How much did you save before maternity leave?

[katelewis320]

Hello! Quite a personal question but I'm just curious to know how much others have saved before finishing work for maternity. I suppose you never think you have saved enough but just wanted to reassure myself. I am starting mat leave at the end of December and have managed to save £1500 so far to supplement my income while I'm off. This doesn't include the money I have saved separately to buy baby things and pay for the nursery decorating. I know it's not much but I keep trying to reason with myself that I still have three full pay days to go, have a lot of stuff I can still sell and I will learn to live without payday luxuries like expensive make up and meals out. Would love to hear what other people did and if you have any tips!

Not sure I understand the 14 week thing, that is how much pay my company offers today after several years employment before then it is less

Is it that most companies offer more?

Some places pay a lot more than the statutory minimum, but if they don't you can now take extra unpaid leave up to a year, can't you? Just over a decade ago, maternity leave was only 14-18 weeks then you had to go back to work, or leave. It's why nurseries used to take babies from 6 weeks old as standard. Much less common now.

Nothing, am scrounging off DP.

After mat pay and taking into account reduced travel costs we're going to be down about £2k a month. I'm expecting to only take 6 months off (main breadwinner and no enhanced mat leave) and so I'm keeping savings of about £10k (since first month is 90%).

6 months pay.

You mention you have other savings for baby stuff and nursery room. You can make huge savings here. Also bare in mind the new recommendations that baby sleeps in your room for the first 12 months now (increasing from current 6 month recommendation), so decorating a nursery is a bit pointless. Just paint a bedroom clean and suitable for a child.

When you buy baby stuff, also recommend you add everything you 'need' to a list before randomly buying. Then you can cross off anything you probably don't need really. I.e. Baby change table, can just buy a £5 changing mat at use on regular chest of drawers or the floor. Baby towels, cross off and just use any towel you already have etc.

£0. All depends on your package / partners income though doesnt it.

We were fine, a bit tight when the SMP part ran out for the last 12 weeks or whatever it is.

I wish I had saved for childcare though. Looking at putting DTs in wraparound care is gong to come in at around £1300 pm.

First time saved £5k and took a year (actually 13mths) , second time, saved 2k took 9 months ( actually 10mths) but less unpaid to deal with. Both times these amounts worked out fine.

Need help with maternity allowance anyone?

Portolady- what do you need help with?

I've saved £4,000 - this is after shelling out for the pram, cot etc so i'm pleased with this.

Stopped work when in labour (it started at night) and used annual leave for the births, went back full time at 2 - 4 weeks; not really much need to save if you do that as we could afford half the childcare costs each out of our two full time salaries.

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