Money making ideas for maternity leave?

[Seabiscuit1]

Hi all, my first baby is due in June this year. Baby was very much unplanned so we are feeling very organised! We both have good jobs but have other unavoidable expenses (eg he is a child from a previous relationship to provide for). I only started my job on the 2nd October so missing out by days on getting stat maternity.
I am looking for some ideas to make a bit of extra cash while I am off work or on the run up to the birth of my baby. Has any one got any great ideas?
I know I will be tired but I do need to make this work and I am pretty determined when I want to be!

a friend of mine does Stella and Dot (selling jewellery) and I understand she is making a mint

is your DH/P eligible for paid parental leave?

Erm please avoid multi level marketing (mlm) including Stella and dot. It will cost you loads and you won’t make any money.
Check whether your work contract allows you to work when on May leave. You should be entitled to maternity allowance.

DP will only get 2 paid weeks as far as we can tell. He only works 5 minutes away so will be able to come home at lunch etc.
I will get mat allowance but we have a huge rent due to living in the city centre (this will change but have to wait until the end of the lease). We are on similar incomes but most household expenses come out of my wage. I don’t resent this at all as he has to look after his daughter and both of us are careful with money so not lots of other expenses.
Basically we can’t live off his wage and only £140 from me so we need some ideas!
My job is mainly commission based and have already talked to HR about doing some additional work when on Mat leave.

Why do most of the household expenses come out of your wage? That sounds like a lot of pressure on you.

Working out how you can continue to pay the bulk of the household finances while on maternity leave relies on you being willing and able to work, and the baby being a good sleeper, at the very least. And who is going to look after the baby while you work?

Babies are cheap - you need less than you think, you can get lots second-hand and your lifestyle changes. Childcare is not cheap.

Sounds like a major re-think is in order. Have you both sat down and itemised everything you spend? Then prioritise that in strict order. Categorise everything into essential and non-essential spending. Start ditching the non-essential spends now, so that there is more in the essentials pot for later.

It's hard to say how you could earn more without knowing what you do. Does your organisation do Keeping in Touch days on maternity leave? You get paid for them. Could you or your partner take on a second job just now, even for a few hours a week? There are threads on here about flexible home working jobs on the phone etc.

Good luck.

Mystery Shopping? Depending on the assignment you can get some reasonably good fees

Matched betting op. After a couple of weeks it's pretty easy to make £100 a week with an hour or two a day. I spend two hours every day on it and net between £500 and £1k a month.

Avoid all MLMs like Stella and Dot, they will tell you they earn a truckload when in reality they barely break even.

Look at having a clear out of stuff and eBay things like baby clothes that have been outgrown, branded work clothes that don't fit quite right etc.

Do you have a parking space that you can rent out? If it's allowed.

If you have a human being for a landlord, especially one who has had children, and if you politely explain the situation I am sure they will understand that you need to move out before the end of the lease. I’ve had friends do this, and they helped the landlord find a new tennent ie someone to take over the lease till the end so they did incur any penalties.

If you rent via an agency they might be less flexible tho.

The only thing I can suggest is that you get a job evenings and weekends after the baby has arrived, so you and your partner look after the baby in shifts.

I have a young baby who is fabulously behaved and a great sleeper but there is still NO WAY I could manage to work from home while also looking after my baby.

I meant so they did not incur any penalties!

Do you have a spare bedroom?
Do you have a language school for foreign people learning english nearby?
They normally need homestay hosts for students and the income is quite lucrative. As well as providing a bedroom, you also need to feed them and do their laundry.
This wouldn't count as working or affect your maternity pay, and you can earn £4+K under the 'rent a room' scheme tax free - you would need to double check the amount though as it is a while since I did this.
I wouldn't do it with a very new baby though as you will have enough on... Good luck.

You pay for everything because your DH has to pay for his other child? Um, you both need to do some sums an work out your finances.

Speak to LL about moving earlier - he might be happy to release you if you make the flat super lovely and accommodate viewings and are flexible on move out date.

You and your DH could pick up evening or weekend work NOW to save money for your ML. Yes it will be tough.

Spare room? Rent it out.

Parking space? Rent that out.

Sell anything you don't need.

Use cashback cards. Make sure you are on cheapest utility. Switch bank account for the £100.

Babysitting?

When you are on ML and have time - Matched betting. Online surveys.