This is my first post ever. I've only been reading MMM about a month or two, so I'm still a bit green. I'd love to get input from more hard core mustacians about our current situation.
Dh and I are both 39 yrs. Until recently I have been a full-time SAHM. Our 3 children are now 7.5 yrs, 6 yrs and 4 yrs. Dh is an engineer at a pretty flexible company 4 miles from our home. He generally works 7 am - 4 pm.
Fall 2013 I decided the kids were getting a little less dependent and I'd start feeling out the job market. To my surprise, after being unemployed (by choice) for 5.5 years I easily landed a job doing contract graphic design for $50/ hr part time from home. In many ways this is a crazy, amazing dream job (the pay is great and I work mostly from home). In other ways it's a pita. The work often has short deadlines so I feel at times like I'm lurking on my email all day waiting for assignments/project approvals, then quickly have to finish it up. Sometimes I work late at night to catch up. Sometimes I think having a regular schedule would be easier. Also, being contract, I'm concerned the work will dry up at any time. I've also done some on-site work for this company, and one of the designers confided in me she is hoping to quit soon to become a SAHM (she is pregnant with her first). The company has already asked me to fill in full time while she is on maternity leave (she is due 9/2)--I'm 99% sure I'll get hired if she ends up quitting.
During one of the periods I was concerned the contract work was drying up, I applied (just for the heck of it, really) for a part-time marketing coordinator position at a non-profit organization. To my utter shock, I also landed this job.
Assuming that for a few years I want to do some work outside the home... help me think my options through. I actually start the non-profit job on Tues (Apr 1). It's 20 hours/wk. And I told the contract business I only want 20 hrs per wk. So I plan to do both--at least for a short time--and I'll make up my mind later. When I'm honest with myself I tell myself I can quit one or both at any time... this money is going purely toward paying off the mortgage early and/or toward retirement.
Here's more background on each position:
Large Awesome Company:
Currently contract at $50/ hr. A full time position is likely opening soon, and if it does I am pretty much a shoo-in. I don't know how much a full time salary there is. My off the cuff guess is $50,000. This company also offers generous stock options. Dress is casual. I can wear my regular clothes every day (jeans and a sweater this time of year). I am awesome at this job. It's in my area of expertise. I like the people and I like the work. Downside: more daycare required and there is a commute. 20 mi/30 min. During the school year the daycare doesn't really bother me (emotionally). But during the summers, the thought of me not being there is kind of sad.
Small Non-Profit:
Part time--20 hours/wk. I pick the days and hours (I picked 9-5 Tues, 9-4 Wed, 9-5 Thurs). Daycare probably not needed at all during the school year, and only 3 days/wk in the summer. Pay is $18,720. 3 weeks vacation, plus the week off between Christmas and New Years. Dress is more upscale. No jeans (I will have to buy more dress pants, as I currently only have 2 pair). I don't know if I'll like this job or not. It's some design, but also marketing and project management which is not my normal gig. They also want me to work on a PC (I've only ever worked on Macs, which is typical of graphic designers). The organization is very small, just 13 or so people in total. One interesting aspect of this non-profit is that it was started by the area's 100 most influential business people. One thing I have considered is doing this job for a couple years until our 4 year old is in full time school, and then getting something else more lucrative via a connection with one of the influential contacts.
Help me figure this out. What else would you like to know? Price of daycare? Our current financial situation? I don't really know when we'll be able to retire. Dh is still under the impression we need $2-5 million to do so. I haven't gotten him to read enough MMM to convince him otherwise.
