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  • enthusiasticsaver
    enthusiasticsaver Posts: 16,052 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I should think being flexible will make you more attractive. Years ago I used a childminder for my two but mine would not do school holidays as her husband was a teacher. Similarly though she did not charge retainers when we were away on holiday or did not need her as one of us was on leave.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

    The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
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  • Igamogam
    Igamogam Posts: 6,028 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Debt-free and Proud! Combo Breaker
    Flexibility - great especially for NHS workers which you will have experience of and an insight into.

    Retainers - hated paying them as I am a teacher but when my 2 where in CC I had no option :( If I had my time again they wouldn't be in CC.....but that is another story!
    Be the change you want to see -with apologies to Gandhi :o
    In gardens, beauty is a by-product. The main business is sex and death. ~Sam Llewelyn
    'On the internet no one knows you are a cat' :) ;)
  • Whenever I've childminded, I've always asked parents to pay in advance and I still charged for their holidays and sickness (but not mine). Retainers in school holidays for teachers always seem unfair... if they're not using the space, I can offer school holiday cover to others, so shouldn't end up out of pocket and if I was a teacher, I think I'd appreciate not paying them.
    I'm registered to look after 3 under 5s, but would only ever have 2. Otherwise, how would I take them out? I'm assuming those that have 3 remain based at home, which doesn't appeal. I'd want to be able to take them to parks, library, NT etc.... not soft play though, my soul dies a little every time I step into one of those places!!
    DFD March 2025 (£35000 paid off)
    FFEF £10000/20000 saved
  • Updated signature... 1.75% paid this month.... not too bad.
    Progress was dented by paying off some of the Christmas hangover (same again next month...) and having to pay my tax return.
    DFD March 2025 (£35000 paid off)
    FFEF £10000/20000 saved
  • Uneventful few days, we're still being pretty good with our spending.
    We chickened out of dry February, oops! But we did 3 alcohol free days last week and aiming for 4 this week.
    Weight loss plateau, mainly because I didn't really watch it, but didn't put any on, so still 4lb off since 1st Jan, which isn't bad.
    I was looking through my payslips and my tax code is wrong, I think because I have 2 PAYE jobs and I'm SE too, it gets messed up sometimes. I'll wait until the end of the tax year to be certain and then look at claiming it back.
    DFD March 2025 (£35000 paid off)
    FFEF £10000/20000 saved
  • mark55man
    mark55man Posts: 8,197 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'm registered to look after 3 under 5s, but would only ever have 2. Otherwise, how would I take them out? I'm assuming those that have 3 remain based at home, which doesn't appeal. I'd want to be able to take them to parks, library, NT etc.... not soft play though, my soul dies a little every time I step into one of those places!!
    I agree you need one hand per child so unless you are physically gifted that's a limit of 2. I also agree about soft play areas - not my favorite memories of when they were little
    I think I saw you in an ice cream parlour
    Drinking milk shakes, cold and long
    Smiling and waving and looking so fine
  • I’ve been a bit quiet on here, very busy in real life though...

    Have got a bit of a moral dilemma.... I was pursuing the childminding idea and verbally agreed to contracts to fill the spaces I was offering. Now I’ve been offered that promotion at the hospitals that I applied for a few weeks back. Doh!

    Husband and kids like the idea of the childminding as I’d be around all day, every day. Plus, I’d feel very bad letting the parents down...
    Promotion would mean less working hours overall and it is considerably better paid than childminding.

    Husband heard about his bonus, he’s getting £17k which is amazing, we’ve worked it out to be £10.2k after tax/NI. All of it will go straight into debt repayment... parents have said they don’t need paying back yet, so we’ll put it towards Christmas hangover and the remainder into virgin card. It’ll be in his February pay, so signature will look a bit less dreadful on 1st March when I update it :D
    DFD March 2025 (£35000 paid off)
    FFEF £10000/20000 saved
  • Wow fantastic news on bonus. That will make a massive difference. 25% paid off.

    Difficult decision on the job dilemma. Only you can decide though as job satisfaction is important but you have to be able to make enough to live off financially. Yes your children and husband may like you at home more but giving up a well paid career is a big step and may have long term implications for you pension and income wise. You have to do what is right for you as well as your family.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.

    The 365 Day 1p Challenge 2025 #1 £667.95/£162.90
    Save £12k in 2025 #1 £12000/£7000
  • Hi there. What do we call you? Ohshit?:rotfl:

    You are doing great, keep positive!
    Let's be happy!!
  • Bit of a break in updating! Been busy working, sussing out job options etc...

    My husband's bonus was a little less than we were expecting, or the amount he actually got after the tax man took his cut was anyway! Still, it worked out at £9.5k and we put it all into paying off debt apart from a few hundred that we needed to spend on getting the children some new clothes and shoes. I'll update my signature, but debt level now stands at £36220, which sounds a bit less scary

    My other new year targets have been slightly less successful, I'm only averaging 2 days alcohol free a week, which I need to improve. I've only lost 5lbs to, whereas I should be up to more like 10 by now. Oops. I'm getting more active, especially now, with the nicer weather.
    DFD March 2025 (£35000 paid off)
    FFEF £10000/20000 saved
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