The grand plan for Catzpaws ... can it be done?

honeybear_2

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

honeybear, when you find the cleaning motivation please can you send me the road map?

Oh you don't want to ask that! I spend several hours the other weekend chasing jo1972 round this board with a hoover! :rotfl:

Catzpaws

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

honeybear, when you find the cleaning motivation please can you send me the road map?
i'm starting to worry about things where i am, and we're in the same situation that we're talking about when we start trying for a baby, i do wonder if it's the best time, but will there ever be a best time?

Hi Lemon Tree :wave:

Oooh, that is an exciting development! Have you been considering this for long?

I feel totally ready to TTC, but will be waiting until after hols next month. Don't want to chance having an ectopic abroad as that wouldn't even bear thinking about...

Do you enjoy your job?

CP x

Catzpaws

honeybear wrote: »

Oh you don't want to ask that! I spend several hours the other weekend chasing jo1972 round this board with a hoover! :rotfl:

Ha! Honeybear, you have an emoticon for every possible occasion. Love 'em!

jo1972

Catzpaws wrote: »

Ha! Honeybear, you have an emoticon for every possible occasion. Love 'em!

Don't encourage her !!!!!! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

honeybear_2

jo1972 wrote: »

Don't encourage her !!!!!! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

How mean! :rotfl:

Catzpaws

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Lemon_Tree

i don't mind my job, it has it's ups and downs, but the people are good (for the most part). i get a decent wage and it's flexi time which is a new thing to me, usually it's lots of overtime with nothing back, at least this way i get most of it back each month.
we've been talking about babies and originally said we'd start trying about christmas time, but will have to wait a little bit longer as we've just spent the maternity savings on a car. OH has to sell his old transport to get some of it back but it's all hands to the savings now. It will probably take ages if it does ever happen cos nothing in that arena has ever been plain sailing for me.

Emma285

Just been skimming through your diary after you've posted on mine - i love being able to hear where people started and how they're getting on etc. I think clearing as much debt as poss before having a baby is a fantastic goal to work towards.

Whilst i always wanted to start a family, i got pregnant by accident / unexpectedly despite usually being very careful (sorry if tmi) and have done the whole baby thing so far relatively inexpensively. Now with n.2 imminent, hopefully it'll be even better as we already have most things we need. I'm self employed so only get maternity allowance at a whopping £123 a week (this time) so it was a struggle to manage but do-able. If we'd have waited til we were financially secure then i'd be far too old.

I know it's a fine line for anyone deciding when they can afford to start a family, but wanted to say that if you're good moneysavers then there are ways to get through without sacrificing anything important.

I don't know how SMP works - is it 90% of your pay for x n. of weeks then a lower rate for remainder? Either way i was lucky that i went back to work after 3 months, albeit part-time as my hours can be ridiculously flexible. I worked the odd evening or weekend initially which meant that i was a SAHM with an income. We'd never have survived on £110 pw or whatever it was then.

Good luck to all you ladies thinking about families - it's the best thing i've ever done and i wish you all well on your debt free journeys!

Catzpaws

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

i don't mind my job, it has it's ups and downs, but the people are good (for the most part). i get a decent wage and it's flexi time which is a new thing to me, usually it's lots of overtime with nothing back, at least this way i get most of it back each month.
we've been talking about babies and originally said we'd start trying about christmas time, but will have to wait a little bit longer as we've just spent the maternity savings on a car. OH has to sell his old transport to get some of it back but it's all hands to the savings now. It will probably take ages if it does ever happen cos nothing in that arena has ever been plain sailing for me.

That's good that you don't mind it your job, and money's decent - latter is a big plus point! :cool:

We blew our maternity savings on.... paying OH's credit card. Oh, I was a bit annoyed at the time, but I'm really pleased with have done it now.

Hope your OH sells his old transport (car?) soon!

Hope you don't mind me asking but how much are you hoping to save?

CP x

Catzpaws

Emma285 wrote: »

Just been skimming through your diary after you've posted on mine - i love being able to hear where people started and how they're getting on etc. I think clearing as much debt as poss before having a baby is a fantastic goal to work towards.

Whilst i always wanted to start a family, i got pregnant by accident / unexpectedly despite usually being very careful (sorry if tmi) and have done the whole baby thing so far relatively inexpensively. Now with n.2 imminent, hopefully it'll be even better as we already have most things we need. I'm self employed so only get maternity allowance at a whopping £123 a week (this time) so it was a struggle to manage but do-able. If we'd have waited til we were financially secure then i'd be far too old.

I know it's a fine line for anyone deciding when they can afford to start a family, but wanted to say that if you're good moneysavers then there are ways to get through without sacrificing anything important.

I don't know how SMP works - is it 90% of your pay for x n. of weeks then a lower rate for remainder? Either way i was lucky that i went back to work after 3 months, albeit part-time as my hours can be ridiculously flexible. I worked the odd evening or weekend initially which meant that i was a SAHM with an income. We'd never have survived on £110 pw or whatever it was then.

Good luck to all you ladies thinking about families - it's the best thing i've ever done and i wish you all well on your debt free journeys!

Hi Emma

Thanks for popping by! Yeah, SMP is not very much:

"If you get SMP, your employer will pay you 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings for the first six weeks, then up to £123.06 for the remaining 33 weeks. You pay tax and National Insurance in the same way as on your regular wages."

Aw, you have been very fortunate that you have been able to earn income whilst being a SAHM. My plan is to stay off for up to a year, then do something else after then. Prob not returning back to work full-time, but working either part-time or setting up a business (planning the latter now). Grand plans, I know!!!!

Well, one really great thing about the whole LBM and the path to debt-freeness is that, for me, I'm adjusting to a much lower level of spending. And, TBH, I don't really feel like I'm missing out really.

I can't wait to have a family. Never had an ounce of broodiness, but that's changed sooo much!

CP xxxxx