A Frugal Maternity Leave

OrangeFairy

Woohoo to being under £20k!

Seems you are very in control!

Fingers crossed the car doesn't cost much. I hope the DIY goes well - we need to start some garden DIY to make our tortoise outdoor enclosure.

OF x

crunch_time

Well 1 step forward two steps back!!!

This time to do with the shed/office that has been a planned spend since we moved. Husband is supposed to be a home worker but since we have had no space for him to do so he hot desks in the office. The plan was to buy a summer house and convert it into an insulated office space for him funded with my half pay and summer pay when I go back to work. It needs to be set up by September at the latest so our child care plans can be fulfilled. We got a quote for £1500 for the basic shell but bespoke to the space in the garden and extra height due to his height. We were then going to insulate it and plaster board it ourselves for a rough cost of £500 including adding electrics. We were going to order it at the end of July to come for the end of August beg of sept giving us time to do the insulation before it gets cold.

Husband announced last night that the offices where he hot desks are being refurbished so they are moving into another one close by but there is no room for him as he is classed as a home worker so he needs to have the office up and running by the time he gets turfed out at the end of July!!!!!!

The deposit is going to have to go on my credit card and he is going to have to order it today to get enough lead time and there may not be enough time to insulate it ourselves saving about £300 as he will have nowhere to work whilst we do this!!

So hello over £20k again and at least another £500 on my credit card!!

At least it's a long term plan and the amount he will save on petrol to and from work will be amazing!! He can also now apply for home worker jobs in his field and there is one with his competitor paying at least £10k more than he is on with a company car rather than a car allowance. So it is definitely a good expense.

Just breaks my heart to go backwards to go forwards. Roll on 19th July when I can finally start making serious dents again!!!

crunch_time

Ive just update the spreadsheet with the shed deposit (£900!!!!) and now my signature. Back above £20k to £20,902.


:mad::mad::mad:


But its for a good cause. I must remember that. And it is for a planned expense, it just needed to be paid for sooner.


In other news I have my one and only keeping in touch today at work tomorrow before my official return next Monday. There has been a lot of change at work and ill be returning to different things which I'm very excited about and it makes it easier to go back. As a result I'm feeling ready for a new diary as well, fresh start and all that. And technically I wont be on maternity leave anymore so this one wont make sense.


Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Ive started a new diary:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/68635311#Comment_68635311


Will just upload the last of the tips over the next few days then will move onto this one.


loyal followers and friends, wont you join me!??


Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Right - Its the eve of my return to work!! I'm actually feeling ok about it. Husband has the next 3 days off so it makes it easier for me as I can just up and go without having to kiddos with me. Bag is packed as is lunch and outfit planned. Thinking of it as everyday I work is approx. £80 towards debt and I'm determined to shift this debt so needs must!!


Last few 'tips' or 'things I have learned about money from being on maternity leave.' The previous 'tips' can be found a few pages back.


- classes - Husband and I couldn't justify the money on NCT or any other childbirth classes. Its each to their own of cause but we chose to get books out of the library and trust fate. We also didn't do waterbabies. I swam for my county and didn't learn until I was 5 so that was my justification there. Now toddler is 3 and has lots of water confidence we are thinking of swimming classes for him.
- baby and toddler groups - with toddler I went to the post natal group at my doctors surgery and all the free groups at my local sure start centre. I made lots of local friends and am still friends with them now. There are lots of free things about you just need to find them.
- General money management - As soon as I was on mat leave I paid all my salary into an instant access savings account and then withdrew a minimum amount I needed to get by on each month. This helped when I had the 3 months at the end which were unpaid!!
- Products and equipment - basically don't buy it if you don't need it and if you do see if you can get it secondhand first.


That's it folks!!
Onto my new diary now for fresh starts and finally paying off this damn debt!!


Crunchy xx

t2rry

I am liking the motivation for work Crunchy!


Thanks for the tips too! Hopefully we shall be abiding by the majority, especially the 'don't buy stuff you don't need'! Considering options for new or second hand pram at the moment. I know which one I want, but my moneysaving brain is in conflict with my OCD doesn't want other people to have touched it brain!!!


A non-alcoholic Cheers to the end of this diary....and another to the next