If you were given £2000 in this situation, how would you use it?

[bouncerounce]

I am midway through my maternity leave and a lovely relative has really generously offered £2000 to support us during this time. My pay will drop off soon.

I’m not sure whether to use it to top up statutory pay and have an extra £500 each month on average, or scrimp on statutory pay (maybe add £100 to it each month from the 2k) and take a couple of additional very frugal months off - this would be unpaid leave from work and would mean returning around baby’s first birthday rather than 10 months.

What would you do? Returning PT 3 days a week anyway, but using AL to phase return 2 days a week for a few months, so I am being eased back in. It’s whether I take the extra time entirely off but it be tighter or be able to do a few more days out and have treats over the SMP months.

I have to decide soon as will need to let work know what to do with my leave

Another vote for more time.

Time

the gift of time with little one

Extra time. I had to go back too early with my first and with the following two I budgeted and made sure I could take as long as financially possible. Those memories are priceless…. I can’t remember what we ate for tea or if we ever had a takeaway but I know I was happy…

💞 There is no better gift than time with those we love.

What a lovely mind relative.

take the extra time off but only you can decide if you can afford it. You must have budgeted so don’t need extra per month?

Due to moving up and down country a lot . I only had 3 months mat leave with my 3 . Couldn't survive on stat mat pay back in the 90s .Mortgage to pay etc. Would give anything to go back and have a year off on mat leave. Its a gift of extra time take it 😊

Definitely plan to take the extra time. You might need it for one reason or another and if you don’t “need” it then the prospect of an extra couple of months off with your baby will be so lovely!

Definitely the extra time! Those days are so precious and you don’t need stuff like takeaways or baby groups to while them away - they go so fast.

I would put 500 into savings and keep the rest in bank account to use as a buffer. Xx

It is a very personal choice, but considering you'll be going back part time anyways, I would not take extra mat leave.
I found mat leave a lot more enjoyable at 6 months than at 10-12 months. When I started back at work part time just before my little one turned 1, I was glad to have a break from full time parenting for 3 days a week, as I found it very full on by then and most of the other mums I used to socialize with had gone back to work, so a lot less fun.

Based on my experience, I would use the extra cash to make the most of it now, as an investment in quality time, rather than going for extra time with the stress of making ends meet.
But as I said, you'll have to see what works best for you personally!

Me personally, would open a child ISA if you’ve not already and out the money in that got your child’s future along with any other monies they may get for Christmas and birthdays. In the long run you will be helping your child massively. They will appreciate it when they are older.

After DC1 was born I tried going back to work for a short while after but then DP and I realise that I was paying basically for childcare so we decided that I would stay at home which I did for 3 and a half years. I feel so lucky to have had that time with my child but when DC2 came along, I went back to work after only nearly 4 months and didn't bond with my baby. That was FT hours though and also the decline into pnd.

Our babies aren't babies for long.
Take the time, enjoy the money.
You never know what's around the corner.

I would have more time off. But I knew we ware only having one child and I wouldn't have this time again.