I have a dliema.....re going back to work - what would you do??

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

I was a SAHM from before DS1 was born until DS2 was nearly 2yrs old (DS1 was 5). I found a job because I had to if we wanted to keep a roof over our head and feed them. I've been on Maternity leave since May after having DS3 (who's now 6 months old) and my SMP finishes at the end of January.

The job I had was working nights, so we didn't pay for childcare (as DH works 12ish-9pm and I would leave after he got home, and sleep in the morning before he went to work.

I don't want to go back to that job, it was hell (well the work wasn't but the management was) But I HAVE to go back to work. (although now rather enjoying being back at homefull time) .I need to bring in at least £350 a month (after tax) to ensure that all bills are payed, food on the table etc etc.

So I have 2 choices.

a) find a part time morning job (what?) which brings in just enough to cover bill repayments etc - DH would look after the DS's in the morning so no childcare costs.

b) Find a full time job (again what?) which pays a lot more than we need, but meaning that DH could still look after the children in the morning, but that we would have to pay for childcare for DS2 and 3 in the afternoons (and possibly DS1 after school too depending on hours). DS2 starts school next September, so we would then only have DS3 to pay for childcare in the afternoons.

The first option would mean that I'm at home with the DS's every afternoon, but that it continues to take the estimated 4-5yrs to clear our debts.

2nd option could mean (depending on childcare costs) that we clear our debts quicker and I could then be at home full time permanently....

What would you do?

child minding for one or two children?

you mean me doing the child minding?

Yes, and have one or two extra ones. There's a childminder local to me who only has two places she childminds alongside looking after her children. There's a limit I think you can have, but it would save you rushing around trying to make ends meet if you worked from your home.

For quality of life I'd go for Option A every time. Might be tricky to find something where you'd be back by 12.00 though as I'd reckon most morning office jobs finish at 1ish . . .

I've looked into Childminding, there's a glut of childminders round this way, and there's no way I can get set up in time for when my SMP finished,

Bramshott - the problem with option A is that we don't have a great quality of life as such, we're scrimping all the time and it would be so nice just to have a few £'s going spare each month. We never do/take the children anywhere as we don't have enough cash .

the 12.00 is pretty flexible - DH simply has to work 37.5hrs a week, when he works them is up to him, although afternoons/evenings are best because they more people are at home then (he's a TVL officer). So if I was working 3/4 days a week 9-1 (or similar) he could leave when I got back, and then leave earlier on the days I'm not working.

I don't want to go back to work at all, but needs must and all that. And part of me thinks if we could pay off most of our debts quicker, then I can stop working sooner.......as soon as the debts get down to a certain level I'll be stopping, that could be in 4-5yrs time, or 2-3yrs (or less depending on how much I earn)..

I don't know what to do ARGHHHH

Childminding might be an idea qofq. Before/after school children from your DS's school would be good. If you are doing the school run anyway. Only problem is that it would take time for you to build up to enough children to pay you £350/month net.

waht about shift work in supermarkets and the like - or weekends?

weekends are awkward for me as I have my church organ playing commitments (every Sunday morning, and 2 Sunday evenings a month) and every time I've ever inquired at Morrisons they only ever seem to have afternoon/evening shifts .

I'm not sure I have the patience for child minding (especially if it's some of the kids that DS1 goes to school with LOL) , and the set-up process is just too long and expensive.

Hmm, I can see that's tricky then. Thing is, your DC will be so much older in 4-5 years time, and you might regret it if you've missed out by working full time when you don't really want to? Maybe try to find 9-1 office work and then something else too you can do from home for extra cash?

sorry cross post.

i would go for the mornings job at the moment.

medical receptionist or secretary? this is what i did.

receptionists in particular - they often need people to do earlyish starts so you could probably do 8.30 - 11.30, 15 hours per week, at least £100 a week gross (probably more)? Our surgery needed people to start at 7.30 so that could work even better.

even if there's no jobs going in that field, ring up surgeries or HR depts in NHS trusts, they often have stuff they are about to advertise or whatever.

Thanks choosy - may try that. Although I have no receptionist/secretary experience at all !

Hope you find something QoQ

QofQ - I was in your situation six months ago - have 3 kids and was so enjoying being at home with ds. I really really did not want to go back to work.

But I got offered a full-time job I couldn't turn down - great career move and loads of money. As massive commute as well.

I can't tell how wonderful it's been - yes I do miss my kids but its nice not having to worry about money. Its nice having the social interaction with others and its nice feeling appreciated. Its not easy but I am so glad I am there.

I did have the option of a part-time job but would have just about been floating with it rather than been flush.

Just my view - I know everyone is different and has different reasons.

Don't know what you did before, but would you consider cleaning or ironing.
Entirely flexible, and I would imagine most people would prefer mornings.
Could do ironing in your own home and deliver it back.
A couple of mums I know do this, and find it pretty profitable.
i guess the hourly rate depends a great deal on whereabouts in the country you are.

Ming - I have circulated a few flyers for ironing, but only had one lot (and that was from a good friend, who I owed £20, so I did her ironing "for free" and didn't have to pay her back the money). No other interest.

I'm still not sure what to do. I've bought the job paper again today and will have a look to see if I can find something for mornings only, as the more I think about it the more I would like to be at home with the DS's. I'm hoping I can find something that I at least sort of enjoy doing, I "only" need £400 (or slightly less) a month after tax so I'm hoping I'll find something that pays a little more so I'm still only part-time, but earning more than the minimum required....

Receptionist on an early shift? It will be much less tiring than most other part-time work because you'll be sitting down.

In my old firm we had PhD students as our receptionists, on part-time shift work. It was the thing that paid best that also left them with enough energy for their studies - and you need energy left over for motherhood.

Anna - I'm not worried about being tired, I was doing a 9 1/4hr night shift as a care worker, which involved me being on my feet most of the time. I only stopped working when I was 30 weeks pg, and from about 12 weeks DS2 stopped napping in the afternoons so I could be up from (for example) 8am Monday morning, until 10pm Tuesday night (with the night shift on Monday night) and somehow managed to cope

Even if you are not worried about being tired, it's quite nice not to be .

Anyway, I always used to think that our receptionists had a really good thing going... Good money / low stress.

I work 15 hrs a week on a pro rata salary of £14k - I am only just eligible for tax/NI. If I did another day I would earn more but instantly lose in tax (and I have to pay for childcare). Just something to consider...

I suppose that's true

Don't think there's too many receptionists jobs going round here (and I have no experience of it either!) and I don't drive - but I'll certainly keep it open as an option

What about a taxi driver. I bet you could make loads of money doing the early morning runs to the commuter trains.

I don't drive so I'm not sure they would accept me LOL.

Since you've got care worker experience, perhaps you could find a family who'd like a private care worker to come in & help a few hours every morning so that they can do their shopping/have a life... If it's private work you could always have more than one family you go in to, and you could set your own hours, and decide yourself how much you're charging per hour. Good luck either way!

I'm about to leave fulltime work as can't seem to find any balance with my family life - but then my DS is much younger (18 months) so situation is very different.

Problem with care work is that I'd really need to get a reference from my old job - and as I absolutely hated working there because of the manager (loved the actual work!) I don't want to have anything to do with the place.

However most of my course certificates (manual handling, first aid, dementia, COSHH etc etc) are still in date (although held by work.....) so I suppose I may simply be able to get those and use them......