commute another 15-20 per week. Who wants to come home and scrub floors? If I get the job I'm up for, first thing I'll do is hire a cleaner. I want home time to be family time not skivvy duty.

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. You're right, I will need to spend more just to look presentable for work and I can see me getting ready meals, taxis etc on occasion too just to make life easier. There'll also be the odd work night out. Whilst I'd figured out that the cost of lunches wasn't going to be much different to the combined cost of lunch at home and a baby activity, it would be nice to support that cost myself rather than have to ask DP for pocket money.

But also remember that the "reward" of going back to work is not just salary, but NI contributions, pension etc too.

And there's always the chance of promotion or being headhunted...