Will you look for a new job if you were me?

[Anonymous]

Single mom. One kid in elementary.

Work from home 100%.

Hours are 9 - 6. I can take 1 to 1.5 hour off between those times to pick up kid from school.

My current pay is about 15K below market. Knowing my employer, let's just say they won't negotiate.

Work has become interesting recently. Learning new things.

Low stress. No OT.

No advancement. Very small company.

Will you look for a new job if you were me? I want to make more money and I know I can make more money elsewhere. On the other hand, most of the extra income will probably go to summer camp and after school care. *sigh.

[Anonymous]

There's no harm in looking around. There could be opportunities to telework.

[Anonymous]

Hard to match that flexibility. I'd wait and bit and expand on learning new things.

[Anonymous]

Daycare will eat $15k in a micro-fucked second. That said, look past year 1. In 5 years will you be at $50k more?

[Anonymous]

Did you post recently, if not there is someone with an eerily similar situation.

[Anonymous]

Stay.put.

[Anonymous]

It wouldn't be prudent to move. Wait until your child is older, then look. It sounds like an ideal situation to me. All the positives are difficult to duplicate, and losing them wouldn't be worth the money to me, unless it were A LOT of money that would cover child care, summer camp, commuting costs, extra housekeeping, etc. Commuting is exhausting, so you'll eat out more, have less energy for home and family. There are more costs involved than you are calculating. You sound resentful that your co doesn't pay you what you are worth, but you're getting a lot that most of us don't have and would kill for.

[Anonymous]

Can you pick up a second work from home job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't be prudent to move. Wait until your child is older, then look. It sounds like an ideal situation to me. All the positives are difficult to duplicate, and losing them wouldn't be worth the money to me, unless it were A LOT of money that would cover child care, summer camp, commuting costs, extra housekeeping, etc. Commuting is exhausting, so you'll eat out more, have less energy for home and family. There are more costs involved than you are calculating. You sound resentful that your co doesn't pay you what you are worth, but you're getting a lot that most of us don't have and would kill for.

+1. I think we spend 10K for two kids in before/aftercare. You have the best of most worlds right now, kids get this childhood where you can walk them home from school, have homework done by 6 pm, you know that they are safe, you can eat a decent time, they can play basketball after school with their friends or be in that after school art class that they love and you can pick them up at 4:30. You have the evening free to relax and at the same time you have a job where you are earning a salary and engaged hopefully in something interesting. I'm thinking 15K isn't worth changing jobs when you consider taxes, aftercare, gas/ commute costs plus 7-10 hours per week commuting. As someone said from a money standpoint it probably is close to break even. What you can offer your family in a stress free evening is priceless. Our homework/ dinner/ get ready for the next day clock starts at 6-6:30pm so it has to be almost like clockwork for us to get them in their room by 8:30 pm. I love summers because there is no homework and it is blessed freedom to have the extra 45 minutes not needing to check off assignments with 20 minutes of reading plus math, spelling or writing.

[Anonymous]

I just re-read the post. I still think money- wise it will be a push and would wait until my child was older. I would still keep an eye out for jobs with a very close commute 10-15 minutes away. It would not be as good as working from home but would be the next best thing and help minimize the negatives of not working at home.

[Anonymous]

stay put

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It wouldn't be prudent to move. Wait until your child is older, then look. It sounds like an ideal situation to me. All the positives are difficult to duplicate, and losing them wouldn't be worth the money to me, unless it were A LOT of money that would cover child care, summer camp, commuting costs, extra housekeeping, etc. Commuting is exhausting, so you'll eat out more, have less energy for home and family. There are more costs involved than you are calculating. You sound resentful that your co doesn't pay you what you are worth, but you're getting a lot that most of us don't have and would kill for.

OP, I am in the same situation - telework 100% and am slightly underpaid. But whe I consider the expense and hassle of a face-time job (the clothing alone -oy!), I am inclined to stay put.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks everyone. You guys are right, the flexibility is priceless. I used to do the commute & daycare thing and it was very hard. I have worked from home for so long that I sometimes take it for granted.

I talked to my daughter about it and even she's telling me not to change job. 13:18, like you said dd is in 2 after school clubs now. If I can't pick her up at the odd late afternoon hour then she will have to quit.

Thanks everyone for talking some sense into me. I need to look at the positives instead of focusing on the bad.

[Anonymous]

If you care more about your off time (like your DD's clubs) than the work you do, then definitely stay in your present situation. It sounds perfect for you.

[Anonymous]

I am a single mom with a kid in elementary school too. I am underpaid and looking for new opportunities, but if my current company lets me work from home, I wouls stay a few more years. I would save $200/month in gas & parking, and another $5,000 in after school program and summer camp.

I feel that I don't have weekends since that's when I take care of all the chores, from the car, groceries to yard work. I have mastered making quick and tasty meals, we eat by 7pm, after that I am exhausted and can't workout, can't study for CPA...

My dream job is to work from home!