Smp anyone else wondering how they will cope?

[Sarahmarie2505]

ok so I will b on smp which will be about a 500-600 drop in wages a month ! Oh dear I've only just realised !maybe I better go back earlier ??

From a different perspective.....

Firstly I completely agree that your smp should be relevant to how much you earn.

Secondly, I thought we wouldn't be able to cope, and tbh we struggled for two years because once ds1 was here we didn't want to put him in child care and we have no family to help.

When you have a child, you will obviously have the basics still to pay like mortgage, utilities, council tax etc. but I can honestly say hand on heart I would choose to struggle financially than send my baby in to child care

But that is my personal choice. Since ds1 turned 3 he's been in nurseries etc and lives it. But for me, they are babies for such a short space of time, I wanted to spend every minute with him.

Also, look in to getting a mortgage break. We did with both our ds's for 6-9 months each time(I can't remember exactly) Obviously they still add on interest, but we didn't have to pay the mortgage for nine months which was a huge relief.

My advice would be to see how you get on. Your priorities change and life changes so you may find yourself ins different position once it's time to go back to work. And worry as little as you can. You will manage

Good luck with baby

pidj you will receive, i would think, a high rate of child tax payments, though i don't know if you'd get 'maternity allowance' or SMP - depending on your circs.

as someone on £10k the last two times, it was possible to stay on top of everything for the full 9 months paid SMP period with that help from the dear old DWP.

it was, however, very boring.

Yep, it's like being a student in June - no luxuries, walk not bus/car, and shop sensibly! Fine if, like me, you live fairly central and can shop daily for a buggy-basket full at a time, walk to dr and playgroups, have a mainline train station on your doorstep etc.

Impossible if you're rural or have restricted mobility. Or are single/partner is unsupported

*unsupportIVE!

Boysboysboys, that's what I think, that I want to try and avoid childcare as much as possible.
The reality is with doing it on my own and my parents being in wales, I am going to have to go back to work pretty quickly, as like you saladcreamwitheverything, SMP doesn't cover mortgage, let alone anything else. But am saving up as much as poss now and hopefully will be able to go back 2 days a week and work from home so get someone to come and help at home while I am working so I will still be around to feed and bond with the baby.
I am not sure I have any other alternative.
I'll miss my bicycle - that gets me round everywhere easily and cheaply. But don't suppose you can put a baby in the basket!!!
I don't see that I'll be spending much, as social life will be non-existant for quite a while other than people coming over and that's just food.
Hopefully I can live pretty cheaply.

Anyone thought of becoming a domicillary care worker? You can work evenings and weekends when someone jangles likely to b around to help with childcre ? It's a rewarding job u don't need qualifications and my company are now paying formmentondo andouille
In health and social care which I can use when mine are older to do something higher up !

Sorry stupid I phone and swollen preggo fingers ! That shud say and diploma

BoysBoysBoys, I would also love to struggle rather than putting my baby in childcare, I'm sure most people would.
I just wish I had the choice to only "struggle." SMP won't even cover my mortgage, let alone bills, food, petrol and the rest. I'm going to be around £1,100 a month worse off and don't know how I'll cope. I would quite happily live without any luxuries if I could cover the essentials, but I can't.

By taking holiday and saving what I can, I reckon I'll be able to take three months off on maternity, which is far from ideal, but at this point it seems like the best I can do.
Hoping for an unexpected windfall before October...

Cheeky, I was in residential care until recently, nvq3 qualified (people with LDs rather than elderly). I hit a career barrier because you need 4 for management but none would fund that, and in the meantime I was still on minimum wage.

That situation was set to continue for at least two further years, and I'd worked for the company for a year at that point. I joined with 6 years relevant experience. It's very demoralising, and if you get a bar/cleaning job you get better money for less emotional involvement. Nowhere near as rewarding though!

I do youth work for the local council, am hoping to pick up another night at some point :)

I have to agree with MsElisaDay here. I would love to have the choice, but as the smp wont cover the essentials, i have to return to work before i would like.
Plus, we can't take a break in our rent, as you can when you have a mortgage. I don't think our landlady would appreciate it!

On the plus side, we have done very well at the last couple of car boot sales, which has paid for our lovely cloth nappies!