How can i afford another baby

Would you get full pay in maternity leave or just the minimum? I’m with my first baby and I get the minimum so our monthly income is around 3k. We’re using some of our savings as otherwise we wouldn’t have enough. Our rent is 1400. So it’ll depend on how much your income will be. If you can use everything from your current baby with your next one I doubt the expenses would be too much higher.

We just had to wait until our first was 3 so starting school the following year so we only had one in nursery

So we're down south and have just had second child. We have a 2y8m child. We get the 15 free hours for toddler and will get 30 free hours for both by the time second gets there. We have reused everything for baby 2. Clothes, toys. Baby 1 is girl, baby 2 is boy. Ive had to accept boy will be playing with a lot of pink things. I used FB groups/vinted for cheap clothes for baby 2. We have had to cut things out, and we don't really save so it looks like owning will be out of the question for us.

Ive seen a lot of people saying now they are waiting for 1 child to be out of nursery and at school before having their second child so only paying for 1 set of fees. Due to our age I couldn't wait for that.

I’d move somewhere cheaper ☺️ Our mortgage is only £800 a month x

We're fairly similar but have had our second already, she's now 7 weeks. We're down south with similar income and mortgage. Our first is at nursery I've reduced her hours for maternity leave, but I'm thinking come September the increase to 30 hours should really help. Also similar to Emma with reusing and FB marketplace. We're not having to buy much this time as got it all already. We have some savings I'll need to use at some point as my maternity pay isn't good

We live down South and have similar income and mortgage. We just took the plunge and had a second! Ours are 18 months apart and to be honest its not been too bad from a finance perspective. I think because we reused everything so didnt have all the big expenses like pram, nursery furniture, etc. I also learnt to be a lot more frugal on mat leave the first time. I went to a lot of children's centre playgroups and parks so a lot of free days out. The 30 hours of free childcare will also be amazing come September. I think if you want it you just make it work 🙂 x

Similar boat really. Our salaries are better, but we don’t qualify for the government subsidies because my partner makes too much. Our mortgage is almost 4000 and nursery is 2200 add car payments etc and we have 60 left over a month when LO starts nursery and bills are payed. How do people afford several kids?

Their jobs/salaries are likely tied down south (I am presuming in London) which would make it much harder to up sticks 🙃

It's really difficult, particularly with high housing & childcare costs ☹️

Are there any flexible working policies at your jobs you could make use of? I know a lot of colleagues do 5 days in 4, meaning they can drop down to just 3 or 4 days at nursery but maintain full pay.

Or it may be worth doing an cost-benefit analysis of doing 9 days in 10 or going down to a 4 day work week. I am planning to go back to work 4 days a week only - even though I have to take a 20% salary hit, I will save on childcare (and I get more time with my child).

Are you also using tax free childcare? You can save 20% on your childcare bill this way, if youre not already doing so.

We earn more but waited until our eldest was able to get 30 hours free (3 years old at the time) and saved in advance for the crossover of two kids at nursery. Thankfully for us it was only 5 months of paying two sets of fees but if you go for a smaller age gap it'll obviously be longer.

We are very similar. Just had no.2 and no.1 is 3 years 4months so while I’m on maternity leave we’ve cut his nursery down 2days a week rather than 3 full and 2 half days. So just using the funded hours. He will go to school next September so when I’m back at work we will only have 1 in nursery. Only way we could afford it.

We are down south too. Xx

Just do it, you’ll always find a way! Live in London mortgage is £1500 a month, both work with slightly higher income. 15 months apart my girls are and we have reused absolutely everything which has saved loads! X

@Bella thanks bella. Some good ideas there. I did ask about doing 5days in 4 days but they dont seem to like the idea of it. I am currently on 4 days until my accrued leave runs out.
Yes, using the tax free childcare.

@Cheryl may i ask, when your oldest will be on half term or summer holidays, what would be the arrangement?
We don't have family nearby so can't have him stay with anyone. I did initially think that it would be better once he's 3, but it seems like school nursery may not be an option for us as we need him at nursery all year.

I have less experience with this, but have heard you now have a legal right to request flexible working arrangements (think that law only came into effect a few months ago). May be worth putting a formal request in. Good luck!

I work in a school so work term time only. I don’t have family nearby either so couldn’t manage any other way. But lots of holiday clubs are super affordable. X