Nursery vs. Self-Employment: What It Really Costs to Go Back to Work as a Mum

I’d only ever known full-time work since leaving university, whether that was building my career or launching and running two successful businesses. But after maternity leave, full-time just wasn’t an option anymore… and to be honest I didn’t want it to be. I wanted to be present for my daughter and to soak up those little everyday moments as she grows.

I have worked hard to shape a business that gave me that flexibility and still do but let's be honest - it hasn't all been smooth sailing.

Dropping down to three working days a week meant not only a financial hit but it also came with a big shift in how I needed to run things. It pushed me to rethink how I work, what I offer, and how I manage my time and it still is doing to this day to allow me to evolve my business around my family.

Of course, I would be lieing if I said it hadn't crossed my mind that is going back to an employment a more secure. However when I even started to do the basic sums, it turned out that working even just three days a week would cost nearly £1,000 a month in childcare. If you are currently in this dilemma or debating whether self-employment is the right route for you then hopefully these figures will give you a perspective.

The cost of childcare

If I went back to an employed part-time job for just 3 days a week it would cost just under £1,000 a month to put my daughter in nursery.

A thousand pounds. To work part-time. This is £1,000 'disposable income' that you are meant to just find!

The average part-time salary where I live is around £28k a year, this works out to roughly £1,973 per month after tax and NI. In theory this doesn't look too bad on paper… until you subtract £1,000 in nursery fees.

That leaves £973 a month, or just under £250 a week.

Not exactly life-changing income when you consider that doesn’t even cover your bills let alone extras like travel, parking, lunches, or the emotional cost of the daily juggle.

The mental load is real

Parenting is already a full-time job.

Throw in paid employment and your entering a juggling act of early starts, nursery drop-offs, sick days and working for someone elses success, all whilst trying to function on 3 hours of sleep as you can guarantee the nights before you are working are the nights that you are up multiple times!

Even with government-funded hours, it’s still hard for so many families to make it all balance

Why I chose to continue in self-employment

The biggest reason why I chose to work for myself not just now but over 11 years ago is - Freedom

Self-employment certainly isn't a breeze and it definitely has it downsides. It’s stressful, there are no paid holidays, and financial stability is a dream some months. The hours can be long and it often feels like my brain never switches off.

But it gives me the freedom to work around my daughter's nap times, to take a break when my daughter needs me, to decide what my day looks like (on my terms) and to build something meaningful.

Are you debating self-employed mum life?

If you are already self-employed, or you’ve ever thought about taking the leap or maybe you are currently on Maternity Leave and already dreading returning to work. I have created a space & am building a community just for mums like us.

Come join The Mum Biz Village which is my free Facebook group where I help support mums build businesses around real life (not the other way around).

Whether you’re just getting started or knee-deep in juggling it all, you don’t have to do it alone.