Would you go back to work for this $$?

amother

↑ Burlywood

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:20 pm

amother Hyssop wrote:

Like you said, only you can answer this. Me personally, if I needed the money for daily living right now, I'd do it. But if it's just to save money for future expenses, then I would wait till baby is at least 1 year old, preferably 2.
If you are the type to enjoy being a sahm, you will never regret staying home with him for a year and not building up your savings.
In reality, you would be building up a much more important savings account by investing in your child.

That’s why I say to wait it out. She needs to figure out herself as a mother. Otherwise she will rob herself off that experience. If she needed the money to survive then yes to work. But just for the savings, no. FTM experience is a non-material investment in her future too.

Last edited by amother on Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:22 pm; edited 1 time in total

↑ HonesttoGod ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:20 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

What?

If she saves $1,500/month straight for 7 years and 8 months she will save up $140k, which is a 20% down payment on a $700k house.

So maybe you and me have different definitions of fast LOL

This isn’t 1995, down payments aren’t $20k anymore.

1) high yield savings.
2) if she’s not working it’ll take even longer.
3) generally working people who are consistently good workers get raises.
4) after 2 years her babysitting expenses will be less b/c playgroup generally isn’t as expensive as a small babysitting group.

So fast doesn’t mean 1 year. But it also isn’t going to take 20 years like it takes others.

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:20 pm

amother Cyclamen wrote:

Hopefully she’ll put it in a high yield savings account

It will still take many years. Plus, high yield savings account won’t do more than match the rate of rising house prices, if you’re lucky.
Of course it’s still fantastic to be able to save $1,500/month. But I was just pointing out to the poster who said wow you’ll be able to save a down payment so fast- what exactly is her definition of fast.

amother

↑ Cyclamen ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:24 pm

amother Burlywood wrote:

She should know herself. Personally, I’m a better mom when I have enough money to pay the bills, pay full tuition, hire cleaning help once or twice a week, go on dates with dh, take my kids out etc

When I’m tight financially it stresses me out and affects my mothering and shalom bayis tremendously

I did bH find a job that’s relatively flexible, I can work from home if kids have a sick day etc

Maybe a job in a school where op would have 2 months off would be nice, almost a compromise.

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:24 pm

HonesttoGod wrote:

She likely won’t be putting that $1,500 into savings in a few years, as her expenses go up. The primary solution here is to increase her income. She is working 9-3 and earning approx $31k a year (I’ll assume that’s post tax). She’s better off opening a babysitting group, she’ll get to keep her baby home with her and she will make more money, especially because she’s saving on daycare.

amother

Freesia ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:25 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

What?

If she saves $1,500/month straight for 7 years and 8 months she will save up $140k, which is a 20% down payment on a $700k house.

So maybe you and me have different definitions of fast LOL

This isn’t 1995, down payments aren’t $20k anymore.

And if she saves $0 every month, guess how long it will take her to save up for down payment?
Nothing happens instantly. 7 years and 11 months is the average amount of time people spend on saving for a down payment.

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:26 pm

HonesttoGod wrote:

Also FTR 7-10 years to save and buy a house is NOT that long for a working couple with kids where 1 works full time.

I agree! I don’t think 7 years is a long time to save up for a house.

But, if it’s anyways going to take 7 years, I’d rather keep my babies home with me their first year and let it take 9 years. Worth it.

amother

↑ Cyclamen ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:28 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

I agree!

But, if it’s anyways going to take 7 years, I’d rather keep my babies home with me their first year and let it take 9 years. Worth it.

Every time a baby is born, taking off a year… it’ll take a lot longer if op is planning to and able to have multiple kids over the next 5-10 years

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:30 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

For sure.

But I’m not telling her to never work again, I was advising her to explore different avenues to see how much she can delay/minimize sending her baby out in its first year of life.

amother

↑ Cyclamen ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:31 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

She can accept let’s say three kids in addition to her own, not more. At $10 per kid an hour 9-3 plus 9-12 on Friday, she makes $42,000 before taxes. Not that much more than going to work…

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:31 pm

amother Cyclamen wrote:

Every time a baby is born, taking off a year… it’ll take a lot longer if op is planning to and able to have multiple kids over the next 5-10 years

It’s not so difficult to earn $1k/month while keeping your baby home. If OP is working 9-3 and bringing home $1,500/month, in my opinion it’s way better not to send out your infant and explore ways to make $1k/month at home. She is not a high earner, and that was a factor in my response.

Also, I specified that it all depends on what her husbands career trajectory is, etc. I was just helping her explore her option, I wasn’t writing out a list of things she MUST do.

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:33 pm

amother Cyclamen wrote:

She can accept let’s say three kids in addition to her own, not more. At $10 per kid an hour 9-3 plus 9-12 on Friday, she makes $42,000 before taxes. Not that much more than going to work…

1. She is keeping her baby home with her
2. She is making even more money than her current job

What’s the issue?

↑ mha3484

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:36 pm

Many of my friends who work as babysitters and play group morahs get very burned out. There are no subs so you can never get a day off. Not all parents are pleasant to deal with and your income is basically stagnant forever. It works for some people but its not the ideal profession for many others.

One of my friends is a fantastic 3 year old morah. She had a home group for a few years and said she could easily go 3-4 days without leaving the house and seeing another person. Its lonely. She ended up working in a school instead.

amother

↑ Cyclamen

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:37 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

1. She is keeping her baby home with her
2. She is making even more money than her current job

What’s the issue?

After taxes (she’ll have to pay all taxes on her own, as she’s not an employee) she won’t be making much more if at all

amother

↑ Freesia

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 1:42 pm

amother Outerspace wrote:

1. She is keeping her baby home with her
2. She is making even more money than her current job

What’s the issue?

The issue is not everyone is cut out for this type of job. Have a room in their apartment, etc.
None of us has a slightest idea what is OP’s skill set. Does she have any work experience? If money mentioned before or after taxes? But we are making decisions for her.

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 2:12 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

?
Who’s making any decisions for her? She came on here conflicted about leaving her baby/going back to work and asked for input. So I raised a few different points for her to think about, which will maybe make her decision easier.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 2:14 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

I wouldn’t like to do babysitting even thought it makes more. I’d get seriously depressed. Plus I don’t have room
Coming home with 1500 after taxes, a little more if I get to work on time lol
I have skills in other areas like makeup and graphics that I’d like to expand further. It’s a little hard while working and taking care of a baby but it’s much more enjoyable for me than office work where I am now

And I agree with the poster who said she’s a better mom when she c have to be tight
I am too. I wasn’t working for a few months when I was pregnant and I was very stressed out that we had to count every penny

amother

↑ Outerspace ↓

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 2:14 pm

amother Cyclamen wrote:

After taxes (she’ll have to pay all taxes on her own, as she’s not an employee) she won’t be making much more if at all

She’s not making much at all right now either! Im not sure what your point is. and side note, the self employment tax she’ll have to pay will likely be offset by the expenses she will be able to claim.

amother

↑ Outerspace

Fri, Jul 19 2024, 2:17 pm

amother OP wrote:

If you have skills in graphics you should not have a hard time making $1k working 2 hours a day while your baby naps/sleeps. For a lot of mothers that would be a no brainer, they’re making just slightly less and they don’t have to send out their baby! For other mothers, they’d rather prioritize their social life/emotional health.

That’s why these decision are so specific to different people.