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

OrkneyStar

Downshifting groceries

MrsE wrote: »

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.

It depends if you view profit in financial terms or other ?
I see what you are saying but tbh I am for financial incentives which allow mothers to be able (if they chose) to stay at home and look after their children, certainly while the children are young anyway. Of course this is spoiled by those who abuse the system and become baby producing units!
I am a SAHM but I do find it hard work (am not a natural tbh), and may well return to some sort of part-time work once DS starts school.

SusanC_2

Personally I wouldn't consider not staying at home so it's not really a case of doing things in order to stay at home but just doing what is necessary to live within our means.

Based purely on anecdotal evidence, I get the impression that a large proportion of those who feel they "have" to go back to work (as opposed to those who choose to) either have a mortgage based on two incomes or have other debts which eat up a lot of income.

flea72 wrote: »

i would say, for some people just being able to give up work once children arrive is not an option

we already do all the 'cut back' suggestions given (expect lodger, due to no room), and i still cant afford to give up work

Being a sahm, all depends on what you OH earns - they either have to have an above average income, or have to be unemployed, so the benefit system kicks in - any family with a mid-ground income cannot afford to have a parent who stays at home

My Oh earns enough to pay our mortgage and utility bills, i have to work, so we can have food on the table

Whereas being a sahm used to be a lifestyle choice, nowadays its more a luxury, few families can afford

Flea

That is not true - my OH is not unemployed but earns below average and we can afford for me to stay at home and would be able to even without means tested stuff like CTC.

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

It's not that CTC is equal to the wage but that if you had the wage you would lose so much in terms of tax, NI, reduction in tax credits, childcare, working costs (e.g. work clothes, travel, parking) that the end result is you are not better off. A few years ago I calculated that (based on typical childcare figures people were quoting) that you would have to earn about £12k/yr just to "break even".

MrsE wrote: »

Is it even morally right?

You could just as easily say that about anything which is paid for by taxes (e.g. schools).

OrkneyStar

Downshifting groceries

I agree with SusanC's post, especially the [STRIKE]but[/STRIKE] (oops:eek:) bit about earnings.
DH does not earn a lot (well below average despite working F/T) but we manage- we do get some tax credits and of course Child Ben, but could scrape by without those if we really had to. We don't have a huge mortgage (thankfully) and we did not build up debts before DS was born. As for food etc, I could be a lot more frugal, and still eat healthily, and we watch the energy/diesel/phone etc bills so we know we are living within our means.

ella_ella_ella

Downshifting groceries

Sorry, didnt want to start a debate about benefits, was just curious as I always thought that the benefits were minimul and people couldnt survive on them

I think people should do what is best for their family and to hell with everyone else (unless of course it means using deceit to receive benefits)

Anyhow, I have just been onto entitled.co.uk and found out we could be claiming £10.50 CTC a week, thats £865 of lost benefits in 76 weeks.

ella_ella_ella

Downshifting groceries

SusanC wrote: »

It's not that CTC is equal to the wage but that if you had the wage you would lose so much in terms of tax, NI, reduction in tax credits, childcare, working costs (e.g. work clothes, travel, parking) that the end result is you are not better off. A few years ago I calculated that (based on typical childcare figures people were quoting) that you would have to earn about £12k/yr just to "break even".

Ah, that makes more sense

weezl74

Having a lodger

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Anyhow, I have just been onto entitled.co.uk and found out we could be claiming £10.50 CTC a week, thats £865 of lost benefits in 76 weeks.

I think they'll backdate you 3 months ella

hth

weezl x

OrkneyStar

Downshifting groceries

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Sorry, didnt want to start a debate about benefits, was just curious as I always thought that the benefits were minimul and people couldnt survive on them

I think people should do what is best for their family and to hell with everyone else (unless of course it means using deceit to receive benefits)

Anyhow, I have just been onto entitled.co.uk and found out we could be claiming £10.50 CTC a week, thats £865 of lost benefits in 76 weeks.

Claim it now ....and I am sure they can backdate three months (if you post on the benefits board someone can confirm this).
I think the people who have been surviving on a low income (and not getting into debt) can sometimes make the transition to one wage and some tax credits easier because they are used to having less in the first place. If you are used to a high joint income (and so have high mortgage etc) then it does seem a huge drop. This said if you earn more then you have potential to be able to save something before child comes along!
TBH I think it can also be affected by where you live and whether houses are cheaper....our mortgage on a 3 bed seems to be a lot less than others in different areas (this said our fuel and shopping costs more!).
hth

dizziblonde

Before we started trying for a kid - we did our sums. I don't have a stable income anyway (I can earn decent cash but it's seasonal), so there's minimal point in me paying for childcare when I often don't know if I'll have work for the day or not. With what I'd save not paying out in petrol, GTCE and union membership, a million ink cartridges for the printer for work-related stuff etc etc... the sums add up for oh's salary to cover our outgoings for both of us - just! Might involve a lot of baked beans (would reduce the heating I guess) but we live within the means for us to survive if I didn't work - so I just basically pay for the luxuries in life anyway.

ella_ella_ella

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weezl74 wrote: »

I think they'll backdate you 3 months ella

hth

weezl x

Isnt it the tax credits that are really really confusing and end up paying you too much then demanding it all back?

£10.50 isnt a lot of money but I guess it all helps. When a landlord states no DSS does that mean benefits of any sort or just for the rent? We have just moved to a NO DSS, NO PETS, NO SMOKING, PROFFESIONALS ONLY house and wouldnt want to risk it for the sake of £10.

sparkle03

ella_ella_ella wrote: »

Sorry, didnt want to start a debate about benefits, was just curious as I always thought that the benefits were minimul and people couldnt survive on them

I think people should do what is best for their family and to hell with everyone else (unless of course it means using deceit to receive benefits)

Anyhow, I have just been onto entitled.co.uk and found out we could be claiming £10.50 CTC a week, thats £865 of lost benefits in 76 weeks.

Its actually double in the first 12 months of a childs life so you have lost out on more than that. You can claim now though and it may be backdated 3 months for you.

I have two children 6 years and 10 weeks so I am currently on maternity leave, I am self employed though, have my own small business and ran it round my son, I will continue to do this once I have finished maternity leave, for us as a family this is a sacrifice as I work hard running my business but dont earn alot of money from it - luckily my OH has a good job and we just accept and live within our means. We dont go without and the mortgage is relativly small now so we do ok. I run the business so that I can have a little something for me and it means we dont get TC's but I have money that I dont have to go to OH for iyswim?