Less than 12 weeks pregnant club! Part 4!!

japmis

If you don't mind me asking, what's your maternity leave savings goal? I've had my head in the sand a bit and just figured we could survive on 1 salary whilst I was on maternity leave (planning on taking 12 months). I guess I should save some extra on top?

PS if it isn't obvious, this is my first baby!

*niptuckfan*

thanks folks!

Rambosum – great news about the tax rebate

I have set up a isa to cover my salary increase I was lucky to secure quite a big one for me at the start of the year, between that and other savings I should have enough to cover my maternity leave

Japmis – I have worked out what my personal spends are – road tax, car insurance and phone and half of the household direct debits – I have added that up for the year, take away what I will get in statutory maternity and child beneft and that’s what I need for bills – of course will be saving towards extras and my oh will of course be contributing

devildolly5

Welcome niptuckfan!

You guys are getting me worried, haven't even thought about the money side yet!

LittleMoog

Afternoon all hope everyone is ok.

Still feeling pretty queasy today, settles slightly when I eat but comes back fast I didn't get much nausea with my DD, until I started dramatic morning sickness at about 8 weeks. I never felt sick then though, until right before I threw up, so the constant icky feeling is new. Didn't have either with the mmc though. I think my reflux is starting up again too, so will add it to the list for when I see the GP on Monday. Gave up on ever managing to get an appointment this week!

japmis - it will depend on your individual circumstances really - will you get any enhanced maternity pay, or just statutory? Even if you get enhanced, your salary is likely to drop across the time off, with the last 3 months completely unpaid, so you may want to look at your income for the whole year and divide by 12 to see if it's enough to cover bills and spending or if you need to save some extra before the baby comes. Some bills may go up while you're on leave (heating and laundry increases) and I spent more as I was meeting up with NCT friends during the week, going to classes etc, and still doing social stuff with DH at the weekends. Petrol costs were lower for me though, with no commuting. You will also need to buy some baby equipment obviously! (but nowhere near as much as the shops/magazines would have you believe!)

Cinny91

Hey Everyone! Mind if I join in? Got a shock BFP of the 26th and I'm roughly 7+4 today. Have my booking in appointment on the 22nd but the wait is torture!

I'm 24 and my OH is 27. We did actively TTC for over a year from mid-2012 but switched to NTNP as we were finding it all quite stressful/heart breaking every month. Only tested this time as I was 2 weeks late and have a history of AF magically appearing almost immediately after I've taken a test

Was going to ask the same about maternity savings! OH is the main bread winner and we're lucky enough that we'd get by without my wages being at their fullest but obviously want a little nest egg. Will work it out the way you suggested, Niptuckfan

Rambosmum

Japmis, for me, it's much like niptuckfan says. At the moment OH and I contribute equally to all household expenditure. OH is getting a new job in September (career change) which will likely mean a drop in salary and though he will obviously contribute to the cost of the baby and try and help me out he may not be as able to as he would like and so I've worked out my monthly expenses- phone, car stuff- tax, insurance, maintenance, petrol, union fees, gym membership, 'spends' for lunch/clothes etc and my half of the bills and worked out what I will get paid on mat leave - unfortunately I have missed out on enhanced mat pay by 11 days!!! and so I'll be on the statutory of 6 weeks of 90% pay and then 33 weeks at £138 per week plus child benefit. It leaves me short at least £400 on what I need to live on, and about £550 short of what I currently live on per month. Some of my bills will go down, such as petrol for work and I've recently changed phone contract to a cheaper one and I'll be cancelling my gym membership but household bills will go up - I can wrap up in a duvet on the sofa to keep heating costs down but not with a baby! So I'm saving the difference between what I'll get per month and what I'll need. We also have a 'rainy day/ washer breaks down' fund and some savings for buying baby items too. I haven't bought anything yet and I won't for a while but I have costed up some things to see how much we'll need and were also expecting that parents will offer to buy some things, they are usually very generous, obviously if they don't offer I won't be asking them!

Rambosmum

And we are also debt free, except for a 0% credit card we bought the new mattress on, which we have the money put aside for anyway.

minimuffin12

My works mat pay is quite generous, I get 18weeks full pay then 33weeks stat after that. This time round we have the added cost of ds nursery fees but I still want him to go and will have to drop a day once my pay drops. I have an isa which is building up nicely. Last time I found I didnt really socialise ie groups etc until ds was 12weeks and I wasnt spending too much.

welcome cinny and niptuck!

Rambosmum

Welcome Cinny!

Bean83

Hello all, I'd like to join in please! :beer:
Got my BFP yesterday on our second cycle of TTC, think I'm still a bit in shock! Took an FRER then confirmed with a Clearblue digital just to be sure! I think I'm probably about 4+2, with an EDD of 14th March. So glad to have found this thread where I can talk to others in the same boat - it's very difficult having exciting news but not being able to share it yet (apart from with OH of course!). 12 weeks seems a very long way away, although I'll probably tell our parents closer to 8 weeks as I don't think I'll be able to keep it quiet any longer than that!

Edit: just realised the beer smiley is not the most appropriate for this thread - it's non-alcoholic, honest :rotfl: