HELP!!!

elona

Squidgy

You mentioned that you really liked your job so could you go part time or even jobshare if there is someone else at work in the same position.

Squidgy

Hello,

I don't think there is a financially right or wrong time to have children, if you wait for a right time there may never be one.

The only cost we have to think about really is nursery, as we have everything from our first child.

Don't really think a part time/job share would work as I don't think my reduced wages would cover the nursery fees, even if my daughter was going less.

I think the main problem is that we have just moved and now have a higher mortgage. We don't have much else to pay for but the mortgage and childcare combined is about £1200.

jellyhead

there's a thread about childcare vouchers somewhere, it was me that started it but i can't remember the details lol! i think it's from this april, the vouchers will also get tax relief so if you and your hubby both buy vouchers you'll save quite a bit on childcare as you won't be paying NI or tax on them. not all employers do it but it's worth asking. you could get them now.

also, i don't know what the school system is like where you are here the kids start school when they are 4 so your nursery fees won't be double forever. here it's one intake a year for everyone who was 4 years old by about the first of september. so your daughter could be going to school not long after your second child starts nursery. if schools in your area do more than one intake a year your daughter could start school earlier (january 2007?) than she will if they only do one intake (september 2007). my sisters boy started school actually on his 5th birthday this year as they stagger the intake over a couple of weeks. actually if you get pregnant now i think your 2nd child will also start school around it's 5th birthday, very expensive lol! my unborn baby will start school only a few weeks after it's 4th birthday, aren't i evil!! (i'm only kidding by the way, nobody shout at me, i'm not seriously suggesting getting pregnant in octover/november as a method of saving money on nursery fees).

when you're applying for your nursery fees help from the tax credits people remember to include the full cost in the holidays as the 2.5 hours per day 5 days a week of nursery for 3 year olds will only cover term time, around 36 weeks of the year and you'll be paying full costs in the holidays. my sis works out an average weekly figure over the year. we don't get this kind of thing so i'm no expert, other people will be able to help though :-)

Spendless

Bargain Bunny - i've bumped the thread you started on childcare vouchers

i'll not shout at you for your july baby - my consultant wanted me to have an elective c-section on april 1st(day after she was due) and i remember crying to my husband - and she'll never get playgroup paid for!! (the cut-off date is day b4) - i wasn't quite rational at 9 months pregnant lol.

as it turns out due to me having a show in the early hours of the day b4 she was born March 31st.

;D

To the OP - sorry forgot your user name :-[ - i think you are quite right -you could wait forever waiting for the right financial time.

Do you get help with your first ones nursery fees? If so have you asked on benefits board about any help you'd get for second?

Good luck

Squidgy

I haven't asked on any other boards I must admit.

We already get 70% or so of baby's nursery fees paid, so I don't think they will give us any more for her (they keep getting it wrong as it is - we've just had notification from the tax credit people to say we have no qualifying childcare costs, despite the fact that we've been claiming them since July!).

I really must start looking into schools (but she's only 2, it seems to early!)

Spendless

Hi Squidgy -

just gone back and re- read your previous posts.
you should get the non-means tested nursery paid for (2.5 hours a day) from Jan 2006 (due to your daughters dec b'day) or you would round here - might be worth checking in
your area.

I think you'll get help with 2nd also if you're getting help with the 1st nursery fees.

jellyhead

i assume that you'll get help with around 70% of the fees for the second child too. it's great that you have a job you love, not too many people do. i'll happily give mine up until my child goes to school lol!

spendless, you must have missed out on mothers day choccies by just a few days, how gutting lol! my sis had her first child right after mothers day, it was especially early that year and subsequently has been after her son's birthday rather than before. she was quite put out about it and mentioned it several times when she was giving birth lol! i'm not too impressed with the bad timing of this one, i can't imagine sending a child of only 4 years and a few weeks to school, my son is also a july baby but at least he was born before they break up for the summer hols. hubby was born in august and says his birthday parties were always rubbish lol! timing doesn't always come into it though, we tried for just 6 weeks less than a year for this one, if i'd conceived straight away we'd have had a september baby, oldest in the class lol! most people i know tried for 6-12 months.

good luck and try not to worry too much about the money, nobody can ever afford to have a baby lol!

Spendless

She was born the day after mothers day
::)- i didn't miss out on a Mothers Day pressie cos i already had a child - but i did miss out on a load of freebies given to babies born on Mothers Day.

::)

My friend had her daughter on Mothers Day a few years ago and got chocolates,flowers,toiletries and a soft toy for her being a Mothers Day baby.

My sister also had her twins the day after Mothers Day (different year to mine) - and missed the freebies and a card and pressie as she didn't have any other children.

My daughter also cost me 8 weeks maternity pay cos she was due 6 days b4 the rules changed - and she cost me another £11 by being born on Monday cos Child Benefit is paid from the Monday after they're born - so i missed a week.

Just as well she will get playgroup paid for - i'll make an MSE'r of her yet .lol

;D ;D ;D