Need some advice about having another baby.

[LaurenSutton111]

Hi All,
Just need some advice really.
My little boy is 15 months old. I have gone back to work 4 days a week. I pay £936 a month for child care fees I come out with £200 a month, I have said to my partner I cant wait till he goes to school so then I will have that extra money but then I want I want him to have another sibling.
I am so torn because then we will be in the same rut again no money for the next 5 years.
I am also not ready for another child yet ! No way !
I want to wait till he is independent.

Would it be at all possible to make cut backs in your budget so you don't need the 200 you are bringing in and you could be a stay at home mum? Or find a part time job presumably with unsociable hours so your dp can be in for the child care while you are out making some money. Then when the children start school you think about going full time?

Hi,
Will you be eligible for the 30 hour funding when he’s 3? We timed number two to arrive once number 1 got her free hours so we have a 3yr 3 month gap and financially it was a lot easier. It’s also a nice gap as DD1 is pretty independent but they still play together too.

I work 3 days a week so DD1 childcare is totally covered by her free 30hours funding so I just have to pay for DS. Similar to you most of my pay goes on his childcare but it is only for two years until his 30hour funding kicks in and we managed to avoid paying for two at the same time...

Good luck OP

Are you totally against a bigger age gap so that your first starts school while you’re expecting your second? That way you only have one set of childcare fees to cover. Also, it shouldn’t be just you covering that cost - your partner should as well as it’s a family expense. If £200 extra per month isn’t enough then you and your partner need to sit down together and work out where you can all make cutbacks.

We also timed ours in line with the 30 hours free, and make use of the tax free childcare scheme too.

I would consider waiting until funded hours come in as pps have suggested, because then that's 30 hours you don't need to worry about covering

Also, it shouldn’t be just you covering that cost - your partner should as well as it’s a family expense.

If op is anything like me I refer to childcare costing a week of my wages a month, but in reality the cost comes out of the joint account which wages go into and bills come out of, so it's all mixed up.

I pay all the bills on my wages then come out with 200 at the end.
So I do really need to work. Also I need to work, I don't have any family or and not very many friends where we live. I was so lonely on maternity leave.

My partner pays for the mortgage out of his at it works out more than I can pay for out of my wages etc.