Are you saving up before TTC?

[maybabydoll]

Evening ladies,

Just a quick poll as it seems saving money before TTC is a big factor for lot of us. I was thinking it's kinda sad, something as natural as wanting a baby is sometimes delayed due to money. I know is necessary and sensible to have enough put aside, but just an observation of the modern world. x x

 

[Damita]

Hey we are saving up about 9 grand to support me being off for a year, we are comfortable from Oct with OH promotion, but I want to save this much so we have enough for baby related items before and after she/he being born and me being off for a year

 

[Celesse]

I don't really fit into any category. We didn't save before the first, and wont save before this one. We definitely don't have loads of cash floating about. We knew we would be able to get most things for the baby as gifts. And we got the SS mat grant.

A month before we decided to TTC the first OH lost his job. Our expenses are low so we can survive with low income. OH has a job now, but if he had remained unemployed we would have been financially better off with a child anyway. CTC, WTC and Child benefit mean we would still have been getting a higher monthly income whilst I was on mat leave and considerably higher when I went back to work.

So basically we didn't save because I was aware of other sources to get things for my baby and financially support my family.

 

[bethsbooboo]

Hi,
We are saving for everything at the moment! we want to move into a house as we are in a small flat at the mo, but you need to save sooo much before you can move these days, for a deposit and fees etc.
I'm also trying to save a bit each month so I have some extra for when i'm on maternity leave, I haven't got a set amount that I want to save though, just see how it goes.

 

[CharmedKirsty]

I also feel I can't vote. We certainly don't have spare cash floating about but my husband works for Tesco and has shares he can sell.

 

[wtt :)]

I voted for the one in the middle. We can afford it right now but having money saved up is always good We're waiting for that and other reasons

 

[fluffosaur]

Deleted

 

[BButterflies]

Thinking you can't afford it and actually not being able to afford it are two very different things i think....I am waiting because I would like to save, but I think me and OH I could make ourselves afford it if I fell pregnant now, in the same way I would have to make myself put away savings every month iykwim? We are waiting for other reasons too though.

 

[tasha41]

WTT for other reasons. If we had one now, we'd manage, I already have one so we'd be okay with her stuff (hopefully we'd have a girl and have no clothes to buy too haha)...

But yeah I'd like to save so that we can buy baby #2 newer stuff.

 

[rowan]

We're lucky enough to be able to afford a baby fairly easily but have to wait for health related issues. x

 

[booflebump]

We could afford a baby without saving. But I'll be putting a little aside during my pregnancy for when I'm on leave, and selling my wedding dress after the day. Its a designer who has a good resale value so I'm hoping it will fund on the little luxury items! xxx

 

[silverbell]

Interesting poll.

We've WTT for ages due to having to clear a lot of debt before realistically being able to afford a LO and for me to take time out on maternity leave.

I am saving before TTC but only because I feel the extra cushion will help and if we don't use it then all the better - it'll go towards a house deposit one day. I intend to get a lot of things second-hand and cheap/free and making own baby food, using washable nappies etc. Less is more!

 

[maybabydoll]

Thanks for the responses ladies! Everyone seems to have quite varied situations.

I agree with bethsbooboo about couples needing to save so much nowadays (wedding, first home, babies). I think this is especially hard for young couples.

I'm not sure if family life is more expensive in 2010 or if people have different expectations now, say compared with when our parents/grandparents were doing it.

But I like what BButterflies wrote about "Thinking you can't afford it and actually not being able to afford it are two very different things" - I think you're right. There just seems to be a lot of pressure on young couples/families.

x x

 

[wtt :)]

Back when our grandparents had kids, they didn't really have a choice since there was no birth control or less options that were most likely less effective.
So, it was either no sex or children and they had to make it work somehow.
I'd rather be more stable financially though, have a bit of a cushion to fall back on if anything should happen, and then have kids

 

[Widget]

We technically can afford a baby right now since we both make good money. However we want to save up enough to offset the fact that maternity leave here pays only 55%.

 

[amy_2]

We are not delaying due to money, when it happens it happens. And I am hoping it will one day soon. I have no savings at all and we struggle as it is. We just live from week to week.

But we will find a way to cope and cut down on some expenses. Also if I get pregnant I will not be drinking, so that will cut down on alcohol money! As I do like at least a few drinks a week, and a couple when I go out We will buy toys etc from the salvos, you can get really good things sooo cheap there, for next to nothing!!

Plus there is the $3,000 baby bonus here in Australia. Youth allowance payment rates increase for couples with kids aswell. I will get $545 a fortnight from centrelink. And my partner works and earns over 700 a week. Easily enough money to live on.

My parents have lots of money but they won't be giving it to me if I was to get pregnant. When my dad sold his business a couple of years ago, over $500,000 of it was paid in taxes. So they have definitely paid their way in taxes! And my parents have never been on a pension in their life!

My mum has told me if I got pregnant she hopes I will have an abortion :-| But she is a bit of a snob, and values material possessions and a prestigoeous career over having kids.

 

[Mrs Doddy]

It's not just the baby you need to save for it's every day stuff when you are not working, childcare when you go back to work, clothes, holidays the list is endless so get saving asap !!

 

[Georgie90]

money is the only reason we are not TTC x

 

[Sooz]

Well, we saved for the wedding 2007-2009 and the house 2009-2010 (plus a small loan from my Grandad) so the next item is the baby! We need to pay back my Grandad first, that debt will be clear in October if all goes to plan, and we want to do up the house along the way so we plan to start TTC January next year now.

I always feel so much better with a financial cushion so we put away £500 a month between us and will continue to do that until our little one is born. The minimum I would want in the bank at that stage is £4k but we plan to have more like £6-7k. £7k seems to be our magic figure....t'was £7.5k for the wedding and £7.3k for the house!

 

[Lil Lady Bird]

I would like to save up some extra money before TTC just as a cushion, but I believe we could afford to have a baby if it did happen. Which is a very good thing to know!