How on hells earth are we supposed to manage!

AnxiousMum

It's quite simple OP.......even if you work NMW you will likely still get ctc's, you might get help with childcare. So, you bite the bullet, and get work on weekends/evenings - in a bar, a restaurant, a grocery store, office cleaning - whatever you can - and earn a bit of extra money.
The company I work for has been advertising for about six weeks now for somebody term time, school hours (no, not in a school or similar), with the added bonus of working from home for the right candidate. Funny, that they have not conducted any interviews as yet, as no applications from anybody remotely qualified. (and the qualifications are not high!).
I started with them, working from home, five or six years ago, and was able to work with my youngest at preschool and home in the afternoons - though, admittedly, has been alot easier since the youngest has also been in school.

Admittedly, I'm only a couple of hundred pounds better off each month (most months), but come bonus payment months, or expenses time, and I'm ahead of the game - particularly with car mileage - non taxable income which pays the entire cost of running my car for both personal and business use and extra left over.

There are jobs out there that are more than suitable for a mum at home with kids - you just have to be on the look out for them, and be willing to start at something which might not immediately have you ahead moneywise, but there are promotions, additional hours, wage increases, pension opps etc.

SingleSue

I am a single parent and believe me I would love to work....it's not the difference in money stopping me but the lack of specialised childcare for disabled children which does (and the fact that employers appear rather scared to employ me - don't blame them really, I'm not the most attractive of employees with the amount of care needs the boys have)!

Anyway back on topic, when I was married, to get around the childcare issue, I worked in the evening when hubby was home and he worked during the day. Yes, we lost some tax credits and I lost the carers allowance but the buzz I got from being out of the home amongst adults, the social life I gained etc made it worth it. After a shortish while, promotions and payrises came into effect, along with overtime and bonuses meaning that within a year, we were better off than we had been before and within 5 years, we had moved off tax credits completely and no longer stressing about earnings being more than the year before and having an overpayment to worry about...such freedom was absolutely brilliant!

I'm not saying it is easy and a hell of a lot of organisation is needed but it worked for us.....

neverdespairgirl

morganedge wrote: »

But not having to go to work is my dream. Isn't it everyones dream?

No, not at all.

sazzybum

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

No, not at all.

Totally agree with this NDG. I've got a week off this week( I work Mon-Fri), and my partner has bogged off to Australia to see his family for three weeks. I'm already SCREAMING bored!

I've scrubbed the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen et al, the dogs' paws have been walked off-they hide when they see me getting their leads out now:o-and now it's like 'ok, what now?'

Luckily I'd spoken to my manager and can go back on Wednesday if I'm too bored Oh-how sad am I?

To the OP (sorry I rambled on a bit there)-even if you're worse off by a tenner/twenty quid-go to work, it's SO worth the social interaction. I don't have small children (both up and in the Army) but don't you get bored being with them all day? (and I didn't mean any offence to SAHMs by the way)

looby75

sarahevie wrote: »

I think about 30% of single parents work, recent gingerbread article.

I don't know where you got that information from but it certainly wasn't from Gingerbread.

57.2% of lone parents are in work and by the time their youngest child is 12 its 71%.

(sorry to derail your thread again OP but as a lone parent myself who is struggling to find work I get sick of being told that I have it easy and that the majority of LP don't work and don't want to work)

Mojisola

sazzybum wrote: »

Totally agree with this NDG. I've got a week off this week( I work Mon-Fri), and my partner has bogged off to Australia to see his family for three weeks. I'm already SCREAMING bored!

I've scrubbed the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen et al, the dogs' paws have been walked off-they hide when they see me getting their leads out now:o-and now it's like 'ok, what now?'

Luckily I'd spoken to my manager and can go back on Wednesday if I'm too bored Oh-how sad am I?

Don't you have any hobbies?

BigAunty

1. Download the MSE budget planner and work through the website to identify where you make savings with your outgoings, by changing tariffs with your suppliers, finding cheaper sources for goods, etc.

2. If you have any debts, go to the Debt Free wanabee forum.

3. How to feed a family of 4 for £100 a month

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

As a previous poster has indicated, your mortgage is a manageable 25% to 30% of your income, depending on whether you included child benefit in your income. As this should be one of the biggest outgoings, where is the other money going that just leaves you with around 10% for groceries, etc.

embob74

sarahevie wrote: »

I'd say to the OP it can be tough, but it is worth working for your sanity even if 'financially' you are no better off. Frugal living isn't bad either.

What sanity will be left if you're struggling with bills and then you drop your income by another £30 a week?!
I think the OP is saying she would like to go back to work but in all honesty how can she do that and make themselves worse off? The reality nowadays is that every penny counts and most people cannot afford to be out of pocket by going to work.
When I worked I was a little better off financially but should my children have fallen ill I would then have missed work days thereby not getting any pay but all my bills and childcare costs would continue, in effect I would be losing money and be worse off than had I claimed benefits.
I understand this is a one-off but there is nothing worse than having to pack your children off to school and crossing your fingers every day they do not get ill or you won't be able to pay the bills that week.

embob74

BigAunty wrote: »

How to feed a family of 4 for £100 a month

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

Mmmm the recipes are so delicious too :rotfl:
I understand budgeting can be done if you have to but I'm sure most people would choose not to have porridge and houmous sandwiches every other day

embob74

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

You are clearly uneducated in this instance because your suggestion that the £10 eating plan was based around 'noodles for dinner' was entirely wrong. Or did you not write that just a few minutes ago?

Nope....can't find anywhere that a family of four can eat nutritionally well for £10 a week. I spend more than that on packed lunches! Each apple costs around 35p so multiplied by 4 that's £1.40 a day just in fruit.