Money, planning and grants!

[Applecider]

Hey ladies having a little think about the money situation, trying to plan my wages plus SMP. I get 18 weeks 90% pay then 21 at SMP rate. My work have said that they will spread it out so I get a medium wages throughout 39 weeks. I have really high bills including my car on HP. I'm lucky my boyfriend is goin to give me £300 a month! It still doesn't leave me with much!

What are you ladies doing?? Also I live in Wales and I'm not on any benefits - does anyone kno what grants, top ups or tax credits etc I should look into?

On another note every food shop I am going to do I'm goin to pick up baby daily things like nappies, wipes, formula when on offer. Are u doing this and what are u buying?

Having no money is not great but having a baby is so worth it xx

 

[Sleepy sue]

Hi Hun I can't really help with the benefit info, although apparently there is a calculator on the gov website.
I've been buying the basics, this includes:
wipes (21 packs)
size 1 nappies (240)
size 2 (150)
Sudocreme (2 pots)
cotton wool ( 7 bags)
Nappy bags (4 packs)
Shampoo
Baby bath
Top to toe
Baby talc

I just put a few items in when um shopping, I'm planning on going back to work after 6 months so want to have enough toiletries till then.
Xxx

 

[RachelJ]

Not sure re benefits, but like you I'm gathering essentials as I do my weekly shop.
Don't forget to check the big book that came with your first bounty pack (the one the midwife would have given you) - I'm sure there's something in there about a grant (think it was £100) that everyone qualifies for once they reach a certain point in their pregnancy. x

 

[Jaxx01]

RachelJ - they used to do the healthy start grant of £190 for every pregnant woman but they've scrapped now unfortunately if you work etc theres not normally much help either xx

 

[mummy2b73]

I got made redundant a few months ago after working for the same company for nearly 20 years.
Up to now I won't be getting anything money wise so I went to citizens advice last week and I may be entitled to maternity allowance as I have worked in the test period (very complicated) and she thought that once the baby arrives that I may be entitled to a very small amount in tax credits plus child benefit she also mentioned sure start maternity grant but that's all. Try the direcct gov benefits calculator. Ive been picking up a little every week for the baby but got alot of the big stuff to get yet and looking at some of the threads on here I think I really need more basics (baby gro's, vests etc) as I don't seem to have many compared to some on here.

 

[littlemuffin]

You are really lucky that you get 90% of your pay for that long. I get 90% for one week, then 40% for 4 weeks, then on SMP, which is nothing.

Just look out for deals, and if you have family members that have said they will help out, when these deals are on ask them to grab things. I have 50 packs of wipes, as I said to MIL and my mum could they grab some when they were 3 for the price of 1. Also look on NCT websites, so see when they have the NCT sales, as they are AMAZING!!!

 

[BevG]

thats not a bad deal. i get 90% for 11 weeks then smp. 128 something a week. i worked out i can just afford to live on it. once baby is born we get tax credits and child benefit but thats it. what ive done is check if im eligble for working tax credits and rand the tax ppl to check if i was entitled to a rebate which i might be. had to get the job center to send me a letter with some details on it from when i last signed on and stuff and then we shall see. just gonna be skint for a while lol.

 

[CarlyD]

Ooh I got a tax rebate earlier in the year for every year since like '06! Was over a grand, which surprised me cos I've gone from job to job, spending a good portion unemployed. So that was very welcomed! Just keep bugging DH now cos I'm pretty sure he'll be entitled to some but he can never be bothered to make the phonecall! Grr! Xx

 

[Applecider]

Thanks for all your replies. Tesco have some
Offers on their electric steamer! Tommie tipee ones. Which bottles are you getting?? I wanted dr browns but not sure if they fit in the steamers!! I can use my tesco vouchers too!

I am glad I get the money for 18 weeks, just trying to work out cash. Also welsh hospitals give you money once you have given birth xx

 

[hellywelly]

Also check out ebay for some bargains, I have been very impressed by the odd bits I have bought like a baby bath for £5!! Several of the mums I know have offered to come shopping with me to help me sort the 'real' essentials from the 'it's nice to haves' and I think I'll appreciate not making any expensive mistakes.

 

[BevG]

Also welsh hospitals give you money once you have given birth xx

do they? whats that called since im in wales too so id like to check into that

 

[Applecider]

Good idea helly! I pay welsh hospitals £10 a month Bev, it's cover for glasses, dentist, hospital treatment etc. When you have a baby they give you a £200 payment, it's called WHA have a look on google. Maybe you can sign up now, think you can make your first claim after 3 months?? Best giving them a ring? All depends on
If u would use it really xx

 

[winnie89]

with my maternity pay i get 8 weeks worth of 90% of my earnings with no upper limit ad then it drops to £128 a week but i'm not going back to work so i'll get my rent and council tax paid for and then mark gets working tax and i get child and child benefit. think if ur and partner are working and you earn so much between you you can claim as being a low income family! xxx

 

[BevG]

oh its like an insurance thing. i just use the nhs lol so thats that out the window. cant afford to be forking out extra money a month

 

[Applecider]

lol Bev

He earns ok money but its my wage thats the biggest! And the one we most rely on!

Maybe I will start saving in my tin again xx

 

[BevG]

same here. when im working full time and do lots of extra i can bring home twice what my OH earns but ho hum we will manage

 

[Bee7]

This is something i've also been giving a lot of thought to. Both me and my OH work full time but we're on low incomes. Individually we'd be entitled to all sorts of benefits but obviously when you live together they look at 'joint' income. At the moment we're both living with parents and have a rented property secured to move into after Xmas, so for now we're both just saving like crazy.

I get a pretty good maternity package - 6 weeks at 90% pay, a further 12 weeks at half pay plus SMP (which equals my full wage) then the rest of the time at SMP. I also plan to go back to work, but only part time so we will definitely see a drop in earnings. We will just have to be sensible and save as much as we can while we're both on full wage. Although my OH will be the only one working full time i'm still going to try and earn from home. Been thinking of setting up an online shop (doing what i don't know yet haha) or maybe trying to do some freelance writing.

In regards to benefits, i'd advise you to contact your job centre, they'd be able to tell you what you're entitled to. Also, there was a handy booklet regarding money/benefits/budgeting in my first bounty pack so that may help too. Good luck, it's all very stressful! xxx

 

[Applecider]

Thanks Bee! Im the same as you really money wise and I would love to set up a business from home but I have no idea what!!! The only problem is ive done up a few rooms in my house n have to pay t off as well. oops. It will be worth it xx