I want to stop drowning

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  • debtaghh
    debtaghh Posts: 1,794
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    Yes, it’s a blog and I think it’s great.

    I thought the same about holiday pot, I thought I will allocate x amt ( bare minimum) and then any food or entertainment money I save I will put half towards debt and half towards extra holiday money.

    I was thinking £70 p/w on food.
  • debtaghh
    debtaghh Posts: 1,794
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    Morning,

    I have been offered an interview but it is the one that isn’t admin and the one I least wanted. On top of that and the main issue is it’s minimum wage and not set hours each week. I will be earning £15 p/w due to childcare so not sure what to do!
  • debtaghh wrote: »
    Morning,

    I have been offered an interview but it is the one that isn’t admin and the one I least wanted. On top of that and the main issue is it’s minimum wage and not set hours each week. I will be earning £15 p/w due to childcare so not sure what to do!

    Go for the interview experience. And remember there is lots of help out there for child care.
    Working family tax credits has a child care element, some employers offer childcare vouchers and there is the new 'tax free child care account' which gives a top up to everything you put in.

    We use the taxfree child care account system and it's brilliant for us.
    Outstanding mortgage: £23,181 (December 19)
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  • debtaghh
    debtaghh Posts: 1,794
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    We are not eligible for tax credits etc due to my dh’s salary. We can’t do childcare vouchers either :(
  • debtaghh wrote: »
    We are not eligible for tax credits etc due to my dh’s salary. We can’t do childcare vouchers either :(

    Then you can definitely do the tax free child care account then. We are the same as you, no tax credits and no childcare vouchers.

    It's like an online bank account. You pay the money in, government tops it up ( I pay £350 a month in, it gets topped up by £87.50) I've set up a standing order from that account to my childminder. And just forget about it. You can do one off payments though.
    My childcare bill is £105 a week, but it costs me £86 in hard cash.
    Outstanding mortgage: £23,181 (December 19)
    MFW 2020 Challenge Member #10 0/£2318
  • enthusiasticsaver
    enthusiasticsaver Posts: 15,445
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    Sometimes getting your foot in the door is the key with jobs. You have been out of work a long time so are not going to walk into a job that pays you a high salary to start with. When I had children and went back part time after 3 years I was paying 2/3rds of my wages to the childminder. Once I had been working for a while though there were opportunities to move to better paid jobs and the rewards are better.

    Even if you don’t qualify for tax credits, my daughter doesn’t but she uses the new childcare scheme and gets help with the costs. She has planned her second so that the 30 free hours kicks in for the first child so she not paying for both together. You just have one don’t you and is she nearly three so her free hours are then available?
    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.
  • debtaghh
    debtaghh Posts: 1,794
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    I have three children. The problem is it’s not an official childminder helping me out as I can’t afford a childminder ( it’s someone doing me a favour) . On top of that as the hours will change every week I may have to pay more childcare for my ds at after sch club meaning I could be at a minus which I really can’t afford. I’ve been out of employed employment but am self employed and submit a tax return. My dd will be eligible to 15 hours from September in the mornings but this job could be anytime from 9-5.30 meaning I could have to work 1-5 one day which will incur a cost.

    I know I won’t go into a job on a high salary but can’t afford to be at a minus plus I really need a job with fixed hours eg 9-5 mon, tues and wed to accommodate when dd starts nursery.
  • Storm89
    Storm89 Posts: 592 Forumite
    Finding a job to fit around the kids is really hard. I would maybe go for the interview experience, but I can't see how you could work the childcare thing if you're going to be at a minus. I have a friend help me out & I feel awful about it because I put on her so much. Childcare is so so expensive and I think you are right to think seriously about if this is right for you. Fixed hours are definitely preferable if you can secure a job like that. I don't know much about it and obviously other people are suggesting how it could be subsidised which is good if you can do that.
    I have a friend currently in debt that she's accumulated from not having enough money to pay for childcare. She has quit her job and has 4 weeks to find another with more suitable hours. She was entitled to very little tax credits and , especially during the school holidays, was relying on credit cards to pay for childcare. She still owes the nursery/after school club money. It's a very difficult decision to make & it's hard to do the sums when you don't have regular hours. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, I'm sure others on here know more about the help that's available.
  • debtaghh
    debtaghh Posts: 1,794
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    Thanks so much . I just spoke to my dh and we have decided it’s not viable to go for this job as I have also found out that the rota is only done one week in advance!
  • Storm89
    Storm89 Posts: 592 Forumite
    That's not ideal when you have a family is it. My mother in law works at a museum and her rota is done monthly so not quite a week in advance but she can never plan anything far in advance because she doesn't know when she'll be working . Must be harder to juggle childcare that way. I'm sure something will come along , and once all kids are in full time school it will be easier I would imagine. Once mine are both in full time school, I'm hoping to find a job to help share the burden of debt. I'm not bothered about stacking shelves or anything, I only want something that fits in with the kids .
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