Supporting a pregnant partner

Gordon_Hose

alleycat` wrote: »

Ok here is a thought:-

Does your partner currently have a payg phone or a contract based phone?

If she is on contract what is that current contract and how much more would you be looking at with an iphone contract?

Would you be picking up that old contract (if she has a contract phone) financially if she was on SMP?

I'm trying to work out if this is a totally new outgoing or if it offset inside something else.

Contract phone, £35 per month. The iPhone would be the same. Her contract just ran out, hence she is looking for a new phone.

Currently she works full time so she pays her phone bill, but once on maternity leave she suggested I could pay it. I said I wasn't sure about that, then felt a bit guilty and came here to gather opinions.

SmlSave

Hi Gordon

IMO the phone is a luxury but I think you both need to sit down and work out what you can afford.

My DH is getting himself a £300 phone soon which I'm against but he has worked the overtime to get it.

We're TTC atm and I hope I never say to my DH "well I'm giving up this, that and the other to have your child so I want......" in the end it will be our child and we'll have to share. I know your partner isn't doing this but that you just need to work out what you're both happy with.

only my two cents worth ignore me if u wish

Good luck with TTCing


Ohhh, just read your above post, was assuming that the phone was more than she is paying now (like my DH :[) sorry.

Main thing is - can you afford it? Me and DH can just survive on his wage alone so if/when we conceive my mat pay will go towards the baby stuff and we'll just stop the luxury items we indulge in

GEEGEE8

So it's no different? iPhone is generally free on a contract..

Also, I don't think she would use the gym. Wii Fit would be easier and better when she has a baby to tend to.

GEEGEE8

A lot of people I know absolutely adore their iPhone, to me, it's more than a phone, it's like a small computer lol.

I want one too!!!!! lol.

Pee

I like your comment that you want her to have nice things. You will be working from home. Does this mean you are self employed? In that case I can see the concern of taking out the contract. If you do the SOA, hopefully there will be enough left over that at least she can choose between the gym and the iphone.

I think you can get a contract for less then £35 a month and there is no upfront charge for the phone then, the cost of a couple of hundred, about £400, is if you get a PAYG iphone.

Tigsteroonie

Why does she want an iPhone? If it's for browsing, apps & checking email when at work, it may be worth pointing out that once she's had the baby, she'll be at home much more and can use a netbook for all that, the iPhone will get much less use.

Sounds like it could be a financial strain OP. You have to decide what is more important to spend any surplus money on. We had a baby last year, and we are both using phones that are at least 4 years old, I downgraded from contract to PAYG - all our spare money goes on our son.

Gordon_Hose

GEEGEE8 wrote: »

So it's no different? iPhone is generally free on a contract..

Also, I don't think she would use the gym. Wii Fit would be easier and better when she has a baby to tend to.

No different in monthly payment for her, no.

We have a joint gym membership, and trust me...she'll want to use it. If only for the swimming pool and sauna/steam. She would see the gym as a bit of freedom, and I certainly wouldn't take that away from her, if she suggested cancelling the gym then yeah, that's different. I won't be suggesting it though.

alleycat`

Gordon_Hose wrote: »

Contract phone, £35 per month. The iPhone would be the same. Her contract just ran out, hence she is looking for a new phone.

Currently she works full time so she pays her phone bill, but once on maternity leave she suggested I could pay it. I said I wasn't sure about that, then felt a bit guilty and came here to gather opinions.

Does slightly change my view - in as much as this shouldn't be a "new cost" in your SOA.

It is still a luxury but not something "new" cost wise.

I suppose really it comes down to do you both consider your money joint or not?
If you do then does it matter who pays for what if you are going to have a family and a life together.

Also just FYI:-

In essence she is risking her credit on you paying her finance in the circumstances described.

If you fail to pay she is the one left with the blackmarks..

Gordon_Hose

Pee wrote: »

I like your comment that you want her to have nice things. You will be working from home. Does this mean you are self employed? In that case I can see the concern of taking out the contract. If you do the SOA, hopefully there will be enough left over that at least she can choose between the gym and the iphone.

I think you can get a contract for less then £35 a month and there is no upfront charge for the phone then, the cost of a couple of hundred, about £400, is if you get a PAYG iphone.

I'm not self-employed, I work for a large Telecoms company (not a mobile phone one, unfortunately ) and go into the office once a week, sometimes once a fortnight.

SmlSave

We have a joint gym membership, and trust me...she'll want to use it. If only for the swimming pool and sauna/steam. She would see the gym as a bit of freedom, and I certainly wouldn't take that away from her, if she suggested cancelling the gym then yeah, that's different. I won't be suggesting it though.

I'd use the gym too just for swimming and steam room