I resigned and have left work, what do I need to do now?

almost

I was in a bad workplace where I was being bullied and had become very depressed and deeply unhappy. My husband asked me to resign for months and I did so in July. I’ve now finished work and need to decide what to do next. I’m completely burnt out from the experience and we both agree I need a break. We can afford for me not to work for about six months and then I will need to find something I think (ideally). We can stretch it out longer if needed. 

Before I quit I didn’t have the mental capacity to plan anything. Now I realise I probably need to do some thinking about tax and pensions etc. 

We have one child (4) and a mortgage. We have no debt aside from the mortgage. 

I have £50k premium bonds and £15k savings. Husband has about £20k savings. 

I have had to do self assessments each year and I am worried how to log any money my husband gives me for household shopping etc now I am not earning. I’m sure there are lots of other things to worry about that I have not yet thought about.

 I had such a horrible time and we are all so much happier now I am not working in the horrible conditions anymore. I am sleeping again and can think more clearly and feel more like my old self. 

I’d love any tips or advice from anyone else who might have been in a similar situation or who have any guidance on things I need to think about (I’ve never not been in work before - which I appreciate is a fortunate position). Also I appreciate I may not be able to find work for a long time and that has been our choice. Thank you. 

lisyloo

Sorry to hear about that.
As background was there a reason you did self assessment?
You don't need to worry about any household money. It's not income (for you) and already been taxed when your husband earned it.

I don't know what others think but I would suggest you do a household budget if you don't already have one.
If your position is reasonably comfortable then it would hopefully make you feel a bit more secure(I think it would for me).
Once that's sorted you can think about what you want to do.
You don't need to restrict yourself to PAYE employment, you could start a business or go self employed.

gwynlas

Whilst the routine of work is generally good for mental health obviously working in a toxic environment isn't

You do not say what field you were in but if money is not that important it means that you could do anything that pays at least minimum wage eg retail/reception work with part time hours.Care work can be rewarding if there are sufficient staff and not hours spent travelling between clients. Domestic cleaning can be quite lucrative as is cleaning for holiday lets.

If your child is starting school in September you might get bored quickly just being in the house each day.

DullGreyGuy

almost said:

I have had to do self assessments each year and I am worried how to log any money my husband gives me for household shopping etc now I am not earning. I’m sure there are lots of other things to worry about that I have not yet thought about.

Its not salary or profit so there is no need to declare it and won't be any further taxes.

lisyloo said:

It's not income (for you) and already been taxed when your husband earned it.

Agree with the first point but the second point is irrelevant. If I started a small side hustle alongside my perm work and employed a person I would initially be paying that person from my employee income thats already been taxed but that wouldn't exclude them from having to pay income tax on their salary. 

almost said:
We can afford for me not to work for about six months and then I will need to find something I think (ideally). We can stretch it out longer if needed. 

Stretching it is both easier and less painful to do the earlier you identify that it needs to be stretched; getting a plan together including a contingency in case it takes you longer to find work is sensible to do and stick to it. 

almost said:
I’d love any tips or advice from anyone else who might have been in a similar situation or who have any guidance on things I need to think about (I’ve never not been in work before - which I appreciate is a fortunate position). Also I appreciate I may not be able to find work for a long time and that has been our choice. Thank you. 

My wife stopped working 14 years ago for a couple of reasons, it was initially intended to be for her to have a break, follow up on some ideas etc. Whilst some of her friends are envious she isn't entirely happy with the situation but is picky on the type of work she'd prefer to be doing and in the few times she's attempted to get employed again either she's had interviews but no jobs or had the job and not got on with the people so quit within a couple of weeks. 

I know some others that have done similar and they too have gotten stuck in a bit of a rut. There then comes the question of what you do to fill all your time. Once the novelty wears off it can get expensive and/or lonely with 8-10 hours home alone every day. 

Eldi_Dos

Have you thought of work in a school, the hours and holidays fit in well with childcare commitments.Members of our family who did,enjoyed the working environment and general ethos.

Jaguar98

Taking some time to rest and regroup sounds like a good move; just make sure to set up a solid plan for when you're ready to jump back into work or explore new opportunities.

SensibleSarah

I had a 4-month career break a few years ago after leaving a job due to burn out. I spent a couple of weeks just trying to rest and recover emotionally. Single-income household and limited savings/buffer so not working for an extended period was not an option. 

I then started a small dogwalking business to keep myself active and to get a bit of money coming in while I had a think about next steps, but after about 3-4 months I started feeling like I was ready for a different job back in my previous industry - and my savings were running out ha. 
Thankfully managed to get a job pretty quickly that was a much better fit, which I stayed in for nearly 6 years until I decided to go freelance after the pandemic. I was on a bit less money than in the 'burn out job' but the responsibility level and culture was more me so it was a price worth paying. 

Teapot55

I’ve said it in the past on MSE forums, that signing up for temporary work with an agency can be the way to go. It brings in a bit of money (while you’re making your mind up) and you get to see a variety of different workplaces. Sometimes it can lead to a permanent job offer which you can accept or turn down, depending upon if it’s a decent employer with a good workplace atmosphere.