September 2019 #7

[easterbuns1]

I get nervous when it's so close to post 999..:

Thanks dusty we had a chat about everything last night and I'm feeling alot better today. It wouldn't be worth DH reducing his working hours as he earns alot more than I do, but we've discussed a few options childcare wise and it doesn't seem to bad. Think the lack of sleep the last few weeks just made me overthink and spiral a bit.

Heartburn here too, I pretty much take a Rennie before bed every night just incase!

@twittlebee did they know you were pregnant before you were made redundant? I would also fight it out of principle but I know it's not an easy option. The charity I mentioned earlier have a free advice line staffed by lawyers so you could get in touch? Pregnant Then Screwed. The woman who runs it was made redundant in pregnancy and she's absolutely amazing.

They didn't know for sure, I was going to tell them that afternoon after my scan! But they'd seen my morning sickness plus I had a miscarriage whilst there so they knew we were trying. I honestly don't think I'd get anywhere as I was technically still on probation, they extended it after I took 2 days off sick with the miscarriage...

Well how dare you need 2 days off for a miscarriage twittle. I had a ruptured ectopic - was in hospital for 5 days afterwards. 3 days in my boss rang me asking when I'd be back... I was signed off for 6 weeks but back in work on the Monday... I asked to do half days for a while as I had lost so much blood and had had a general anaesthetic so I was pretty lethargic... I was back full time within that week, it was easier.

There must be some decent employers out there?

I thought they were gonna be a decent employer as they really made a big song and dance about it but clearly it's all superficial.

Where I am now seems really good tbh though. Like if I get in at 7am they actually tell me to go home and not stay late when it gets to 3pm! Always check if I'm okay with travelling somewhere too

Gosh @kyles101 and @TwittleBee I'm really shocked reading your experiences. I'm freelance now and currently feeling quite grateful for that.

However, I have only just told them I'm pregnant - am supposed to be delivering a project in Europe at the end of August which I obviously won't be travelling for so let's see what happens. They asked me to email with my planned finish dates so I'm hoping they're not going to get rid of me next week.

I'm having a real panic about money at the moment, @boodles101 I think you were too. My husband is also freelance and has had a bit of a dry spell in terms of contracts. I am feeling extremely overwhelmed with how fast time seems to be going and how we just don't seem to be able to save anything at the moment. I have only 4 months of pay cheques left before mat leave and am just very 😬😬 about everything!

I was feeling extremely grateful for how well I have been sleeping recently but have obviously jinxed it and was awake at 4am this morning. Feel dreadful today and my husband is working late tonight and then all weekend (to try and gain some aforementioned much needed savings!) so feeling like it might be quite an exhausting weekend sole parenting my DD.

Oh happy it will absolutely all work out in the end. It always used to annoy me when people said that to us - dh had a couple of reeeally rough times with his business over the years, but generally it does. He was annoyed to see me so upset yesterday and has asked if I'd rather not go back post baby... I think I do want to continue working, but not if there's an atmosphere so I'm definitely going to give it a go and see what happens. You will get maternity allowance still won't you?

Yes happydays I worked out nursery costs for my DS plus the twins when I return from mat leave and it was so extortionate, it's made me panic about gjving up work. Really don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary so might look at a cheaper nursery or my mum offered to take the twins for a day which would save me £400pm!

Tmi 23 weeks today and officially can't see past my bump to shave in the shower!

boodles how long til your ds will qualify for funded hours? 15 or 30 the term after he is 3? This may help

decaf Next April he will get the 30 hours. I asked his nursery for a rough estimate of what I can expect to be paying and they still want £22 per day which is alot more than k was expecting! Either she made a typo, or they charge ridiculous fees. Or I just have the wrong understand of what the funded hours mean! If anyone could share what they pay per day after using funded hours?

Nurseries offer the hours differently. Some will let you do it as long day which saves most money. Others will say you can only have free 9-12 and 1-4, they then charge for any hours before / after / inbetween, also some charge on top of that for food, nappies etc. Have you enquired about sibling discount? Some do offer it and tbh as you will have 3dc i would have thought they would be keen to keep you!

They told me I can use 7.3 funded hours a day, plus each twin would get a 15% sibling discount too. I was just expecting to pay less than £22 p/d for DS! I'll get more info though, as could be a typo. Or could be that she is splitting that across 52 weeks a year when I know you can only use funded for about 39 ish weeks?

Could you get it down between you and dp to only using 7 or 8 hours a day? So one of you start a bit late and one finish a bit early?

We have one nursery who charge loads with funding, the other say "2 full days a week all year free, or 3 and you pay the difference". Essentially they get about £4.14 an hour from the Gov X 30 x 38 and take that from the annual cost. Spread the remaining out over a monthly fee. Ask them to talk you through it, it's still a hefty whack for a parent on mat leave.

Our nursery simply take the total funding they get off our annual bill and then divide by 12. Otherwise, we'd pay more in the months that have holidays. I much prefer this way to getting different invoices each month.

With 15 free hours (Scotland) our monthly cost for 3 full days went from £525 to £323. They are hopefully expanding it to 30 hours in August and changing how it is offered so we will only have to pay for meals.

Thanks for the info ladies. Yes stroan I'm wondering if they have done it that way and spread it across 12 months, which I would prefer too.
No way of cutting the hours down as his nursery either do half session or full session. I could pick up early but would still be paying for full day.
I have a few options so I'm not as panicky as I was a few days ago. I can always move him to a cheaper nursery.

@boodles101 I'm.sure.youve included it.in your calculations but tax-free childcare should help when you have 3 because it's per child and per parent. We're switching from childcare vouchers as soon as baby 2 goes to nursery.

You're absolutely right @kyles101 and I say that too. Things do always work out in the end.

I will have to pay £15pd for DD from January when she is 3. Can you apply tax free childcare to that figure too??

@boodles101 - hope you can figure out the best option for you ASAP. I've had to put this baby's name down at nursery already for June 2020 and I think that's what has started this whole panic. And knowing what we know about returning to work and ahem, supportive employers / opportunities for working Mums!

I did originally forget about the tax free childcare, so it does look better with that taken off!

@happydays00 yes, you can. Tax free childcare is completely separate from funded hours (they are for education rather than childcare).

Although worth looking into, it's often a better saving to use vouchers for just one child if you are already in a scheme

Unless I am being completely stupid I didn't think they issued vouchers anymore? I thought the tax free childcare had replaced this? Like I said , I could have got this completely wrong!

@happydays00
Yes it has, the cut off date to join the voucher scheme (in England anyway) was a while ago. We will qualify for the maximum £2k tax free. Should reduce our bill a bit. Depends what hours I can negotiate at work though. I want to do 32hrs over 4 days instead of 37 over 5. Then at school age do 32 over 5 days. But we’ll see!

@happydays00 if you are already in a scheme, you can keep using it and claiming vouchers. You just can't join one or stop and rejoin.

Sorry @Stroan I didn't read your post properly. I didn't join the vouchers scheme before the cut off so I missed that deadline 🤦🏼‍♀️

@happydays00 the difference is small really, the tax free childcare scheme is still a massive saving and better when you have two.