Help me choose job A or B?

[wobblymum1]

No real life friends so badly need some constructive help here as I am going round in endless circles.
important context: I’m trying to leave my husband due to unhealthy abusive behaviours. I work in a low earning industry (care) and have 2 children, one of whom is autistic and has regular meltdowns and is on highest rate care DLA. Life feels….hard.

Job A is my current one and I’ve been there a long time. I earn £28k working full time, 37.5
hours a week. it’s not stressful mostly as I’ve been there so long I know the work inside out and like my colleagues and can work from home (important due to care needs of both kids at times) and what I don’t get done after school pick up I can do in the evenings. Negative is there is no room for promotion or career progression within tiny company.

I’ve been offered job B at a related but separate company - higher salary of £31.400k but because it’s only 24 hours a week I’d actually take home £280 a month less. This is a hard hit when I’m trying to work towards financial independence as single mum and costly divorce.

Job B hours would be good as could work all the hours during school hours and have a day off to myself in the week to do life admin/ food shop as kids with me all the time at weekend. It’s also a promotion to a management position.

do I try and tighten my belt (even more) to take the £280 month loss in order to work less hours and move up career ladder a bit? Or stick with status quo which works for me but no progression and often catching up on work in evenings I didn’t get done after school ends (no wrap around care where I live as am rural).

i just need someone sensible to say omg woman, the obvious choice is A or B as I keeeeep going over and over and over it and not knowing the right thing to do. Thank you from a stressed mama 💞

If you can afford it B. You would seem to have a better work life balance then? That can be worth more than money.

Problem is I’m penny counting as
it is as will be hard when we divorce but technically I could claw back that £280 a month (I think) and yes agree work life balance would be much improved

I would go for job B. More time would be amazing and the promotion could help you progress later on.

A as you have enough going on without the stress / uncertainty that accompanies any new role , and lower income

Make a change once everything else has stabilised

find a UC calculator and work out take home pay as a single parent. With a disabled child and working part time you might be surprised. Plus you should have maintenance but no legs address to actually make them cough up.

B. You will have more promotion opportunity bring higher up the ladder and could always take on an agency day on the Wednesday if you really had too

Agree with this.

Think about what you want your career to look like in 5 years, would this new role help you get there? Then find a way to make it work.

If you choose option B - is there ever an option to work additional hours at weekends/evenings if ex-H has children?

Agree with PP do a UC calculator and see how you would fare with job B

Oh guys huge thanks!
so- ex husband will pay minimum maintenance and rarely have them. So am doing this pretty much solo. The £280 will hurt short term but definitely more career progression with new job offer as
there is simply no scaling up in my current job. My worry is so much uncertainty just now but I think I need to be brave and look longer term career wise as in my 40’s I really should be Junior management level by now having worked in it for 20 years and longer term it has better prospects. Think I’m just scared short term by Change generally and the temp drop in income but to work 9-3 would be lovely and have a day to do house work/ life admin/ even pick up some extra hours doing some other work could help?