How to afford a child? Worrying...

[Ibelongbythesea]

Hi lovely people on Mumsnet.
So me and my partner are casually TTC but I am so worried about if we can afford a child. The actual maternity leave won't be an issue it's the childcare that worries me. Neither of us are on enough money to afford us being on one salary and whichever way I work things out i.e one of us working part time, one full time but whichever way I work it out we are going to have no money at the end of the month. We already live a simple life with little in the way of luxuries so we can't cut back on any more. We also don't have any family that can help with childcare either. It just worries me having no money for the child's sake as well as our own.
Is anyone else in a similar situation or have been? How do you cope?

@Otterses

We're coming to the end of this and about to qualify for 30 free hours, but it's been a long two year slog.

Tax free childcare will take £2000 a year off your childcare bill, it knocks ours down to about £1250 a month making it slightly more affordable.

For a while I worked a Saturday every week as well, so we had a day where I was earning and DH was there for childcare. I also signed up to do night shifts at a couple of local shelters which gave me a bit extra to work with. I did start doing the £10 a day threads as I ended maternity leave as well, which has generally helped me earn £300+ a month. All of which has reduced our money worries ... but it's been exhausting.

Would one of you doing Monday-Thursday and the other doing Tuesday-Friday work? Any scope for you being able to use your maternity leave to boost your earning potential?

I didn't know about tax free childcare. Thank you, that may give us £100 extra a month. At the moment I'm thinking one of us could work 4 days, the other full time so we'd need childcare for 4 days a week. As it stands I'd only afford the 9 months then would have to go back to work. I'd be willing to work on a Saturday if required to boost earnings

@DoIneed1

How can you casually try and conceive?

Not trying (as in tracking ovulation etc) but not stopping it. We actively tried a few years ago and it was exhausting trying to get the timings right and it never resulted in a pregnancy so this time we are relaxing

Again, why don’t you stop and save a bit of money first?

Could you potentially take less than 9 months mat leave?
5 months was normal when I had my dd.
Also worth considering moving to a cheaper area or one with more family support and/or changing jobs. It truly is a massive life changing time in your life!

With my eldest I only got 6 weeks post birth mat leave, the next it was 16 weeks and then the next 26 weeks!!

Weigh up carefully whether or not you can afford the 9 months off, I would rather return part time earlier on fewer days then have a year off then be back full time.

Start saving now and get used to living on the disposable amount you will have in he future. Not all work places do tax free childcare so check carefully to see if both your employees do.