Fibreprovider
12-01-2011, 01:36 PM
Hi all,
I am trying to help my wife in her decison making and would like to seek advice from all of you with far more knowledge and experience than I.
My wife currently has an office job that she enjoys but has previously looked at childminding as an alternative that she feels she would also enjoy (and I think would be good at it).
Our current childminder is 'packing up' which leaves us in a bit of a pickle but this can be managed for a few months until a proper alternative is sorted.
She currently earns £9.50 p/h and works 25 hours BUT the job is 35 miles from home which takes an hour each way and due to only recieving minimum tax credits (we are just the wrong side of the line so to speak) her income has been virtually £300 per month after child care and travel.
Having doen the sums, we can see that childminding offers a reasonable income but she is scared at the thought of giving up a known job and income for a potentially variable income.
I feel that if you are good then your reputation would ensure you continuous work and that the non-cash benefits around far less travel, more time with own children (5 and 8), etc should count as reasons for changing.
Sorry to ramble but wanted to set the scene. As I want to support her as best I can, I would really appreciate any advice or thoughts on the continuity of income bit and how much she might regret missing out on a career that i think she would be great at just because of worries around money.
Thank you in anticipation
I am trying to help my wife in her decison making and would like to seek advice from all of you with far more knowledge and experience than I.
My wife currently has an office job that she enjoys but has previously looked at childminding as an alternative that she feels she would also enjoy (and I think would be good at it).
Our current childminder is 'packing up' which leaves us in a bit of a pickle but this can be managed for a few months until a proper alternative is sorted.
She currently earns £9.50 p/h and works 25 hours BUT the job is 35 miles from home which takes an hour each way and due to only recieving minimum tax credits (we are just the wrong side of the line so to speak) her income has been virtually £300 per month after child care and travel.
Having doen the sums, we can see that childminding offers a reasonable income but she is scared at the thought of giving up a known job and income for a potentially variable income.
I feel that if you are good then your reputation would ensure you continuous work and that the non-cash benefits around far less travel, more time with own children (5 and 8), etc should count as reasons for changing.
Sorry to ramble but wanted to set the scene. As I want to support her as best I can, I would really appreciate any advice or thoughts on the continuity of income bit and how much she might regret missing out on a career that i think she would be great at just because of worries around money.
Thank you in anticipation