Due in June 7 - the one with all the boys!!!

[katzguk]

yeah new fresh and clean thread!

Oooooh Katz, you can do my research for me

Sorry - boring question coming up

Do you have to put these CTF vouchers into an actual fund account, or will a savings type account do? DS missed out as he was born in June 02 not Sept, but as we'll get a voucher for the new one we thought we might feel obliged to set up a similar account for ds so he's not 'left out'. However he already has a very healthy savings account and in my experience fund accounts don't actually get you much more (if more at all) than a normal safe saving's account...?

i found when PG with DD that the numbers and not just the cup got bigger, this is because the baby squishes your internal organs upwards pushing your rib cage out so with DD i got up to a 38G!

most of the big banks are offering 'normal' savings type accounts but th advantage is the interest rates are slightly better because the money can't be touched until the child turns 18 unlike most normal accounts. Thats what we are going for.

You're right Katz, your chest size does increase as well as cup size.

Tea, I don't know at the moment, I haven't inestigated it much at all. There are lots of chouces and someone probably knows the website, let me see if I do... Ok hope this link works it's just the government website

Thanks Katz

LOL KVG!! 3rd boobie - I was drinking a cup of tea (obviously!!) when I read that line...now I have a soggy keyboard and an office who think I'm mad (no change there some might say!)

Lippy...negative bra size...you're not that small!! I just have a good line of padded wonderbras!

just wait the boob fairy will visit, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but soon and for the rest of your pregnancy/breastfeeding!!

Lippy - thanks for the link - very helpful

WE are going for stakeholder accounts because the return on equity over a long period tends to be better than savings (I stress LONG period). The trouble is the government can change the rules on these accounts any time they like, and I don't trust any government official -- especially not Gordon Brown. So, I don't know that we'll add much to this account. I also really don't like the idea that the child owns this money at 18, and you as the parent have no rights to restricting what it is used for (i.e. education). I had an educational trust fund set up to pay for my university. It had strings attached. I could not use it for transpportation, which of course meant I could not opt for a porsche in place of an education... which I might have done when I was 18! So, we'll take the voucher, stick it into the account and probably let it be until they collect at 18.

my only concern with the stakeholder ones is the 1.5% admin charge per annum, that seems like a lot to me!

I saw that too Katz, 1.5% is a fair bit if you intend to let the money grow.

on a thousand pounds that £15 a year thats a lot too me! especially as in there buff one of the companies was only guessing at an average interest rate of aorund 8% for a stakeholder for the lifetime of the money

Govt meddlings is one of my major concerns re CTF accounts, look at the changes to pensions over the last few years...hence the question about regular savings accounts. Lippy the link you provided says that although the stakeholder a/c's have a max fixed fee of 1.5%, the other 2 types have no max limits so you can bet your bottom dollar charges will be included somewhere like hidden in the % rates...no bank will loose out an opportunity to charge somewhere along the line I'm sure! Oh what to do...too much for my poor little brain at the moment...will just go and have another cuppa and a biscuit to re-charge it!

I think I will try not to worry too much about it, especially since it isn't going to be our main means of saving for our children, just an added bonus.

God! MN is soooo distracting!!! AM mena to tbe doing the accounts

tell me about it ...and if I'm not on here I'm on ebay!!!

i have just sorted out the final bits for sweetheart i just need to put a stamp on the envelope and post it. The card from oxfam detailing the widwife we've sponsored and a cheque for £35 for some pampering. Just thought i should let you all know!

i picked up a bargin in a charoty shop yesterday i plan on flogging on ebay for a profit, its a vintage tupperware Shape-O a kinda one of these \link{http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=19181&item=5956656512&rd=1\shapeo) i paid 50p and one sold earlier for £6!!

Katzguk, have you heard or spoken to Sweetheart at all?

And thanks again for sorting everything out by the way.

no not since scraggy and i chatted to her on msn, but she said she'd come back when she was ready maybe to the TCC boards

Hi All,

As ever, you've all been chatting too much for me to keep up....

Mrs Wed, you're still going to the gym?? Ohmygod. I have been precisely twice (v. expensive visits, I may add) since pgy. My ligaments hurt when I walk, let alone excercise. I'm eating for england and most of western europe at the moment, so I'll still be huge after the baby is born. However, I do know myself and i'm planning to excercise it off after the birth - I'm hoping my usual strong will (read stubborness and vanity here) will come into its own.

I have no problem with Posh's weight loss programme. After all, (BITCH ALERT! BITCH ALERT!) I like to think I have something more going for myself than a walking D&G clothesrail. And as far as I know, my DH doesn't scr*w the paid help. ha ha ha.

Katz, I'll make you feel better by telling you i'm up to a 34F at the moment. All these small breasted girls, its just not normal. Can I recommend the best place EVER to get bras for "larger" ladies is Bravissimo. All my larger friends and I swear by it.

Katz my sister had one of those for my eldest niece!! In fact she had an attic full of these types of old toys...long gone now tho - she'll be gutted at the money she could have made!

johan i have discovered bravissimo too but you must check out brastop.com they do sell off old bra stock. big ones too