Redundant at 18 weeks- how to fill my time without spending cash- ideas please!

[Aimeelou28]

Hi everyone

I've just been made redundant at 18 weeks pregnant, sent home and told not to come back in! Am in the process of sorting out my payout (including possibly signing a compromise agreement they have offered me) but this post is not about all that legal stuff... It's more about seeking suggestions for how to fill my time!

One thing I am planning to do is apply for temporary/Christmas jobs to hopefully get a bit of money coming in and save me having to start maternity allowance from jobcentre really early on.. but if I don't find anything, or it takes a while, how should I amuse myself? Going out doing lunch and shopping sprees is not an option as my partner only earns 18k and a few thousand of that goes on his commute to work even! So money is going to be incredibly tight and I need to find cheap and free ways to fill my time until the baby is born.

So far I've thought of cleaning the flat top-to-toe, and enjoying a few lie-ins!! Any other ideas? x

Get into a TV series :)

Dust off your (or acquire) local library card and read all those books you don't normally have time for.

Lovefilm DVD rental is cost-effective if you watch a lot - 9.99 per month for 2 discs at a time. Catch up on films, tv shows,etc

Walk everywhere

Local swimming pools usually charge v low fees for unemployed

Some yoga places do 'community classes' at reduced rates in daytime

Teach yourself to knit/ sow/ crochet/ cook a new type of cuisine

Do you have a garden? If so, get tending that (although getting to wrong time of year)

Digitize your CD collection and ditch discs to make space for baby stuff.

Volunteering perhaps, if you feel well enough? You could ask your local NCT if they need any help with sales or playgroups etc, could be a very useful way to get to know local mums for the future.

Find out if your council runs any free or low cost courses

If any friends are not working, have them round for a cuppa (rather than meeting in a cafe)

Definitely agree with the library idea.

I find you can watch a lot of stuff for free on the internet via computer, like movies/TV series (sites like tv links/tv duck etc) and no need to pay rental fees.

You could maybe get a walking partner/another pregnant lady/friend in your area to go walking in the local park with? good for you/bubs and free.

Are you planning to breastfeed? never too early to see what breastfeeding/antenatal things are free in your area/hospital and that way maybe you'll get to meet some people sooner and just invite/go round to theirs for coffee, which is cheaper.

Also, you could just buy one of those "multiuse" portbale mugs they sell in coffee shops and bring your own with you to a coffee shop. If you are meeting your friends and they are getting a drink anyway, noone will know what's in yours...and its basically the company that matters

Not sure if this is your first? otherwise you could read up on babies on the internet, so no need to spend money on books...

Get crafty :) that's what I'm planning on doing. Make stuff out of things lying around the house and you never know, someone might want to take it off your hands on ebay x

Volunteer!!!!

Learn to sew or knit - lots of free tutorials on the internet to show you how, and you can get cheap wool in pound shops or charity shops, or repurpose old linens for sewing :)

Cook meals to put in your freezer, like Shepard's Pie :)

Make things for the baby. I'll be unemployed in the last couple of months so I'm planning to make cot sheets out of some old bed sheets, knit a blanket, knit some hats etc.

Get books out of the library on breastfeeding so you're well prepared.

Get involved with your local community centre or community association (and if there isnt one, start one) to see about parent and child groups (again, if there are none, oragnise them!)

And don't forget to enjoy yourself!

You could use the internet at home or at the local library to research things to do in your local area with a baby, or local resources like breastfeeding support groups. Then you could put together a mini-folder of information sheets (places, events, phone numbers etc.), so you have them available once the baby arrives. It's the kind of thing that is handy to have but you probably won't have time to do once you have a baby to look after.

Are you crafty at all?
Are there any bits & pieces you could make at home and sell on ebay/etsy etc?
Not so much to make money (which I assume would be a bonus!) but more to fill your time so you don't get bored/spend money?

If you wanted to volunteer: www.open.ac.uk/disability/audio-recording-centre-volunteer.php

Morning
Thanks so much for all the great ideas, lots to look into and think about! I've always been absolutely terrible at crafts which is a shame as I would love to be good at something like that!
I once asked my nanna to teach me to knit and she gave up on me pretty quickly haha!
But aybe now is my chance to have a bit more time to try and get to grips with a crafty project... like the idea of doing lots of walking and cooking as well. And will make sure to look into what volunteering I could do nearby! xxx