How much did you save for maternity leave ?

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I know everything is relative etc
Just wondering

Many thanks

We looked at our average outgoings, worked out what maternity pay would be, calculated the difference between the two and saved that amount. It meant that we didn’t have to adjust our spending during maternity leave.

Nice one. What an unnecessary response. Hope it made you feel better about your life.

I didn’t. My job pays my full salary throughout maternity leave. I still had to fill out an SMP form so I suppose my employer claims that back. This was nearly 19 years ago, though.

I didn’t really save, we can get by on DHs salary so my mat pay was enough on top of that for extras and we had a cheaper holiday.

I had a generous enough mat package but we still saved about 8k I think, it was 12 years ago now so I can’t remember the exact figure

I got 8 weeks full pay and 12 weeks half pay. We adjusted to live off half pay at that point as I was going back 3 days a week and we’d have to pay for nursery. Once I was on SMP only we took the difference between that and my half pay out of savings every months for a few months

I dont have a high earning OH but we can just about get by ish on his sal

The - maternity allowance - will be helpful though

I have 800 gbp interest due on an acc later this year that will go towards any mat leave

And will save maybe 5k - 7k before any potential addition arrives

We have miscarriage history so its been a long journey..
We have stuff to still get but equally we have a fair bit
( we have - dummies / bottles / toys / nappy bag / baby bath / baby books / some clothes , etc etc)

Partners work give us 350 gbp when a new arrival and we are both in unions who give us money for a new arrival

Started saving about a year before we started ttc to cover enough that I could have a year off (employer only gave statutory amount of 90% for first 6 weeks then SMP).

Wasn't precious about having everything new apart from cot mattress and car seat. Gumtree/car boot sales etc were brilliant. Babies don't cost loads in material stuff, it's the drop in salary/nursery fees that gets you.

This is like asking someone how much do they want to earn. It’s so completely personal to you and your circumstances no one’s answers can be remotely useful to you. You need to look at what you’re living on now, decide how long you want off, and then look at what you’d have to live on if you got pregnant tomorrow. Then see if there’s a gap. Some people don’t need to save at all, others need (or want) a big buffer.

Thank you

4 - 6 months depending on some factors.

( we are currently doing ivf )

Wont be pregnant tomorrow

Currently doing IVF

Ivf = à chance etc . Not a garentee.

And its a marathon journey - not a sprint.

I appreciate everyones different

I just appreciate mn as a sounding board

£7k specifically, so I could top up SMP by £1k each month after enhanced mat pay ended

Thank you
We are very lucky that my partners work pay 15k for ivf

I just mean hypothetically, when thinking about finances you need to assume you’ll be pregnant, assume it’ll be quick, and work out it that way as it’s the sort of financial worst case, then the longer it takes the more you save (assuming you need/want to save).

I really hope it works out for you.

When I went on maternity leave I expected to get £123 a week. My full time wages were £157 a week. I managed to save a couple of hundred but ended up working again with baby a few weeks old as there was no way to swing the budget.

£8k is impressive.

I didn’t save anything like that amount.

First time around I got 3 months full pay then onto statutory, but I also got a return to work bonus of just under 3 months pay. So effectively it was 6 months fully paid, although it did involve a bit of juggling as it was quite a while before I got the return to work bonus.

I think I had 9 or 10 months off and used holidays to take it up to 11.

Second time around, I had moved jobs and it was 6 months full pay, which was great.

I think both times I managed to save quite a bit during the period of full pay, because my expenditure went down quite a bit (I have very high commuting costs, for example). So I kind of saved as I went along.

i think it all comes down to how much your essential bills are.

I won’t give you numbers because the “baby” is 11 and inflation has happened, but with savings snd maternity allowance I had 85% of my usual monthly income. I hardly spent anything so it was very comfortable.

Nothing lol I got paid in full for a year so no high earning husband though 🤣

Came on here to say exactly that. Meant we still had holidays and little luxuries. We need buckle down and made better choices with spending money surfing that time though