what lengths would you go to to give your child a SAHM/D?

fernliebee

Downshifting groceries

Oooh a whole 2 pages before we degenerate into a benefit bashing thread!

RoxieW

I wish our tax credits covered a wage - I cant see how people get that much either tbh - to cover a wage I'd imagine getting at least £15K tax credit and I dont think that happens. When I looked into it we wouldnt even get money towards childcare - so taking childcare for 3 children into account it really doesnt make financial sense for me to work. But this is the trouble. The government wants to push mums back to work but in 2 parent families it is rarely worth both parents working - in fact, I'd go so far as to say that I can't afford to work at the moment. And yes, I would like to continue with my career when the time is right but unfortunately it seems us women (generally) still cannot have it both ways.

stardoman

Downshifting groceries

emlou2009 wrote: »

i dont want to be a SAHM
i like working and although i love my son to pieces i cant wait to go back and have a little break a couple of days a week
i'm also very independent and want to know that i can have money of my own without asking for "spends" or "permission" IYSWIM? having said that, i'd be quite happy to accept spends if OH was nice and rich :rotfl:

but anyway, if we had a dishwasher we would have abandoned it to save money. wouldnt do handwashing though as we live in a flat, wouldnt be able to get things dry enough wringing them out! we have done a few things on the list just to save money while i'm not working.

We are on a water meter and have worked out that our dishwasher saves us money. When we bought it we made sure we got the most efficient one (in terms of water use and energy use) possible. I use the washing tablets from Aldi - a pack is less than £3 and lasts over a month.

Mandy.

Idiophreak

Downshifting groceries

fernliebee wrote: »

Oooh a whole 2 pages before we degenerate into a benefit bashing thread!

Alright for some - I'm on 40 posts per page - so I only get 1

angelicmary85

Downshifting groceries

When I had my 1st I worked up as late as I could make sure I had more time off afterwards then went back to work on OH's days off so he could look after bubba. We struggled on mat pay for the 1st couple of months as it was such a huge drop for me. When no2 came along 6weeks ago, I wasn't sure if I would be able to go back to work so I'm using every penny I have to pay off my credit card. I've already cleared one so here's hoping I can do it sometime soon!

When DD was 9months, I went back quite happily (although I did phone OH every couple of hours to make sure they were both o.k!) as I felt ready to go back. I think mother's know when they're ready to go back if they are not forced into going back early due to financial commitments.

manda1205

Using up savings

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Interesting that a few people say their CTC covers what they would get working. Dont get me wrong but im just wondered how somebody could get the equivelent of a wage? Is it depending on the amount of children?.....we only receive the Child Benefit of £20 a week

MrsE wrote: »

Is it even morally right?

I have one 4 year old, we get CB @ £20 and CTC @ £53 a week. My OH recently lost his job, but prior to that he was earning £22,000 a year. If I went back to work (I used to be a care !!!, so odd shifts to work) this would mean finding and paying someone IRO £250-£300 a week to look after DD. Where as I would only be earning prob £175 a week. So for me to work would be absoultely ridiculous.
IMO I am the one who chose to have my daughter so I look after her. I couldnt bare the thought of someone else taking my daughter to school and picking her up, to me that is my job, I want to be the one who is always there for her and bring her up the way I want, not a childminders way. We rent a house but this means our outgoings are not that of someone with a big mortgage. And since I found MSE there are so many other ways I save money, this then means I have more money spare for holidays and clothes etc.

Sami_Bee

Downshifting groceries

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Interesting that a few people say their CTC covers what they would get working. Dont get me wrong but im just wondered how somebody could get the equivelent of a wage? Is it depending on the amount of children?.....we only receive the Child Benefit of £20 a week

I have no idea how 'they' decide what to give us, all I know is that before I started my 1st Mat leave I earned around £500 a month and CB+CTC+WTC for us = around £450 a month so it would be crazy for me to go to work and pay Childcare, parking, petrol etc
To be honest I don't care about the morals of it, to me the most important thing is to enjoy my children while they want me around/can't escape I have paid taxes while working and I plan to do some kind of work (possibly volunteer) once they are at school but it will be me that drops them off and picks them up.
I'll consider the full time 9-5 when they are both at high school when I'll be around 35 so plenty of time to re-pay the tax man

OrkneyStar

Downshifting groceries

I clicked all except:
1. adding to mortgage: no way unless we were in dire straights!
2. getting a lodger: one spare room but I just would not feel right having someone else in house, esp using kitchen etc
3. less cars: only have 1 and in rural area it is a need for us really.
4. use savings: no way unless in dire straits....tbh I think it is important to start feeding savings as soon as you can again after initial costs of baby, especially the short term emergency ones. We do put a lot less away now and save for specific things rather than just general savings.
5. DH working longer- he works long enough and does the odd bit of overtime too, but he also needs a life and time to see DS etc.
I have no problem having less luxuries, buying/borrowing second hand etc etc.

pollyanna24

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Interesting that a few people say their CTC covers what they would get working. Dont get me wrong but im just wondered how somebody could get the equivelent of a wage? Is it depending on the amount of children?.....we only receive the Child Benefit of £20 a week

What we get isn't the equivalent of a wage, but it is enought to keep us going with my wages as well. Bf was made redundant in March, so it's better than getting nothing. He also gets jsa as although he is looking after bubba, he is more than willing to get a full time job that works around my hours, there just hasn't been any.

MrsE_2

Sami_Bee wrote: »

I have no idea how 'they' decide what to give us, all I know is that before I started my 1st Mat leave I earned around £500 a month and CB+CTC+WTC for us = around £450 a month so it would be crazy for me to go to work and pay Childcare, parking, petrol etc
To be honest I don't care about the morals of it, to me the most important thing is to enjoy my children while they want me around/can't escape I have paid taxes while working and I plan to do some kind of work (possibly volunteer) once they are at school but it will be me that drops them off and picks them up.
I'll consider the full time 9-5 when they are both at high school when I'll be around 35 so plenty of time to re-pay the tax man

I'm not questioning your morals, I'm questioning the morals of a government who makes it as profitable or more profitable to stay at home on benefits than it does to work.