Can't afford to work but really want to, any ideas?

mickeyfinn1

I am in the position where I left work while pregnant with my first child as the job required endless travel which was not viable with having a family. I have since had another child so have 2 children under 3.

My partner is in full time employment and has a decent wage. We do not recieve any benefits.

My predicament is that I would LOVE to work but due to my partners unusual hours / time away I can only commit to part time, daytime hours. In addition to this we have no family nearby who can help with child care so we have to pay nursery which would be £64 a day for 2 children.

We live in a region notorious for low salaries and all the jobs are minimum wage which would not cover child care costs never mind travel expenses. in shirt, it would cost us money if I were to work.

Has anyone else been in this position? Does anyone have any ideas? I would love a little job, there was one came up but I didn't even get a reply! When i chased it up they said i was over qualified, we would have been _£50 a week worse off if I had got it but I need something outwith the house!

Googlewhacker

Look at starting your own business up?

moneypuddle

Run a business from home? An ebay business? Drop shipping?

mickeyfinn1

I would love to but I know my limits at the moment, while I have a desire for a part time job, I dont have the capacity to throw myself at a start up. I don't need a huge salary, just to break even.

ohreally

Volunteering?

mickeyfinn1

What is drop shipping? I have been doing a little bit on eBay but to be honest, I want a job to get out of the house and meet peopl. If I were to volunteer I would have no income so would lose money as I would have to pay childcare. I don't know if there is an answer or if I just needed a moan!

dandelionclock30

Volunteering organizations will sometimes pay for childcare.Or what abut volunteering at a community centre or Sure Start/family Centre where there is a cresh? Ask your Health Visitor or Volunteer bureau.

ViolaLass

Do you have any friends that you could swap childcare with? i.e. they look after your kids one day, you take theirs another. That might give you a free day with no childcare costs when you could work or volunteer somewhere.

kingfisherblue

You could volunteer with Guiding or Scouting and ask your OH to look after the children while you are out - a great chance to meet other people and follow new opportunities. On the weeks your OH is on shift, you just need to let the leader know you won't be there.

sweetilemon

Have you looked into child tax credit and also buying childcare vouchers through employment if you do work? if this still wouldn't work out what about attending mother + baby groups, maybe the local school or nursary have such things? Just means some adult conversation with childcare!

Spendless

I have been in your situation with 2 kids. Also living in an area where jobs are scarce and low paid, but husband has a decent wage but no set hours. Is it actually a job you want, or just something to get you out of the house and interaction with other adults? What about studying instead?

Our local children's centre runs various day-time courses with a creche attached. Unsure if there's a charge for creche, but if there is it's minimal eg £1 per child per session. Or you could look at any courses ran by your local college. One I attended ran from 9am till 8pm as 2 tutors split the hours between them and you could turn up at any time inbetween for your 2 hour learning (it was IT so you worked from your workbook and the tutors were on hand if you got stuck).

To minimise the cost of childcare you could wait till eldest went to f-time school. There is also non-means tested funding for nursery, term after their 3rd birthday. We also used childcare vouchers we could get from hubby's employer in conjunction with funding for 3 year olds to reduce cost of childcare.