Statutory maternity pay gives you something to live off each month- but still means a massive drop in wage for many mothers so it’s important to think about ways to save money while you are pregnant for when your baby arrives. After all- babies are expensive and not every mother is in a position to save up for the nine month shortfall beforehand or rely on their partner to make up for their dip in money. Here are just a few tips from someone who has done it twice to ensure that you don’t head into debt or go overdrawn.
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Switch food stores: If you have always shopped at the same store, it might be worth looking into the prices of others to compare. Do your usual shop in another supermarket and look at the difference on your receipt at the end. If there is a big discrepancy it might be worth visiting the cheaper one instead, at least while you are buying nappies, wipes, formula and all the other things that your baby will need.
Swap branded for non-branded products: If you are brand loyal on all of your purchases, try out some non-branded stuff in the lead up to having your baby to see if there is anything you would be willing to switch out. You might be pleasantly surprised at how similar tasting some of the products are, meaning you can make it a permanent swap in future.
Cut back on your entertainment packages: If you have all of the online entertainment subscription packages at your fingertips from Netflix to Now TV, Disney+ to Sky- consider which ones you watch regularly and which ones you barely use. Put a stop to the ones you rarely click on and reduce your monthly outgoings this way. Even a few pounds a month will mount up over the time you are off.
Reduce your memberships: If you have a gym membership, it might mean taking a break if you know that you aren’t going to be using it- especially if you know you are going to be recovering from major surgery. Perhaps you have a cinema pass and you know that you won’t have the time, energy or babysitters to use it once your bundle of joy comes along. If these are currently on your list of outgoings, it might be time to cancel them- at least for the next year then you can reevaluate them once your routine settles down a bit.
Cut back on the home/car maintenance: If you have a gardener or a window cleaner, or maybe you get your car cleaned every fortnight at the local car wash- you may need to say goodbye to these as well. You can do all of them yourself to save some money- it’s not forever, but just to get you through the next few months. You might find you enjoy doing these tasks yourself after all. It may give you some well needed ‘me time’.
Reduce your takeaways: If you rely on takeaways several times a week, this is an easy cut to make as you can cook fake aways at home with ingredients bought in your regular shop. You don’t have to eliminate them all- but see them as more of a treat than a reliance on the days you are too exhausted to cook.
DIY beauty treatments: If lockdown taught us anything it’s that we can do a lot of beauty treatments at home. So, if you regularly get your hair coloured, why not ask your partner or a friend to pop a box dye on your hair? Invest in some good tweezers and do your own eyebrows or get a nail kit and give yourself a manicure instead of going to see the beautician. You may not get the same standard you would by a professional but you will get better over time and can save a packet on your usual salon costs.
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