I don't know if we can afford a child

[emmalouise1093]

Hi, first timer here!
I have just lost my job due to personal reasons and also just after found out I am pregnant! My partner earns £1600 a month as an electricians mate and I do t know if we will struggle. We are used to buying what we want and going on holidays which I know will change. We have rent at 450 a month and car payments for next 3years of 140 a month and then all the normal outgoings. Will we be OK money wise? And is it worth me finding another job in the mean time or getting a part time job after baby? Thankyou for any help!!!

You should be entitled to child tax credit. And of course child benefit. This would help. Maybe do no harm to ask citizens advice. Or try the turn2turn2us calculator or tax credits calculator. Will give you a rough estimate

Personally I'd try to find a temp job for the mean time. Though bear in mind I don't think you'd be entitled to any maternity pay. Would be handy to save up some extra cash before the baby arrives.

My dd is 10 months and so far hasn't cost that much. She is breastfed which is free, lots of clothes we got as gifts but you can get these cheap in Primark, eBay, charity shops etc. There isn't much 'equipment' you actually need, some people don't even use a cot as they co sleep. I think the real cost is when/if you go back to work and need to pay for childcare.

I'm sure you'll be fine in the short term but long term, 1600 isn't much for a family of 3, even with additional benefits. You will probably have to plan carefully re childcare and employment. Childcare or the lack of a 2nd salary is the biggest expense of having a child.

I guess it depends where you live too, but our income with help is only around £100 more a month, we have a higher rent but you'd be entitled to tax credits. We have a 4 year old and one on the way. We don't go on holidays abroad but we do manage. It can be a struggle but I think you'll find it's not that hard to fit child costs in when you have too.

OK thankyou, feeling abit better about things! The only thing about getting help is my partner is a self employed electrician through agencies so every week his wage is different, from £340 to about £490. At the moment he has a good job doing 13hours a day for £600 but I know there can be gaps of a few days/weeks between jobs sometimes

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

You can still claim tax credits with irregular income. :)
Start looking for a new job now and make a plan for the money that is coming in. There's a good planner on MoneySavingExpert website, and I've heard great things about You Need A Budget ( just started trial month myself)
Babies really aren't expensive ( except for lost income). You can do it v cheaply if need be.
Second hand toys and clothes (my dd wears second hand monsoon and next for less than a new primark outfit), cloth Nappies and breastfeeding will all keep costs down.
Planning ahead with car seat ( avoid second hand here), knowing what will suit your car and having the money set aside to buy it if you spot it on sale is a good move. I got mine half price.
Same as pram- I got the display model of a great pram for 70% off, though had originally just figured I'd buy off gumtree.

Thankyou! Yeah I am going to look for a job for the time being. Just being worrying abit as it feels like we are struggling abit now (but we haven't really cut back on anything) so feels like we are going to be skint when baby comes!

You may not be entitled to maternity pay however check it you are entitled to maternity allowance

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/overview

Thankyou, will have a look :)

You should be fine as rent is very low ( ours is 4 times the cost for tiny flat so we would struggle where you won't so much)

Can you get some part time work, or can partner get a pay rise?

Sensible advice above - I would echo don't get sucked into the latest must have pram. We're on a higher income than you but I thought the amount they cost was bonkers and went for a Maclaren Techno - can be used from birth until they grow out of it and it is the only buggy we will ever have. I know people who have had about 4 different buggies or prams for their two children!

good luck with everything

We have just moved to a new area too be closer too my mum who is unwell, always found it easy too get jobs and since moving I am really struggling to find any work. My partner wage changes every couples of months depending what agency he is working through, he will be finishing his electrical course hopefully by January (doing it on a night after work) so his wage should roughly be 16/18ph so that will help a bit. Totally agree about prams! Was looking online at brands friends had recommended and couldn't believe the price! Definaltey won't be going top of the range!

Some more ideas... Check whether there are any National Childbirth Trust sales round your way before the baby arrives. They're great for clothes and equipment.

Also subscribe to lists like Freecycle and Freegle - you have to get in there quickly but you can get brilliant stuff free if you're first to contact the person listing.

Charity shops can be good for equipment as well as clothes.

Also check out Gumtree and Preloved in your area.

Yes you will struggle but you can afford baby look into what maternity benefits you will be entitled to and help after having the baby you can pick up loads of baby clothes at car boot sales and on eBay or look in the local paper .Try and breast feed as it will save you money .You do not need wet wipes try cotton wool and water with a small plastic bath and an ordinary hand towel instead of hooded towel but have a look at baby events hooded towel in Aldi £2-99 .Borrow baby stuff from friends get the word out

If it's £1600 take home you'll be fine (that's about £28000 a year so no tax credits?) But if it's pre tax then yes you'll have to tighten your belt but will get tax credits

Yeah I have been looking on Gumtree at second hand stuff and doesn't seem too bad!& thanks for the tips :) yeah its 1600 after tax so get no help

Smiling ruefully. I got married and almost instantly got pregnant followed sharply by husband being made redundant. He had to takes a job as a milkman which in those days meant getting up at 3"am. For the first couple of years our budget was 50p per day for food with s further 50p per week for such things as toothpaste loo rolls and washing powder. There was no money for clothes for us and certainly the only holidays we had were when we went to stay with friends or relies. But we managed to pay our rent and bills and clothed our baby and ourselves largely through friends and family and jumble sales.
But we survived , my husband moved into IT when it was very new and discovered he had a great talent for it. I freakily got a job freelancing for the BBC and although through the years we have been broke from time to time. ...we have never been THAT broke again.

Best tip for managing being very broke. Budget every penny in and every penny out and STICK to your budget; plus SAVE a tiny amount each week. Even having tiny savings makes you feel safer than having nothing.

Looked into maternity pay and I am not entitled to anything. Got a trial shift for a local farm shop in a few days so hopefully will get some extra cash for the time being and get stocked up on everything needed :)

If you have just lost your job you need to make a tax credit claim now asking them to base it on this year's income.

Do this ASAP.

Hi your prorities will change and you adapt... you get by and its only short term really. Congratulations.

Okay & thankyou :)