I work fulltime & Indah spends 3 days in care as Mum has her the other 2, we get about $15 rebate a f/night & it's about $220+ a F/n out of our pockets...
* Childcare (factor in extra nappies/extra prepackaged snacks/transport to and from and late collection fees) I use cloth nappies & send these off with Indah to FDC, I bake meals appropriate for her on weekends etc & dont send her with prepackaged foods as they dont like it at Day care, all but a yoghurt.. Which she'd have at home anyways so it's not really an added expense.
* Work appropriate clothing, shoes, accessories. I have been working F/T for 5-6 yrs & I might but a park of work pants & a top or 2 a year I wear a big lab coat over the top so unless I have an offsite business meeting I dont dress up much!
* Work appropriate make up, hair products, other grooming costs. I wear a bit of makeup most days, so not an added expense really there either & I have only just recently had all my hair cut off but prior it was just a decent cut once a year (LOL)
* Transport to and from work... petrol, tickets, wear and tear on the car, parking. I drive my own car & I live about 5 mins from work, parking is oin site & free
* Meals at restuarants and/or take away/convenient food (because you will be too tired to cook from scratch every evening. Usually it goes on our Bosses P card & most social outings are paid for, but maybe 3-4 a years arent & really I enjoy going out with my work team & talking about other stuff that work, we see some of them socially in weekends etc anyways.. I always cook meals for the family on a Sunday & have meals in the freezer etc & my DH will come home from work & eat I think we have less take away that when we are on holidays & relaxing!!
* Lunches and socializing (drinks and other expenses of attending work functions that you would rather not attend but have to) Again in business hours work pays, I take my own lunches (left overs or salads etc every day & DH takes rice meat & veggies everyday, other than that I dont go out after work & everyone knows it coz we have 2 kids at home...
* Stationery (maintaining a filofax etc)Work supplies any stationery
* Other miscellaneous expenses like drycleaning work suits etc. My Mum works at a Dry Cleaners but I have never used it, my work pants are $20 Target Specials!!!
FDC brought in a new rule that the 2 wks over Christmas you can opt to not use the Service & not pay & so as DH 's co closes for those 2 wks it is perfect for us, other than that there or not it's full... Thankfully it is in the next street from us so not far to travel there either!
I earn ALOT more than DH but he says he would feel guilty at home everyday & I WANT to be at home everyday, so after Zyon is born & having to put 2 in Full Time care (mum cant look after both & Dad ina wheelchair) I am going to give up my professional role & work 8pm -midnight Mon-Fri in the factory where I work @ almost Dble the hourly rate now so my income will be similar than it is now & I will have no responsibility & my days with my kids! It will be tiring but I can never get back all I have missed of Indah's life & it is a regret... But without my decent income we'd be out on the streets! DH does any overtime he is offered & works 10hrs most days plus some Saturdays, but we cant always count on his money, so I b=need to work & for us after much consideration this will save us Childcare fee's, I can be home with the kids & earn a wage..
I freely admit that I am looking forward to returning to work for the mental stimulation and social interaction. I do have a mother's group (a nice one, luckily) but I just can't pretend to be interested in talking about kids all the time.
I don't think it is easy either for people who have been in the workforce most of their lives to suddenly revert to SAH status. It is a complete change of gear. This came as a shock to me, I have to say. I always thought I would just love being at home and would never want to go back to work but that hasn't been the case.
Like Divvy, I am also very motivated by the need to keep my skills and knowledge current. I've also spent years trying to get a position where I have the best of everything in terms of challenging work, supportive environment and family friendly policies so I don't want to let it slip away.
I know that if my job had not been so good, I would probably have opted to stay at home for a couple of years with William. There are so many factors to weigh up and I think the best you can do is make the right decision for you and your family at that time in your life.
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