I was offered the job....

kittycarr

...but it's a $12/hr pay.  Benefits aren't that great.  I tried talking them up to opt out of benefits but they won't budge.  I want the job.  I really do.  I think it can work out for us financially given Patrick's promotion, and I can take something better if it comes along later on.

I do not want to be on unemployment, but if I take the job and financially it's not working out, then do I eff up the unemployment benefits I could be getting right now if I don't take the job?  And what about other jobs I would turn down for the same reason - being kicked out of unemployment benefits for the reason of not being able to "afford the job" at the low pay versus the daycare expense.

Now I'm more stressed than before.

mamarazzi

Congrats on being offered the job.  That was quick!  (You must have flashed some fabulous cleavage, eh?) 

I'm in the exact same boat.

I interviewed for a job.  The pay sucked -- it was significantly lower than what I was making.  It was wayyyyyy the eff across town and the schedule would have required more daycare costs.  Basically, I would have been bringing mere dollars home.

It's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't type situation and it sucks.

Could you maybe ask if in lieu of the health benefits, they put the money in a tax-free dependent care account?

kittycarr

I could find out but I highly doubt it given the conversation about the additional pay to forgo benefits.

I could swing it if I had no daycare expense.  And I say that about daycare because one - i'm losing daycare if i take unemployment because obviously the kids would be with me.  Two - i'm losing daycare if I go with a free and reliable neighbor, but then that means my bff could be a bigger backup to me than she already is.  That could compromise her sanity.

JOEBunny

Daytime sitters here are at $12 to $15 and hour, and daycare is about $11 an hour for 2 kids, so after taxes, I would owe money making $12 an hour.   I would not take it unless it had a lot of potential to increase quickly or be promoted, which is rare in PT work.

kittycarr

I don't know what my breakdown is, I just know that at almost $15/hr at my old job, which was 80% of my salary, one paycheck went to her.  I got her to come down to x amount from what i was giving her until we adjust to this and until patrick's increase for his promotion kicks in ~ I want to take the job.  We talked it over last evening and we think we can make it work.  And there is nothing to say that I can't take something better or more money that comes along later.  My heart is wanting the job, my head was afraid of the finances, but once we put it down, it's doable.  It will be hard, but it's doable. 

FWIW - I do have a cheaper than average daycare.  I used to pay $200/wk per kid, and that was getting off cheap.  This lady is MUCH more reasonable.  We'll have been there two years come June.