Working After Having Bub *Complicated*

[Banx]

Very Very complicated situation!

Firstly... I have always been someone that said "i will not work before my kids can attend school" as i dont feel comfortable leaving babies/ young children in child care.. just doesnt seem right to me

My partner has a brain injury and is looking at doing an apprenticeship.. but i would be on parenting payments and he would be on a low wage.. just wondering if that would be enough for us to live off?????

Just worried i suppose... its only early days yet. but i really want to get everything sorted over time instead of rushing at the end...

wat do u girls think?

xox love b

[mrsr]

We (my XH and I) managed on $35K a year. We did get some government assistance but you find ways to make ends meet and to not go without. I guess you need to sit down and weigh up the costs of childcare should you decide to go that way and work out a firm budget.

[Hoody]

You will live to your means iykwim. I did go back to work when my DD1 was 7 months but this was only because DH started his own business and although i had every faith in him i needed security and to know that if it failed we had some money coming in. I only did 20hrs a week and worked 2 half days and 6am til 9am 2 days a week. I never put DD in day care i am lucky and had family available to help out. Once the business picked up and i fell pg with DD2 i gave up work (hopefully until the girls are at school) Because we are now on one income it can be tough but like i said you live to your means. Also as you said you will get parenting payments. Yes you may have to go without luxuries etc but it's worth it. My favourite thing to tell ppl when they say they are waiting until they can 'afford' to have kids is "if we all waited until we could afford them etc the population would be very low as i dont know anyone off the top of my head who can afford it" Most ppl i know do make ends meet.

[Zennie]

I am expecting in april and my partner is a 3rd yr aprentice. his income is only apprx 27k per year so when i leave work there are a lot of little things that are going to change. i will get the parenting payments ect however we all know how stingy the govt is and i would actually earn more work 1 day pw. the FTB is where the bulk of they money comes from and thats about $250 f/n and there is $ approx $900 annual payment with that aswell . i suggest you download the info boooklet of the centrelink website as it will tell you exactly what you will be entitled to. there is also assistance for apprentices on low income

[AnyDream]

Have you investigated family day care as an alternative to long day child care centres? It's just like leaving your child with a trusted family member. Just a thought.

I did four years not working with my DD1, on only 1 wage - and it was HARD. Hard but do-able. We didn't have any savings or resources to fall back on, the longer I didn't work the harder it got. We accumulated a lot of debt over that time, but five years on we're back in a financially stable place again.

[Banx]

all my family members are either too old or work full time.

we will sort something out. i dont want and i wont put the bub into childcare. i just cant do it

anyways thanksfor the advice

[paradise lost]

Banx i'm in the UK and fully on welfare as i'm a lone parent and like you did not want anyone else caring for my child. I don't know what kind of assistance you will be entitled to (only know the UK system) but i can tell you that when you feel strongly about caring for your own kids you can get by on very little. We eat cheaper foods (not much meat) and don't do expensive activities, but it is so worth it for the joy of seeing DD grow and learn each day. Try not to worry, get as much info as you can and then go for it. It could be that your DP will need to care for your baby at weekends while you work, but really, you can make ANYTHING work if you have to.

Bx

[Muppity]

Maybe your DH stay at home and look after your bub and you could go back to work? It may be a way of increasing the amount that your family have to live off. Depending on what type of apprentiship he is planning on doing maybe he could arrange to do any course work (some have them, some don't) while he is at is lookign after bubs. Just another option for the mix. I have a friend who works full time and their husband is at home with the kiddies as they could earn more money.

[Lulu]

GO FOR IT! You'll be fine!

If staying home with bubs is important to you now, your feelings will intensify 100 fold when bubs is here. I can tell you there is nothing worse than dragging kids to childcare and then work yourself when you just don't want to.

You will be fine on a lower wage for awhile, because you are young and don't have a massive pay packet to miss. It's fabulous training financially.
BUT, use the time at home to keep studying and educate yourself. I used to do a short course here and there, pick up a day or two work here and there.
If need be you can always pick up a part time job at night. My GF does 7pm-11pm 3 night a week, her DH is home with the kids anyway and the little extra helps.

By the time I was ready for full time work, I bounced straight into a well paid job and went overseas, upgraded my car and bought a house.
I since went back for more kids, so I'm mainly at home. I have lotsa bills to pay and I really do miss the $$$, but I can't leave them in childcare!
Nothing can replace those first few years at home, big screen tv's and a 2nd car just don't rate in comparison.

You will be fine!

[Emma27]

I know how you feel as were going through a similar thing and arent sure what to do.

Have you thought about getting a Saturday job and seeing if DH can mind the baby?

[Serendypyty]

I wish I could stay at home with our baby when it is born but I don't think I will be able to mainly because our mortgage wouldn't be paid on one wage. We are lucky enough however to find a friend of ours with her own bub who said that she will look after it.

I guess if you are unsure on how you will fair, book an appointment with your accountant or something and see if you can work out a budget and see how your liabilities fare against your income...

Good luck!

Oooh! I was going to say that if not, you might be able to care for bub during the day and then work some hours at night time or on the weekend.

[satya]

Good luck Banx. We are considering making huge changes to our lives in order for me to stay home. I'd love to but with a mortgage it's impossible. Without one it might be possible so we are doing our sums and getting ready to make some huge decisions. I do believe that you learn to live within your means, whatever they may be, but you just have to be careful not to end up in debt.

[Banx]

Thankyou for all your helpful comments

i have decided i will not be working. DP can work! lol plus with his brain injury i couldnt leave him at home without me there for long periods of time until he gets a little more confident and a bit of improvement

thankyou for all your advice im sure we can live off small money! we spend too much on general stuff we dont need anyways

as you said.. great money training!