How much is the benefit of working from home worth?

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Forum -> Working Women -> Work at Home Mothers

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amother

Mon, Nov 03 2014, 9:59 pm

I recently left my full time professional job with benefits for a work from home job in my field where I'm paid hourly. Without even including the benefits that I had in my previous job I took a 20% cut in pay. While working from home is great, I keep on feeling like I'm being underpaid. I would have never accepted a job at this salary if it was not work from home since I factored in that I have no commuting expense and less child care costs and it seemed worth the cut in pay, but I still have this feeling like I'm being underpaid and now I'm wondering if this job change made sense. Any thoughts?

amother

Mon, Nov 03 2014, 10:06 pm

talk to your accountant. A percentage of your rent/mortgage, phone/internet, child care.... can be a business expense. It may make up the difference.

amother

Mon, Nov 03 2014, 10:36 pm

The difference is in the hidden costs. I am a CPA, worked as a prof for years and then went on my own so it's not exactly the same. Also do you work at home 9-5 or do you work preschool hours and make up the time at night/weekends like I do.

I find what I saved;
commuting. I drove 25min each way and filled up my tank once a week.
MUCH less child care because I don't need after care.
I can get a cleaning lady because I'm home and I couldn't get one when I wasn't in the house!
Less clothing expense. I find that I only dress up when I visit clients otherwise it's casual everyday wear that I stay in all day.

The biggie is that there was only so many hours I was able to be out of the house. But at home I can fill in many more hours (nights/weekends/holidays) I am making now 4 times as much as when I worked in an office.

Also during slow season I just do the work that needs to get done and take off the rest of the day, while in the office I sometimes twiddled my thumbs Nov/Dec.

anon because of personal details.

amother

Mon, Nov 03 2014, 10:59 pm

Agree with the above.
Plus if my kid is sick I can still work or there is a day off of school. I can still work (with some juggling) which means I miss a lot less work and don't have to pay for the extra childcare then.

Mon, Nov 03 2014, 11:08 pm

also keep in mind that when you work from home you generally end up getting a 1099 and paying self employment tax (vs if you'd be getting a w2)

mominey

Sat, Jan 31 2015, 7:03 pm

I think that the benefits have to include the non money factor also, being around for my kids more, and not just because it saves me money on childcare, not having to shlep out of the house, being my own boss of my own schedule (not everyone is though) and all the flexibility involved. I also don't have to worry about how good of an environment my workplace is because I can work from my own home....

the world's best mom

Sat, Jan 31 2015, 11:19 pm

Do you see your children more now that you work at home? Then you've made the best choice. That's an investment for the future. Children are your most valuable possessions after all.

FranticFrummie

Sat, Jan 31 2015, 11:25 pm

Rolling out of bed and working in your pajamas - PRICELESS!

Don't forget that the square footage of your house that you use for work is tax deductible. Ask your CPA to help you calculate it. Same with your computer and phone line.

Gas and wear and tear on your car can add up quickly, so you save on that. Making your own coffee instead of going to Starbucks, having lunch handy instead of packing it or eating out, not needing a fancy professional wardrobe, child care, SO many benefits.

When you run the numbers, I think you'll find that it just about works out to be the same as your old job, if not better.

Enjoy!

Hashem_Yaazor

Sun, Feb 01 2015, 9:45 pm

For me, it's worth a lot. Sure, it's hard when my kids have off of school, but I am able to work despite having a sick child (if they are sick, a lot of times they are sleeping a good portion of the time anyway.) I can work longer hours because I don't have any commute time. I also am more flexible with my ending time at the moment, which means I don't have to cut a phone call short just to rush home to make sure I'm there for carpool or whatever. I have 2 minute leeway. On Erev Shabbos, I can put some food in the oven before work, and take it out when it beeps. I am all set up to work from home easily, which means that even if I was able to work from home if I needed to, I didn't have a phone with me, I was working on my laptop which didn't necessarily have all my files....here I have one central station that I can work at any hour, if I have to make hours up at home. I also don't have to worry about bad weather and trying to get into work. I definitely work more hours because I am at home, so even if I'm underpaid, and get no official benefits, I come out ahead.

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