MSE Pregnancy Club 24

Rups32

i am going to start putting money aside (had started but now stopped) and i know when i start mine i will struggle.

Kitten_Pie

I spent all last year paying off my debts to make it easier this year. I put money into savings but that was to cover things like car tax/insurance big payouts throughout the year. It also helped that OH took over all the house costs so that there was no huge change once my money went drastically down.

Rups32

debts. yes. i stupidly took a HUGE loan out when i was doing my PhD and i am still paying it back. will take me another 4 years.

Sa-ra-ra-ra

Ugh, don't even talk to me about skintness when on maternity leave.

I get statutory maternity pay, nothing more, so as well as buying stuff for the baby (scouring special offers for anything we need, noseying in charity shops!), we're also saving like mad in order to actually have a life when I'm off.

Luckily DH's salary will cover our 'household' outgoings - we'll use savings and my maternity pay to top up for frittering money.

In other news, big maternity bras are hideous. They come up to your neck and provide no support. I didn't love at all. They're going back and I'm going to have to look elsewhere. Boo

savageHK

Sa-ra-ra-ra, where did you buy them from?

emsbet

I only get SMA due to be being made redundant, fortunately DH is paid a fairly good wage so it isn't as bad a it could be. We were also then able to use my redundancy to buy baby stuff. The downside is that as I was on JSA I was switched to SMA at 29 weeks so will only get until end march before I'll need a job so little man will only be about 6 months old.

xx

dizsiebubba

What is SMA?

I only get SMP but OH has a good job so will cover the bills although I am scared...

Sa-ra-ra-ra

Nursing bras online, or something like that. They've got a good returns policy, one was a HotMilk one and the other was an Anita one.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and actually go and try some on in the shops, which is a bit annoying but needs must...

Rups32

yes me too. at the mo my very comfy bra is drying so am wearing a new one that doesnt fit anymore and can feel it digging a bit on the rib cage area

emsbet

It's statutory maternity allowance. It's what you get if not elligable for SMP. It's £135.45 per week for the duration rather than the 6 weeks at the beginning at 90% pay.

xx