Mum's with 2 (or more) how the Hell did you manage to go back to work??

[CARNAT22]

Even if I go part-time / with working tax credits my childcare is going to cost most of my salary?

If I work full time we need wrap around care for James + 2 full days and full time for Bee? Aprox £500 per week which is about what I take home after tax.
Part time = Wrap around care for James 3 days per week + Bee 3 days per week. Aprox £250 but obviously my salary drops dramatically.

I just cannot see how I can make it work?

OH is self employed and can have periods between projects (usually just a week or 2 sometimes a little longer) so committing to childcare is difficult as potentially there could be times only I am earning? He doesn't want to be a SAHD and is planning to retrain BUT needs to go into education for a bit.

We have no-one that can help other than on an ad hoc basis. I am so stressed that even thinking about it gets me upset.

How do other people do it? What are my options?

I am going to ask about going part-time but I doubt my work will agree (they didn't with James).

Ay advice / words of wisdom?

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[Hoping for no2]

I only had 4 weeks off with my second as I'm self employed and couldn't afford to lose my clients. I'm lucky though as my mum looks after my little one the two days a week that I work (at home) and my oldest is at school. If we had to pay for child care it just wouldn't be worth me working.

Could you perhaps look for another part time job if your work won't reduce your hours? I assume your take home pay would be more on part time hours?

How old is James , as you will get the 15 hours for free once he turns 3?

I know lots of women who haven't gone back to work as the cost of childcare is just too high compared to what they would earn. I'm assuming this is not an option for you?

I really hope you can work something out hon xx

 

[heatheror12]

My eldest son is 18months and goes to nursery 2 days a week. I'm due to go back to work in Jan. And my mum and dad will be having baby. We don't get tax credits. It wouldn't be worth it otherwise. Until we are entitled to the 30 free hours which I think comes in 2016 for children 3+ then ill send leo to nursery. It's so unfair on hardworking people.

 

[CARNAT22]

Sadly the costs in my first post are including James' free hours.

Sob.

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[Rooster30]

Urgh. This is why I'm grateful that I can stay at home as the costs of childcare makes it near impossible for people like yourself. I guess you'll have to look at whether it'll ultimately be cheaper for you or your OH to stay home full time? Maybe look at other areas in the home that you could cut costs? This is what OH and I did. We went from full sky package to bare minimum, I negotiated a cheaper phone contract. We transferred credit card bills onto new interest free ones. We re-negotiated internet and phone costs etc. I know it won't save you lots doing this but every little does help. Good luck

 

[Cakey]

We only have one baby and we've been struggling thinking about this too. If I went to work full time half of my wages would go on childcare. It looks like going part time is going to be best for us, I hope you get something sorted, I really feel like childcare is extortionate and yes its worth paying to make sure your child is looked after well, it does put people off working full time xxx

 

[heatheror12]

It's ridiculous isn't it. Somebody I know of doesn't work but gets a childminder paid for her on the benefit system. Really doesn't give people an incentive to want to work x

 

[CARNAT22]

I need to do some research as to what I would be entitled to (working tax credit wise etc) but even if I go part time then I'm looking at 3 days full time for Bee. Half a day + pick-ups and drop-offs for James. It's insane.

Of course I did think about this when I got pregnant again and two family members who previously offered childcare help have had a change in situation.... not that I was relying on them 100% but MIL was going to do a day a week and it would have made it financially so much easier and now she can't (it was a short term solution and she offered but her early retirement has been refused for another year!!)

OH wouldn't cope with being a SAHD, and I understand that - it's not for everyone. Although he could do it in the interim.

I plan to work regardless - even If it is just shelf stacking at weekends. Not working isn't an option really.

We already have cut a load of costs due to me being on ML. So phone contract is mimimum and we got rid of Sky full stop.

I am good at financial planning which is why the current figures are scaring the cap out of me!!!

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[Glofish]

My daughter has just been in this position, she was a teacher. She has left teaching and done her ofsted registered childminder course and is now a successful childminder, working from home with her two little ones around as well. Works well !!

 

[Kirsty.Y.84]

I work part time (3 days a week) and It costs me £900 a month to send both boys to nursery 3 days a week. It's ridiculous! Most people I know have family to help with child care, that's how they manage it. We don't so it's blooming expensive!

 

[Rooster30]

I really do feel for you. I consider myself so so so lucky to be able to stay at home. I hope you manage to figure it all out somehow.

 

[russellmuscle]

You will find a way Nat. You had worries about money and working after you were to return with James and everything worked out peachy. I know your the type that likes to have a plan of action in order. But sometimes things like this need to wait until the time to see what needs done. Have you spoken with your work?

