Can't afford to go to work!

Kayalana99

I think with the combined income I would only just be entitled so it wouldn't make much of a difference even though most of mine would go on child care...although I have never looked into child vouchers before not sure if that would counter act my income?

It's hard to work out because my OH sometimes gets bonuses which could mean he'd be on up to 4k more then his basic wage...but same time he could get nothing ..they change things all the time ...so we can't rely on it.

DKLS

Might help to be thinking more strategically, My friends who had 3 kids, took on a job, where after paying for child care she was £20 a week better off, thankfully she didn't listen to friends and relatives who advised "she would be better off on benefits", that job led her to a nursing degree, which she loved, after a couple of years experience under her belt she scarpered overseas for 5 years, and came back 2 years ago and bought two houses for cash. One for her family and another for income, she now works part time and is very happy.

GeorgieG_2

I have also been looking at going back to work and have found the following 2 websites really useful:
https://www.listentotaxman.com - You can work out how much pay you would get taking childcare vouchers into account. My husband currently purchases £80 a month which costs us £47.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk - this will give you a rough idea on working families tax credits and child tax credits.

Hope this helps.

Edit: The maximum child care vouchers you can claim is £243 per month, your husband could also claim the same amount.

duchy

I always think these kinds of threads are useful to the realities of the issues when you want to go back to work as I don't think many people really realize the impact until they need it nor just how expensive childcare now is.

Spendless

Kayalana99 wrote: »

I have two children under two, the 2nd will be going to Nursery next September for half days and the other one won't be attending for another 2 years due (Eldest will be the youngest in his class and youngest will be the eldest if that makes sense...:o)

Do you mean September this year or September next year? You don't have to put them in a school nursery that only offers 1/2 days, you could look for a private nursery that offers full days and use the funding to reduce your costs. Some school nurseries do offer more flexible hours. The one near me offers all day Mon, Tues and Wed am or Wed pm all day Thurs, Fri and the kids stay for a lunch club inbetween the am and pm sessions. Really wished they'd offered this when my kids attended, would have made things loads easier. Does that make the childcare costs sound more do-able, if they reduce a bit after 4-16 months, depending on which September you mean?

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Thats with grandparents looking after them 2 days a week, mine works full time so its hard for her to even do 1 day and the other will do 1 day for free but she wouldn't do anymore.

OH works 7:30-5:30, I have suggested on getting a part time job in the evenings (in fact not the best job but I used to work at Pizza hut and they would take me back in a heart beat) but its all late nights... ideally I would like to be around to put the kids to bed etc and spend sometime with him -.-...tbh I just want a career more then anything.

I just know this job would be perfect for me its just annoying I won't be able to take it *if* I was offered it.

If you went for the Pizza Hut option, it wouldn't be every night would it? You'd still be able to spend part of the week with your husband doing the bedtime routine?

Kayalana99

Sept 15 unfortunately, Pizza Hut are lovely guys but he won't hire me unless I work Fri/ Saturdays without fail, not great pay at all (I'd be a driver and tbh the fuel payment doesn't cover petrol)

I would do it again because quite frankly it's the best job I've ever had, perhaps not a career job but I love the staff and driving but now I have kids its not really practical once you take into account how much I'd be earning. I'd be leaving out the door when OH comes home from work to do just 4-5 hours for £25-£35. Obv I can pick up more over the weekend but you catch my drift

System

Is this job you are looking at related to your AAT? If so, you should seriously consider it as the prospect in AAT are quite good and getting the experience right away would put you in a great position in the long term.

silentkiller

My sister had this same issue with expensive childcare, so I completely sympathise. To try and cut their costs, her partner's mum and dad took the child for the weekdays and then brought him back weekends (because they lived too far to bring him home every night), which is not a great solution but just shows the extremes parents' have to go to.
However at the end of the day, it will be much more worth it in the future and very beneficial.

I think the cost of child care is terrible, but do check out the links above (as my sister did) as she did and eventually the cost of child care was brought down and she got enough hours behind her to be promoted and get more money etc. (even working for the NHS )

notanewuser

silentkiller wrote: »

My sister had this same issue with expensive childcare, so I completely sympathise. To try and cut their costs, her partner's mum and dad took the child for the weekdays and then brought him back weekends (because they lived too far to bring him home every night), which is not a great solution but just shows the extremes parents' have to go to.
However at the end of the day, it will be much more worth it in the future and very beneficial.

My parents in law have 2 of our nieces and nephews 4 days and 3 nights a week (including Friday and Saturday so that my brother and sister in law don't have to curb their partying). They get zero money from them, and have other grandchildren through the week so they get no time off. Makes me wonder why they bothered having children to be honest!

OP, you can't use childcare vouchers and claim childcare tax credits.

teabelly

Go to the interview. Wait til they offer you the job then see if there are wage increases or subsidised child care schemes available that would make it worth it. I'd aim to clear at least £400 a month out of wages after childcare costs. You still have to find travel costs out of that so £200 a month isn't really worth it unless there is some salary advancement early on.