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.