Hi guys
I was supposed to start back at work today. But the weather has other idea's. We just had 4 or so weeks off.
I think I've got it kinda easy, long as I'm organised. I work from home cooking. I do about 4 hours a day average, 7 days a week, weather permitting (cook for shearer's, if it rains they don't work, so i don't work).
So I can still bf DD when ever she needs, but if I'm not on top of my house from the minute the girls get up at 7.15, the whole day is a write off. DS has school 2 days a week & DD is home full time. Its busy, but I'm so much better at life/organisation when I'm busy!
I have recently returned to work - a mix of full-time and part-time depending on the week - I only have childcare for children three days a week but got my mum over from the UK to cover the other two days as I am only on a five month contract so the solution is half doable. The first couple of weeks before mum arrived hard - I have to get the kids to day care for about 7:40 and then get public transport to work to start around 8:45-8:50. DH does the pick up as he finishes at 16:30 so the kids get home about 5:40 ish and me about 6:00 if I get a good run home. With mum here is a bit easier as she does pick up and drop off most days but she is off to Darwin for a month next week for a break and to see my grandma - we only have a two bed flat so she is sharing with kids so is pretty intense. DS sometimes wakes and she has been resettling him if is quick but otherwise I am doing it. The weeks where I have worked full-time are hard, I feel like I never see them, and have had to go to Sydney twice once was away 3 days 2 nights - the three days a week are not so bad, but I still feel so so tired but am having more difficulty sleeping than I normally do.
I actually really enjoy the work, far more than I thought I would , I was a bit down in the dumps before (took me three months to find anything), and if a teleporter existed to get me too and from work in zero time and was definitely only 3 days a week - would be really good. I am getting more exercise as can cycle, or walk part of the journey, work do a bootcamp in the park one lunchtime, and I love the free fruit, and free good coffee, and the chatting without interruption.
DH has always cooked up meals for freezer for his lunch - so now is just doing the same for me and we have a smaller meal in the evening which works well. If I haven't worked a day I make enough for a couple of meals and restack the freezer. When mum isn't here the house is a shambles but never was that great anyway.
What I am struggling with really is that it isn't really giving us any financial benefit because of childcare fees and this is with only 3 days a week in CC - it would be alot more with 5 days, and I worry that after this contract I will have to do that. I never wanted to have to have them in fulltime CC especially the long days they do - but worry it will be my only option. People often say "must be great to have some money" but really isn't giving us much after the fees - I suppose I am doing it because I fear ability of being able to renter the workforce if I stay at home for longer.
Is anyone else in this position? Working but probably would be better off short-term at least if didn't?
I have recently returned to work - a mix of full-time and part-time depending on the week - I only have childcare for children three days a week but got my mum over from the UK to cover the other two days as I am only on a five month contract so the solution is half doable. The first couple of weeks before mum arrived hard - I have to get the kids to day care for about 7:40 and then get public transport to work to start around 8:45-8:50. DH does the pick up as he finishes at 16:30 so the kids get home about 5:40 ish and me about 6:00 if I get a good run home. With mum here is a bit easier as she does pick up and drop off most days but she is off to Darwin for a month next week for a break and to see my grandma - we only have a two bed flat so she is sharing with kids so is pretty intense. DS sometimes wakes and she has been resettling him if is quick but otherwise I am doing it. The weeks where I have worked full-time are hard, I feel like I never see them, and have had to go to Sydney twice once was away 3 days 2 nights - the three days a week are not so bad, but I still feel so so tired but am having more difficulty sleeping than I normally do.
I actually really enjoy the work, far more than I thought I would , I was a bit down in the dumps before (took me three months to find anything), and if a teleporter existed to get me too and from work in zero time and was definitely only 3 days a week - would be really good. I am getting more exercise as can cycle, or walk part of the journey, work do a bootcamp in the park one lunchtime, and I love the free fruit, and free good coffee, and the chatting without interruption.
DH has always cooked up meals for freezer for his lunch - so now is just doing the same for me and we have a smaller meal in the evening which works well. If I haven't worked a day I make enough for a couple of meals and restack the freezer. When mum isn't here the house is a shambles but never was that great anyway.
What I am struggling with really is that it isn't really giving us any financial benefit because of childcare fees and this is with only 3 days a week in CC - it would be alot more with 5 days, and I worry that after this contract I will have to do that. I never wanted to have to have them in fulltime CC especially the long days they do - but worry it will be my only option. People often say "must be great to have some money" but really isn't giving us much after the fees - I suppose I am doing it because I fear ability of being able to renter the workforce if I stay at home for longer.
Is anyone else in this position? Working but probably would be better off short-term at least if didn't?
Short term work is a tough one. I did that a couple of years ago, gained some money, but then had to live an a lower fortnightly FTB for the rest of the year. So overall probably not worth it then.
It is worth it for me now. After Childcare expenses and a signification reduction of FTB, we are about $10k per year better off. Next year, once childcare is dropped (but vacation care and school fees will go up), we will be much better off. I work 4 days per week school hours. I am in a dilemma though. Home wise, 3 days would be better, but work wise the 4 days is great. I do really feel it since going from 3 -4 days.
I do love the mental stimulation at work and of course the extra money I do think overall I am a better parent for it, I find DH is better when I am working, even though it is stressful and exhausting at times. But then so it worrying about money.
If this contract isn't renewed then I will only have worked a couple of weeks of the next tax year so it shouldn't really affect things too much in terms of payments. I will just be faced with the whole trying to find something and maybe only finding full-time. I think if only had one in childcare would be easier decision - working would definitely be financially more viable so I suppose I only have to work out what works best till Jan 2015 , sometimes I think maybe would be better off doing five days but shorter hours but then you don't save any money on childcare that way - unless some other childcare option could work out cheaper.
I think we work out about 4K better off - for this financial year but is hard to tell because I am really a bit clueless about what will happen when it comes to tax time, and whether I will owe stuff from before I started work (things like the CCB - I assume that my % has gone to zero because I have already been overpaid it according to the money will earn by end of the year, because our combined income isn't above the threshold so otherwise should be getting some reduction). I agree about worrying about money - but sometimes I do think that YNAB is giving me more information than I really want to know, because I know if I wasn't using that I would probably be merrily thinking - yay I am working I have money :-)
In my mind I used to think I would work and DH would stay home (that didn't work), or I would stay home (have done for a while) - but I think now we have finished having children I realise that really I just need a compromise - it is great for me to work - I am much happier, I felt a bit useless at home (I am a rubbish home-maker) especially during the three months when job hunting and having the children in childcare - I like working far more than I realised.
I am a rubbish homemaker as well. I like the idea of it, but the reality is quite different.
Plus with us having moved to the area, having no family and small network of friends, I don't think it was healthy for the girls to just be around me most of their days. So for me I see using childcare as a part of my village.
We do fly MIL over once a year to help out around the busiest part of the year for me, which so happens to coincide with the school holidays. It saves on putting DD1 in vacation care full-time, but also means the girls get some time with their grandma. So everyone wins with that. If I was not working, then the girls would see their Grandma less. So working does have more benefits than just money.
Funny this thread should pop back up now. After a lot of communication issues with my last job, it was all over about 8 months ago. But I start another job on Tuesday Nothing exciting, just cleaning at the caravan park, 2 - 3 hours a day 5 days a week. But its perfect for me, & I can have DD with me. I'm a bit excited to have some income on top of c'link again! I like being able to do things with the kids on weekends, like camping & I haven't been able too for so long!
I do think overall I am a better parent for it, I find DH is better when I am working, even though it is stressful and exhausting at times. But then so it worrying about money.
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