Need to work….but can’t afford the childcare…

The one thing that surprised me about life in the UK, is the massive cost of childcare, specifically for younger kids and the very little ones.  Coming out of SA, we are mostly used to a nanny, or a formal childcare environment, but we seldom break the bank on paying for it.  The staggering cost of childcare if you have kids of an age that need care while you are working, is literally that.  Bank and wallet breaking.  If you read this article, you’ll quickly see how childcare can swallow up a major part of your income, if not all of it.  £1,200 per month, give or take, is a hard pill to swallow!  

Depending on which part of the UK you settle in, you may earn higher wages but childcare will also be higher.

But what if you need to work? What if you just can’t manage on one income?

Well, you have a few options, thankfully the UK is a lot more progressive with offering work to families that have children to consider.

NB – if you choose not to work, and you are here on a visa, you are not eligible for any benefits.  Please check very carefully before you even consider claiming some of the benefits offered to families with young children, even tax credits are considered benefits and you’ll risk your visa or your eligibility for ILR when the time comes.  In short, just don’t do it unless you actually have a British passport.

Who can resist the opportunity to make a huge mess and take terrible photos?

If you are not in the running for a high powered, high paying job where you can afford childcare, you need to start thinking out of the box.  But there are so many options, it actually is quite an exciting decision to make.  We all want more time with our kids, we all want to be the ones to raise them and be with them daily, we want to share those cherished moments….so, when you arrive in the UK, here are some ideas to get you working, earning money and still doing those mommy things we all see on Pinterest.

Start your own business:

Yes, you CAN do this and it’s really easy.  Things to consider are registering for self-assessment with HMRC so you can pay the correct tax, setting up a simple accounting system and of course, what business/service you will offer.  You would then need to research if you require any special insurances or certificates but your local council is super helpful with that kind of information.  Some ideas you may never have considered: dog walking, small pet boarding (yes it’s a thing! People with hamsters also want to go on holiday), direct selling, dog grooming.  The ideas will flow, and Google is a brilliant resource for ideas.  Look for websites such as NetMums to help you with ideas and inspiration…and just get out there and do it!

Freelance using skills you have:

Freelancing doesn’t have to be just copywriting and editing, you can do just about anything!  Even Google knows this! Cleaning, exam invigilating or marking, website testing (yes it’s also a thing, and you get paid well for it!), administration services, consider your work experience and look at skills you have such as bookkeeping and think about how these can be used to earn an income in your own time and on your own terms.

Part-time work:

My absolute favourite option, because I’m not the kind of person that can have people contact only by phone or email.  I need to actually see people organically to enjoy myself, so finding part-time work would be my choice.  The variety of part-time jobs out there is mindboggling, all it takes is a bit of creativity in your search!  Here are some ideas that I have actually researched:

• ·        Retail – did you know that every major retailer that offers online shopping has a team of people picking those orders?  It’s not hard work at all, requires loads of walking around picking orders, but put your earphones in and enjoy the experience, getting fit while you do it.  The drawback is the hours as most online shopping jobs will need you to work from 4am to 8am, but that should get you home in time to handle breakfast, take over from your partner (provided they don’t have a long commute and can wait for you) and then rest while snuggling with your littley.  The major positive is that it’s well paid work, online shopping jobs can pay up to £9/hr so for 20 hours per week, you’ll earn over £700 (tax free because this would be below the tax threshold)
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• ·         Language schools – you can teach English in the UK, did you realise that?  With a TEFL qualification, a world of opportunities open up to you in this sector.  Qualified English teachers are in high demand for immigrants that need to master the language, or even students from abroad that need to develop their skills.  Which brings me back to online, you can work with students in other countries, teaching them remotely and at hours that suit the family.  Pay for this kind of work depends on experience but starts at £8/hr and going as high as £10/hr, you dictate your hours and when you want to work so you can easily earn between £500 and £1000 without over-committing your time.

• ·         Field marketing – this is a field that many don’t know even exists.  The term is abroad one covering in store demonstrations, merchandising and mystery shopping. Remember running the gauntlet in Pick n Pay over month end, making sure the kids tasted everything so you didn’t have to feed them?  Demonstrating is basically that but better paid.  You will usually work weekends only, promoting one brand and pay starts at around £75/day but can go as high as £105/day, depending on the agency you work for.  That’s not too shabby, and you’ll earn around £600/month at the lower rate excluding any incentives you may earn.  If store sales don’t appeal to you, you can look for merchandising work which means covering a whole area, going into stores to set up their displays or check that all is working fine. You can earn £8/hr plus travel expenses AND you get paid for your travel time.  Depending on the work you get, you can expect to earn around £500.  Lastly, mystery shopping is a brilliant way to earn decent cash AND you get to have the kids with you while you do it (you’re supposed to be incognito so who will ever suspect a harassed mom, right?).  Mysteryshopping is what it sounds like, going to certain stores to purchase something specific and reporting back on your experience.  You are either paid per visit which can be as high as £35, or you are paid hourly with expenses and travel time, at the same rate as merchandising.  A good mystery shopper will be kept very busy and sometimes you even get to keep the item you’ve purchased!

So armed with some ideas, I suggest you hit Google hard and start shaping your plans to earn an income.  If you are smart, you may even earn a much higher income than you would in a “regular” job and you STILL get to spend quality time with your mimi-mes.  So?  What are you waiting for?