Due to return to work and cant afford to :(

milkywayz

I am due to return to work very soon, having been off, using all my entitled leave following having my 4th child.
I have been employed 6 + years, and Im on a fairly good wage. I have 2 children school going, one in the ECCE scheme, and the other is at home.

Thing is, I really want to return to work, as I feel ready to get back out there, having spent the last few years with the kids.
Employers have been very good to me, and are letting me come back part time, the thing is, with childcare, petrol etc taken into account, it is leaving me with not a lot in my pocket. Im so disheartend.
I would not be entitled to any entitlements etc, as DH has a good job, but the majority of his earnings goes on bills.

I really dont know what to do, Can anyone relate to my circumstances?

Thank you

Procrastastudy

milkywayz wrote: »

I am due to return to work very soon, having been off, using all my entitled leave following having my 4th child.
I have been employed 6 + years, and Im on a fairly good wage. I have 2 children school going, one in the ECCE scheme, and the other is at home.

Thing is, I really want to return to work, as I feel ready to get back out there, having spent the last few years with the kids.
Employers have been very good to me, and are letting me come back part time, the thing is, with childcare, petrol etc taken into account, it is leaving me with not a lot in my pocket. Im so disheartend.
I would not be entitled to any entitlements etc, as DH has a good job, but the majority of his earnings goes on bills.

I really dont know what to do, Can anyone relate to my circumstances?

Thank you

Not really - many kids = work hard to pay for them. Get yourself worked back up to full time pronto and you should have more money. I relaise it is a cultural norm here for the state to sponsor people to have Children but this should only go so far in all honesty.

The Big Red Button

You say your employers are "letting" you come back part-time - does this mean that you would have the option to work full-time? Wouldn't this be the very obvious solution, especially since you're on a good wage?

RacoonQueen

chatterpillar wrote: »

You say your employers are "letting" you come back part-time - does this mean that you would have the option to work full-time? Wouldn't this be the very obvious solution, especially since you're on a good wage?

I would assume that that would increase child care costs quite a lot in that the kids in school would need after school care and the ones not in school would need care in the afternoons too? Possibly making the money situation worse? And usually due to tax etc you don't generally come out with twice the pay for double the hours.

Procrastastudy

milkywayz wrote: »

Yes sorry, i should have been more clear, im in a good enough paying job in my sector due to the amount of years service i have, and would be more beneficial for me to work part time rather than full time, if I were to return full time, I simply would not earn enough to cover, as my other half gets my tax credits.

I do actually sympathise with this. Putting aside my feelings about one parent should be in the home at least the majority of the time - we shouldn't have a situation where it doesn't pay people to work. That said if you can only work PT do bear in mind all the positive benefits to your family.

looksee

I think the question is, how much do you want to work or stay at home?

If you would be happy staying at home there is no doubt that you can save money by doing a lot of things, including childcare, that otherwise you have to pay for.

If you would really be happier working and getting back onto the career path then you just have to accept that you have four children and the shortage of money is the price you have to pay for that, at the moment. The big care expenses will not last long, in a few years you will be over the worst of it and be back in full time work.

I took the stay at home route, though in fairness there was not a lot of work available at the time. I think I would do it again. But not everyone feels the same way, and only you know which would make you - and therefore your family - more content.

Conor Bourke

It's been 5 years since anyone posted in this thread, i'd safely say they've found a solution since