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Work... or benifits?

I really have no idea what to do... i am perfectly welcome to go back to my old job at the end of my maternity leave in January... but apart from actually not wanting to... i've worked out that i would actually be more out of pocket with paying for childcare etc than i would be if i didn't work at all.

I really do want to work, and im doing a course on a friday in accountancy to help me do something different.

Do i just go for work and be out of pocket for a few years til i get a better job/promo/pay-rise or do i just stick with the college course and not work?

I seems obvious to work, but i\ve got to pay the bills!! What have you ladies done and why did you choose to do it?

xxx

Replies

  • I'm thinking of getting a part time job but I really don't want to. I have pnd & panic at the smallest outings & the thought of going to work every day like this sends me out in a cold sweat! xx
  • I currently deciding too.

    My 9 mths is up in feb. I love the type of job but not the actual job. As in the staff where I work are ok but dont really work as part of a team. Also there has been a few changes and it takes about 40mins traveling.
    I am about to work it out this w/e, but I think we are better off money wise if I dont work as its expensive finding childcare. I think I might do something part time like usbourne or something and go back to work when she is a bit older. It will be interesting to see what everyone else is doing. xxx
  • We were meant to talk about his over our holiday but have been doing the whole ostrich thing hoping it will go away and I won't have to make a decision.
    I agree that childcare will take up most of my wage so really I want to bring up my boy not someone else if I can manage it! But think I might go a little potty if I don't talk to some other adults on a regular basis! Think part time is the option for me but with my job (teaching) part time doesn't really exist. I used to work 15 hour days so if Iwas part time I'd be craming that into 2 or 3 days.
    Think I need to talk to my boss and see what she says-hope she'll understand. Maybe I'll do the ostrich thing till after Crimbo?
    Glad I'm not the only one feeling all confused about the work/home thing! x
  • I worked full time after my other 2 but am going part-time when mat leaves finishes this time. I thought if you were paying childcare and on a low/medium wage the childtax benefit could help out - I would go mad if I didn't work at all and also I would still be paying nursery as lo loves it so much I couldn't take him out altogether!
  • My lo is just under 11 months old and so far I have been a full time mum, but I am now in the process of setting up my own web business as I find I need to do something for me. Rather than just being a mummy and a wife, not to mention the extra money would be very nice! We plan to send our lo to nusery two days a week from next August as I am expecting number two in June so it will mean I have two days a week with just the baby to look after.
    It is a personal decision really depending on your circumstances, but if you would like to work I would explore your options and think about whether you have a friend or family member you would trust to help with childcare as that can make a huge difference money wise. x
  • Hi i was all set to go back after my mat leave but they still wanted me to work most weekends and all Bank Hols and over Xmas And New Year(Hotel wrk)i really didnt want to do this anymore not least because i have worked most weekends ect since i left school and these are the times i wanted to spend with lo on days out ect....
    So i decided NOT to return,at first i looked into part time work which i did for afew weeks but this halved my benefits and luckily i have my mum who can look after my son,but she works too so it can only be part time,if i worked full time and used a nursery(which tbh i dont really want to do,why pay someone else to look after my child when i can do it myself?)it would not be worth my while to work!its a crazy system!
    Im also a single mum,i get help but its not that much when i have a mortgage to pay,dont get help with hopusing which annoys me,ppl who rent do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    no help from the dad!
    BUT staying at home unthough i love the time with lo drives me mad on a permantant basis...very lonely too!
    SO,I now work for myself part time doing cleaning for ppl,i can work it round the hrs my mum wrks and i really enjoy it,also enjoy the time i spend with lo much more now...as i do under so many hrs a week i still get some benefits,its not easy but personally i need to get out the house and do something but full time work just doesnt make sense in my situation,i worked it out and i would be better offf NOT to work!!!and they wonder why ppl chose not to huh?????
  • I am doing a day a week at the min (my keeping in touch days) and then I start back the last week before the Xmas hols. I used to love my job but now things are different. I love being at home with Lily, tidying the house, nipping to Tescos, going to baby group etc etc. I am only working 4 days when I go back and get all the holidays but I feel very torn. I had my perfomance management the other week and the head suggested I start to think about deputy head jobs, I smiled and said ok, and she suggested some courses I should do to help my 'career' but I really didn't have the heart to say I couldn't careless about courses and deputy jobs and could only really think about what puree I could make when I got home for Lily! I want to stay as I am for now and not take on any more responsibilty. I just want to enjoy Lily.

    I couldn't give up work altogether tho as hubbby's wage isn't great and mine is the one that pays the mortgage.

    Good luck in deciding what to do.

    xxxx
  • I'm currentl workin 3.5 day a week cos we're tryn to save up 4 a house and so we can't really afford for me not to work I'm lucky cos my family and oh look after lo whilst i' at work so i sae onchildcare costs, but i wish i didin't have to work i hate my job and i feel that i'm missin out on my lo, and that really upsets me image
    A place i used to work offered childcare vouchers, so if u want to work then mayb it mite b worth findin an employer that mite b able to help with childcare costs. Good luck!
    xxx
  • I would love to go back part time but we cant afford it at the moment. I dont want to give up work completely and if i did we would be a lot worse off as would lose my wage and get no extra benefits. Both me and hubby are studying (sponsored by work) and will qualify in 2010 so hopefully when i have number 2 i will be able to go part time and still earn a similar amount.
  • My maternity pay will be finishing in a couple of weeks but i wont be going back until early next year after i have used the holiday i have accrued plus thinking of taking an extra month or so unpaid depending how i get by. Im really lucky and will work part time and and will have my mum or OH look after lo. I really dont wont to go back but we have just started a mortgage and wont be able to afford to live on OH wage alone xx
  • I had to back to work this time as we dont get any benefit help (although I would have gone back anyway). But when I had Lauren I was a single mum and chose to go back to work, even though it left me ??30 per month worse off.
    For me it was important to get out and see people and I was able to cope without the extra money. Also , looking at it as more of a long term view I would be unlikely to hold the position and earn the salary I do now if I hadnt gone back then.

    xx
  • In your case i wouldn't go back! i decided not to go back but lack of money has forced me to now but i haven't got childcare cost to worry about as hubby can look after him!
    Its very hard on you, you know, to work, do a college course and do your other full time job aswel-being mum! i haven't touched my college work for about 2 months, i haven't got the time or energy but if i complete this course my life and financial situation would be great!
    I would say to you to concentrate on your baby and your course, your not planning on never going back so whats a few months!!
    I've tried to be wonder woman and it can't be done, i suffered, hubby suffered and more importantly my lil boy suffered, i only do one day a week now!
    I think if its not essential you return then don't!

    Good luck
    http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev192pp___.png

  • We decided that I wouldn't go back to work (helped by being made redundant during pregnancy) and I have started a course in furniture restoration with a long term view to doing this for a living.

    I do worry that by taking myself out of the working arena I am missing out, but I love being a stay at home mother far more than I thought I would and appreciate that I am very lucky in that respect. We are due to start trying for another in Jan and Neve will start Nursery one morning a week as well so that she learns that being cared for by others is fine (and I can get some housework done!). I have found though that I really need things like babygroups and contact with other mothers or it can be a bit lonely. On the upside - Neve's first birthday present is an edwardian nursing chair that I have restored from scratch myself and it means a lot to me. Even if I do usually know more about In The Night Garden than the daily news headlines!
    x

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