Money

[littlemuffin]

Are any of you really worried about money.

I don't know where this idea has popped in to my head, my husband has gone back to uni this month to become a teacher, so he is not getting paid, this is only for a year, as he already has a degree.

I had my meeting at work last week, and we talked about SMP, and I am getting it, and all little bits like that. I also have made major savings, for the baby, so when it comes we wont have to worry, about nappys, and wipes, food for the house and bits. But I can't shake this feeling that it all wont be enough.

I am also worried about if my work don't take me back part-time. I am going to be taking 9 months off, so they have to get a temp to cover me, and I don't want to not be able to come back, as it's an amazing company I work for.

What are all your feelings about this. I have had so many people tell me that if you waited to afford a baby, you wouldn't have them. Are they right?

 

[ISH]

I always worry about everything! I swear we decided to start ttc after a 'if you waited to afford them, you'd never have them' discussion.

Then I remembered mum telling me when i was born I didn't even have a cot, I slept in my baby bath, covered in blankets. I turned out quite alright, I daresay, and compared to that, our baby is going to be so privileged!

 

[Lilelephant]

We worry cos we have some debt from before we married but as long as u stick to ur budget then I think it will be ok.

 

[x_larlybelle_x]

I'm worrying about it as I have debt but I'm saving as much as poss and paying off my debt as much as I can whilst still getting paid a decent amount.

I'm just cutting out non essentials and hoping for the best really!

 

[Lilelephant]

Same Hun x

 

[positivity :)]

i worked out our money for a whole year the other day and made a spreadsheet for each month

its really important to me that we plan ahead and save to cover my part of the mortgage and bills while im on the unpaid part of my maternity.

xx

 

[Lilelephant]

Pos I did the same he he

 

[Maybe_mummy]

Im worried, Im self employed so wont get materity pay just MA which is not enough to pay our bills, my hubbie works in a fairly good job but even now we are tight so Im panicking already!! I know when the little one has arrived the max I will be able to afford to take off is 3 months and then hes going to take 3 months paid paternity leave. We wont get any other support or benefit so has to be done!

 

[Lulabell]

I constantly worry about this! Sometimes keeps me awake at night. Hubby says it'll be fine but still scares me.xx

 

[Mrs N]

I think it is natural to worry hun, it shows that you care about giving your buba the best. The thing is that you will cope, even if it means that you have to tighten your belt a bit!! Im worried as I wont be going back to work so we are reliant on one wage which is fine unless he looses his job or something (unlikely but still a possibility) If it happens it happens and we will just have to cross that bridge when it comes to it!!
xxx

 

[BevG]

your work has to take you back on your job or an equivalent job of same pay and skills after your mat leave hun, if they dont you can sue.

 

[Sleepy sue]

Hi little muffin are you part time at the moment? X

 

[rosiee]

i worry about this all the time!! it sounds like your quite well prepared though.
I found out I was pregnant just before graduating uni, so had no job. still have no job, no ones seems to want to employ me now Im pregnant! I dont feel right not saying Im pregnant, as i would feel bad getting a job keeping it a secret then arranging my maternity leave. I have another interview tomorrow so fingers crossed! its just a christmas temp job, but i thought that way the pregnancy shouldnt interfere because they wont have to worry about maternity leave. Ive been trying to work from home selling jewelry online too, which Ive sold some things and made a bit of mobey, but not anywhere near enough.

I dont think im entitled to much help either, i found all of that so confusing.

OH has a part time job and is trying to get full time.

so we pretty much habe nothing! i'm living with my parents too, which i feel guilty about, but they assure me its no problem. im lucky, they're really understanding. they had no money whe they had me, and had to live with my grandparents for while. they worked long hours and my dad spent his weekends doing boot sales and stuff, just tpo try and scrape together enough. they say one way or another, you cope. they definitely say if you waited until you can afford them, you never will. they have friedns who are proof too. they had 3 of us and couldnt ever afford us!! but they've got by, an we're alright

I was talking to my OH's grandparenst too, and they were talking about how when they had their first, they couldnt afford bills, and often wouldnt have gas or electricity, and any money they did have went on the baby. they remember days when they only had bread or biscuits to eat all day because things were that bad. but they are really rich now!! haha. they say too, you just get by.

I worry, but i know there are other people in the same sort of situation and everything turns out fine. im sure everything will work out for you x x x

 

[Zoeox]

I worry about everything, and money doesn't go a miss. I worry about it all the time. Currently my partner don't work but hopefully will have something soon, I will only get MA, and we're trying to find somewhere to live.
Everything revolves around money doesn't it.
I'm sure we will all get through just fine xx

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

Breast feeding, reusable nappies, clothes from freecycle or donated from friends, co-slept for the first 9 months... Having a baby doesn't have to cost much at all, it can cost thousands though or anything inbetween. Even now the majority of what jasper eats is a quarter of my dinners so he really isn't expensive. You can even get buggies and car seats for free! Just think about what you would like to splash out on and beg or borrow the rest, what baby needs is time . Not.stuff x

 

[1986princess]

Yeah bit worried too as I'm self employed and will only get ma. However until I go back to work I will need help with 2 babies so a few ppl have suggested Paul cuts hours down to get working tax credit? However I know nothing about benefit system so another appt with citizens advice may be needed! Got good family support which will help xx

 

[littlemuffin]

Thank you girls all so much.

I work full time at the moment, but I want to come back part - time. I have now thought that if they don't want me back part-time, then so what, I am not going to be away from my baby from 8am to 6pm.

It's nice to know, that there are other people with the same worries, and I have started looking at everything from a different angle, that I don't have to spend a fortune and people have already offered me baby things, I am not too proud to take. Yes we do have the savings for the baby, and I will get SMP, I don't have a real social life now, so I can't see when I am off that it will change, and I will be spending money willy nilly.

Thank you girls xx

 

[BevG]

when you come back they have to consider any reasonable request for flexible working, its part of the laws about working parents. they dont have to give you part time but they have to try and work something out with you.

 

[redbear]

I worried but we have been building up the baby thingsslowly and as cheaply as possible,
Just got a brand new cotbed for a fiver from the freeads because two bolts where missing but you can get replacments from b and q for a quid,
We got given a moses basket,
we got our steriliser from pass it on 2nd hand- like my mum said switch it on and its sterilised!
Plan for the weather when you are due and buy in the sales... i got winter clothes in the summer sales bit by bit and saved a fortune, Marketplaces sell brand new baby clothes cheap too most of the time, We got Tommie tippee bottles on sale,
i got a baby bath in a sale at morrisons for £4... i won't buy anything unless its on sale...
my mum got us the travel system... and even then i got voluchers hehe
Next im going to start buying a pack of nappies and wipes a week to stock up,
Oh and im making my own baby changing bag

Those are what im doing because i would rather save money on the things its only going to use for a couple of months and not struggle... people get silly with babies and spend £900 on a pram and things its daft my first car only cost £400 lol... sorry for the rant! xx

 

[BevG]

lol ive got a travel system for 25 quid, a cot for free, baby can get a bath in the sink like i did, i'll be buying reuseable nappies off ebay, stuff from asdas baby event, clothes from george, im making blankets, planning on breastfeeding and BLW so i can give lo part of what were eating for tea. babies dont have to cost a fortune all they need is the basic things like love, warmth, shelter and food.