Jackson is in nursery only half days atm, and my mum and D do the rest as I work fulltime now. But Jackson is changing nursery soon, will have free hours when he does and will take a load off because Im so used to private, ill be saving lots. I dunno how it works in England with council/private childcare. But financially, Id need to wait until Jackson went to free hours (April 16) before Id be able to have a second baby in order to afford putting that in nursery aswell for 3 years.... I havent really thought about when I return, my post is only fulltime - I can ask for part time, but I think it would be more like 32h instead of 37..

I grudge childcare so much, its a fucking rip off. I wish I could spend all day at home having fun and teaching Jackson things, but sadly mummy has to work.

Try not to stress, and enjoy the rest of your MAT.

xxxx

 

[MrsT2011]

Some nurseries/childminders do sibling discounts which a lot of my friends say help. Is the scheme still running where you pay fees before tax through employer?
I think you need to work out if going back to work you'll be earning any take home wages after childcare, travelling etc. even if it's just a small amount it might be worth it for a year or so till James goes to school as then you'll still have a job at the end.
If you're going to be out of pocket I can't see that it's worth it - depends how much you love your job?

 

[russellmuscle]

Yeah they still do tax free vouchers, but Im pretty sure I heard they are stopping..

Not sure but heard of quite a few people using childcare vouchers through employers.

xxxx

 

[CARNAT22]

I didn't bother with the kiddicare vouchers as when I went back after James I had free childcare.... I should have been a bit more forward thinking.

I don't love my job at all but I have always worked and I do value being in employment.

Bee will be entitled to her free hours a year after I go back so I think I need to find a way to make work.

It's so depressing to be thinking about this now but there are certain things I need to do if I am going to ask for part time hours (legally employers have 3 months to answer your request so I need to be putting it in writing pretty soon!!)

Hopefully a lottery win later will sort out all my issues lol.

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[Toni.C]

I don't have 2 kiddies, but I was in a similar position before I went on matleave. My travelling costs and childcare were putting me in the minus before I'd paid for bills and I just couldn't justify it. My OH is a farmer so overtime goes into the bank and will have to be spread out throughout the year to cover my wages we won't be getting until I'm in a better position to send Alfie to pre-school and go to work. At the moment it would be £20 per morning to send him (9-12) if he was old enough and he'd be going 3 days a week. So £240 on top of my £300 pound travel bill would leave me with pennies! I'm fortunate we will have enough to live like this for the moment but I'm dreading when he goes to pre-school and 2 and a half. I'm tempted To wait until the following April when we may be entitled to free hours.

Sorry for the ramble!

P.s here's to hoping we all get a lottery win!

 

[littlemonkey]

I was having a similar panic attack about it's all before going on maternity leave with my youngest. Thankfully things have worked in our favour. I was put at risk of redundancy just before going on maternity leave. It was pretty s*** but meant I was in a good position to negotiate what job I got redeployed into. I'm going back to a role that's part time working 5-10 in the evening. It means we don't have to pay for childcare during the day and I just need to leave them with my mum or sister in law for an hour between my start time and OH finishing work. My OH has also recently been successful in getting a promotion, and his increase in pay will cover most of the difference in my pay going part time.

But as I say we have been very very lucky and it wasn't long ago I was panicking about how we would financially manage. My new job is not what I want to do, but I can grit my teeth and bare it knowing I'll be home with my family most of the day.

The proposed 30 free hours a week is for England only I believe, so not much use for us in Wales!

 

[Mrs CW]

I had the same panic before I went back to work. I work 3 days a week and we don't qualify for tax credits. We've been really lucky that our parents are able to have the boys for a day each and we use nursery for 1day a week (and a morning for my eldest). If our parents hadn't been able to help we would have just about scraped through. You will find a way though. It's definitely easier now that our eldest has his funded hours.
I don't know if it's an option but we used to use a childminder (we've only moved to get the boys used to a more structured environment). Our childminder would charge us half price for the days we didn't use so holidays and weeks your hubby is home could be cheaper. We also only paid for the hours we needed whereas nursery we have to pay for a 8-6 even if the boys are in 8-4.
Fx for the lottery win x

 

[ML19]

Oh my goodness!! I can't believe the cost of childcare where you are!

I return to work as a teacher after my second baby in a few weeks. We used a (wonderful) childminder with my son and luckily she has agreed to take on my daughter too. I was worrying about the cost, but after reading this post I'm now just grateful. We will be charged £24 per day for my son and £12 a day for my daughter- £180 per week for both.

Perhaps relocate??!!! 😁😉

 

[CARNAT22]

Blimey it's £50-£55 per day, per child here for a childminder and I believe similar for a nursery. Not sure about sibling discounts for childminder or what they charge for wrap around care? Need to get some proper costings.

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