Leaving a job I love because it doesn't pay enough...

[splash73]

I'm currently self-employed, working part-time in a job I really love. It doesn't bring in anywhere enough to live on, but over the past few years has been a useful small second income for our family, to pay for extras.

I need to get out of the relationship I am in, and to do that I need an income that I can support myself and my children on. Sadly, it isn't possible to earn enough doing what I currently do, so I am looking at returning to what I was doing before I became a mum. I am trying to be grateful for the fact that I can step back into the old role fairly easily (albeit on a lower pay scale due to being out of the workforce for more than a decade), but it isn't a job I am passionate about.

I'm trying really hard to be pragmatic about it, to accept that changing circumstances need sensible decisions, and to be grateful for the options that I do have.

Just interested to know if anyone else has left a job they love, and how it panned out.

I am in a similar position op.
I have been in a job I love for many years but when I had my dc I went part time and there isn’t the option to increase my hours back up now.

I am buying my ex out of the house and obviously the basic cost of living is rocketing so I have taken a job on the same pay scale but full time. I haven’t started yet and am sad to be leaving my current job but as you say, needs must and I am looking at the longer term benefits for my family. Good luck!

Thank you sunshineandflipflops. I think you're right about looking at the longer-term benefits. Good luck to you too.

Can you do it ft instead of pt?

Sadly no... It would take several years to build up the business to a liveable income level. And I can't stay with my partner that long. I need to get out of the relationship asap.

I am considering this - so far same pay scale and more hours and less holidays but doable.

Im worried I’ll also feel trapped and not enjoy the work. Plus I’ll miss my free parking spot. Bit we have bills to pay and one DD in university and another likely to join her in the next year.

What is the part time job you really love?

You have options:

• if you are self-employed you need to increase your rate to match the cost of living
• you can keep your current job and simply add a few more hours with another part-time job
• claim any benefits you are entitled to.

I would be careful to jump into a role you don't even like just for the money. There are other ways to boost your income. You might end up being really unhappy and feeling trapped.

Would it be possible up keep your part time business trading eg if you contracted someone to do it for you, while you work full time? Or is it specific to you eg a craft or special service?

Redqueenheart, thank you for those points. This is what I'm worried about - jumping into something else just for the money.

Being self-employed means more hoops to jump through e.g. it's less easy to get a rental (I can't afford to buy a house), and I'm also thinking about pension, sick pay, holiday pay etc which is a little more straightforward in a salaried job...

Hence there are benefits to being in a salaried role, especially if I want to leave my relationship sooner rather than later.

SarahDippity and SimonaRadowska I teach movement classes for wellbeing. There are others who do the same job, so technically I could contract out, but my business is so 'young' it's not even really classifiable as a business yet... only a few classes a week at this stage.

Potentially it could flourish and develop into something profitable. But I already pay a lot in hall rental and childcare, so I would need to add a whole heap more classes to make it work! And as I need to support myself financially (rent a flat, get finance for a car etc) I would need a reliable income otherwise I'm not eligible for those things.

Being in a boring job will be much better than being in a bad relationship.
That is the equation.
It is a brave, daunting step. Sad to give up a job you actually enjoy. But the boredom will be offset by your personal life being better.

With the cost of living going up, your well-being type job may be one of the things those not so well off cut out of their lives.

So unless your customers are super rich it could be that it fails in coming months anyway?

I know you said you couldn’t do it part time but if you could it would be perfect. As in do your self employed job at lunch break from your other horrible job (do the other job full time for the money/security) or after work or something.

(I’m thinking the job you love is along the lines of something like yoga or whatever that we go to in work at lunchtime for 45mins.)

Seriously OP I would consider keeping running your business and taking on a part-time role as an employee so you also have a secure income and benefits.

I have recently taken a full time role after having combined part-time jobs with my self-employed business (I did this because I wanted to buy a new home and thought it would be easier to get a mortgage) for years.

I am finding that it was a huge mistake. I absolutely hate working full-time, the job does not interest me, I am not connecting with my colleague and I have zero motivation so I won't be staying in this role and instead will go back to seeking part-time roles to complement my freelance income.

bumpertobumper I agree 100% about the personal life side of things. Thanks x

Elieza, good point, and this is what I'm worried about especially in light of everything that is going on with the cost of living. My job is great but is totally dependent on people signing up to the classes. Some of my colleagues in similar roles are struggling, and it does all feel like a bit of a gamble at present. The classes are definitely more of an evening and weekend thing, not really something I could do in a lunchbreak.

I’m in the process of doing the opposite of you - moving from a well paid job I hate to a lesser paid job I love. Don’t underestimate the importance of doing something you enjoy for a living, make sure you’re only doing it as an absolute last resort otherwise you could be really miserable.

Redqueenheart it's good to get your perspective as it sounds like a very similar situation to yours. I'm worried that I won't be able to get a rental or a mortgage without a salaried job. The estate agents and property people I've asked for advice from have been pretty black&white about it...

I'm realising that my job (the one that I love) is what makes me tick. It would be so tough to leave it. I will have to go back to the drawing board and have another think about work options.

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

There seemed to be loads of money for health related stuff for children a couple of years ago. (Not sure about now if it enough). Getting them out and about in these obesity crises years.

Coukd you tailor what you are offering to fit in with any of the schemes for children as that may bring you in more money as the scheme or local authority would pay? Could you teach cycling to kids or something similar and adopt it to include a movement thing that you enjoy and would be beneficial to the kids as it involves strength and balance etc presumably, all good for cycling.

It won’t help you get a rental unless you are allowed to take a fixed salary but it could help with cash flow.

Look into all benefits you could be eligible for once you are a single mum.

Find out about housing options in your area in the hope it might be possible to get a housing association property.

Good luck. Hope it all works out. Ask the universe/God/the Angels/whatever you believe in, for what you need.

Thanks Towcat15, I agree, and this is what worries me the most. Good luck with your move to the job you really enjoy.

Thanks for those suggestions Elieza. I'll definitely look into the housing options, which is kinda crucial!

I am definitely going back to part-time as I absolutely hate the job and move to full-time.

I decided that I simply won't go for a mortgage again when I sell I will just move to a cheaper area where I can afford to buy outright.

The thought of being tied for years to a job I hate and that is literally making me sick for the sake of a mortgage/a bigger house is no way to live.

Would be useful to meet with a career coach or recruiter they may suggest some saleroed jobs which can incorporate what you love to do and what you qualified to do.
Well being for employees is a big thing now in corporate world perhaps HR dept want someone with experience in those areas alternatively charitys or similar may need people who can coordinate or give movement classes.
Good luck

Perhaps you could get a job but still do the classes one night a week to keep your hand in?

From what you say op you didn’t hate your old job you just weren’t passionate about it.

I would say that’s the reality for most working people: ime most people neither love nor hate their jobs - they work to support the lifestyle they want to live. You want to significantly change your life and you need a secure, salaried job to enable that.

It is a choice, you could stay as you are. You need to be clear about what’s important to you and remember why you’re doing it.

''You want to significantly change your life and you need a secure, salaried job to enable that.''

That is not quite so black and white. No job is really secure if you are employed by someone else. You could be let go after a couple of month notice at any point.