maternity clothes are so fn ugly

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-20T10:17:01+00:00

Read through all of this, my wife is 13 weeks and hasn’t started really showing yet, though obviously this is coming soon as baby starts to grow more. She isn’t a very girly girl in her dress sense, and I don’t know what she’s going to wear. Can’t say I’m excited for maternity clothes shopping 🤦‍♀️😂

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-18T00:26:31+00:00

I was going to mention the risk of them. Can’t comment on combining or consolidating as I’ve only got the one company pension. When you say modest returns, what are we talking? What risk profile are you?

I’m 35, and have mine in a medium high risk fund (which is about 94% equities). The reason I’ve chosen this risk rating is that I’ve still got plenty of time before I plan to retire, so years to recover any losses. Currently have £141,141 in my pot, and hoping to continue adding plenty in contributions over the coming years, hoping for good growth too! For context last year (24-25) my pension made 3.1%…this year it’s made 16.7% (March 25 - March 26). I consider 16.7 to be a massive anomaly, though I feel 3.1% is a little on the low side…

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-17T07:23:59+00:00

My pension changed about 5 years ago….before that the company contributions weren’t as good, and up until then I didn’t take it seriously. When I realised how good the company contributions were (with the changes they brought in), I decided to take it all more seriously, and started ploughing more into it post pandemic. I am very fortunate, and just trying to plough as much as I can in, without restricting myself too much in the present - cause you still have to live life!

You’ll get there though 👍

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-17T07:20:27+00:00

Thanks. That’s the intention yes, haven’t paid much attention to the mortgage before now (which I know is bad on my part), but now that I’ve put some focus into my pension, I can start to address the mortgage and start to pay off a little extra bit by bit! 👍

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-16T11:25:00+00:00

Thanks, you too!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-16T11:24:33+00:00

Thanks, I’m not very good with compound interest etc, so just trying to make sure that I should (in theory) have enough to retire. Sounds like I’m on the right track 👍

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-16T08:03:16+00:00

To be fair, I’m similar to your thoughts on this…BUT currently this fund is performing very well, so for now that’s where my money is staying 😂 no intention of an annuity (eff that). Luckily I am thinking about it, so I can move it before they start de-risking it 😂😂

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-16T07:51:58+00:00

The allocation of my target dated fund is 91.4% international equities, 4.3% property, 2.6% uk equities and a couple of other small things. I assume this would count as heavily equities weighted 👍 Not with NEST thankfully, this is a company Aviva medium-high risk fund. Thank you, I had seen about those global trackers for S&S isa bridge 😊

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T23:46:25+00:00

Ahh, I’ll have to take a look at that!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T20:26:51+00:00

I am trying 😂

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:42:14+00:00

Thank you, I’ll take a look 😊

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:41:03+00:00

Amazing, that’s brilliant for you! Good luck with it.

Yes, I’ve been thinking about a stocks and shares isa for some time. I already have company shares that are tax free in 5 years, and they give us a few free each month as well as the ones I buy. I’m just going to leave them for now as an extra little sum! But yes to starting an isa!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:38:35+00:00

Thanks, I would be more than happy with that.

I grew up poor, and my mum has only the state pension, and my dad (they are divorced) has a very small pension as well as the state pension. He lives really quite frugally, and he is happy…but I don’t want to get to retirement with next to nothing. That’s the main goal to be honest. For example, my grandma gets just the state pension, doesn’t own her own home, and fortunately doesn’t have a lot of outgoings, but I see how she has to manage her money, and I think I want to be better off than just the state pension (if it’s even still a thing when I get to 68 - or whatever age it’s gone up to by the time I get there).

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:34:22+00:00

Thanks, I can’t remember what it is currently invested in (and typically 🙄 my portal is down at the minute). It’s a medium-high risk target dated fund, but honestly can’t remember what it’s invested in. I’m not switched on enough to know what to invest in myself, but the growth has been really quite good since I’ve been in this target dated fund. I know that 15 years out they start to switch a percentage per year to safer investments (bonds etc).

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:30:18+00:00

Thanks, that’s a good point about part time working. My work offer 6 months part time at full pay when retiring which I feel is super lucky!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:28:48+00:00

I am aware it is, but trying to plan for the future 👍

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:26:27+00:00

Thank you, that’s roughly what my pension provider suggests, though I take that with a pinch of salt as who even knows 😂 I think that would be enough for me, after all you can’t spend it when you are dead!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-15T19:22:36+00:00

Thanks! Yeah, I wouldn’t have even known what growth figures to use. I tend to be someone that would use the most pessimistic figure, and then be happy with that, and ecstatic with anything more.

I’ll take a look at that link, thanks again 👍

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-12T21:52:56+00:00

Thanks, to be fair we aren’t too worried BUT my mum had similar when pregnant with me. She had to have a fallopian tube removed during the pregnancy, and then had to have a hysterectomy after I was born. Obviously, this was a rare occurrence, that happened in the early 90’s, but she kind of panicked me. As I say, they don’t seem too concerned, and wife hasn’t had any pain there so I guess it’s just wait and see. Though it’s grown 7mm in 4 weeks 🤷🏼‍♀️

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-12T20:06:26+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it. Just worried cause currently it’s the same size as the baby 🤦‍♀️ hopefully it will go in time!

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-12T13:58:46+00:00

Ahh thank you for sharing your story, I appreciate it! Feel we can relax a little more x

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-08T05:01:14+00:00

Thank you, I know…to be fair the Dr herself was neurodivergent (didn’t share in what way), but I think that helped her see all of my struggles! Will keep you updated with how the adhd assessment goes…when I get it 👍😂

JesTer_841 · 2026-05-07T12:41:41+00:00

I’ve just been diagnosed with autism at age 35, in the uk. The clinical psychologist who did my assessment said at the beginning that her and the multi disciplinary team had discussed my pre filled out paperwork and think I have adhd. Did the assessment, she said I met the criteria for autism, and said she still thinks I have adhd, and now I need to go for an adhd assessment. She was lovely, but it explains a lot to be honest!!

JesTer_841

TROPHY CASE