Money-saving blogger Miss Thrifty reveals her top five tips for living more for less – with a baby on the way.
Money-saving blogger Miss Thrifty reveals her top five tips for living more for less – with a baby on the way.
Guest blogger Miss Thrifty is a label maven with a beady eye for bargains and a popular blog dedicated to money saving ideas. Six months pregnant, she also has plenty of bargain-hunting advice for other mums-to-be.
1. Vitamins
Pregnancy vitamins are likely to be at the top of your shopping list when you are you are trying to conceive, or when you find out you are pregnant. Doctors recommend them because they contain folic acid and other nutrients, which reduce the risk of certain birth defects. However the big name brands can be expensive: up to £15 and more for a month’s supply. Supermarket pharmacies offer store-branded prenatal vitamins at a fraction of the price. I take Tesco-branded pregnancy vitamins along with Tesco Omega 3 Pure Fish Oil capsules, and save around £10 per month.
2. Antenatal classes
As for antenatal classes, there is only one question: to NCT or not to NCT? The National Childbirth Trust runs popular courses for mums-to-be around the country, but the price may put a serious dent in your baby savings fund. For example, my local branch charges £165 for a 16-hour course. If you can’t stretch to that, two solutions are at hand. The first is to apply for the NCT’s concessionary rate: if you receive income support, or if your household income is less than £26,190, you may qualify for a steep discount. See www.nct.org.uk for further information.
The second solution? I’ve opted for Lazy Daisy active birthing classes, which are springing up around the UK at a rate of knots. These weekly classes combine weekly movement, relaxation and breathing exercises in preparation for childbirth. They are friendly, fun and, in my opinion, provide excellent value for money: where I live, a nine-hour course of classes costs £54. See www.thelazydaisychain.co.uk.
3. Helpful hand-me-downs
I’ve found some of the best bargains on Freecycle and at local car boot sales. I have also been overwhelmed by the donations of baby items from family members, friends – and even the mum over the road who, unprompted, brought over three bin liners of toddlers’ outfits the other week. So if you can, hold off those shopping trips for baby clothes for as long as possible. If your experiences are anything like mine, you will be surprised and delighted by the kindness and generosity of others.
4. Do it yourself
Since revealing that I was expecting on my blog, Miss Thrifty readers have been similarly generous with their time, advice and money-saving tips. My favourites include: using large pillowcases as pram sheets, looking online for free knitting patterns and cutting up your own muslin squares instead of buying them readymade.
5. A helping hand
Finally, don’t forget to find out what benefits you may be entitled to as a parent. I’m not just talking about family tax credits and working tax credits. Low income households may also claim a one-off, Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500 towards baby costs. See www.direct.gov.uk.
If, like me, you are going to be a working mum, find out if your employer offers a childcare voucher scheme. The vouchers can save you hundreds of pounds a year: you pay for them out of your pre-tax salary, and they are exempt from tax and national insurance. Importantly, you don’t have to wait until your baby is born before you begin “purchasing” childcare vouchers. Check with your employer or HR department for further information and advice.
Got any more money-saving tips for mums-to-be? Share them with Miss. Thrifty and our readers in the comments box below...
Miss Thrifty blogs at www.miss-thrifty.co.uk.
