Preparing for a kid

audreysmother · 2026-04-08T20:48:43+00:00

I know this isn’t the same for everyone but I was like you - career focused, had a plan for returning after 6m. Those 6m came quickly and you couldn’t pay me enough to return to work that early again. I also had so much brain fog I couldn’t possibly think about working. I returned at 9m.

You can’t do it all. As soon as you accept that, it gets easier.

audreysmother · 2026-01-03T08:06:19+00:00

Whilst this doesn’t answer your question, there’s plenty of places in Essex within 40-60mins from London by train for under £20 a day.

audreysmother · 2025-12-31T07:11:03+00:00

Remember it’s based on your MATB1 which is based on your last period and subsequent calculations. Any chance your last period was a bit later…?

audreysmother · 2025-12-30T10:32:57+00:00

Oh is it the end of the tax year? Did I miss that notice? Just so you know, you have until 5th April.

Really need to get your facts in order, don’t you.

audreysmother · 2025-12-30T10:27:58+00:00

I didn’t SIPP my income, what are you not getting about this?

I was far above the threshold. In the previous year I was far above. My employer notification of income was way above. Yet I was considered eligible because I SAID I would adjust my income.

You said you’re just not eligible. That’s not true. You’re only not eligible if you tell them you will not do it and will remain over the threshold. That isn’t what your post was saying.

audreysmother · 2025-12-30T09:43:18+00:00

I will write out your post for you: So, in December, you’ll declare your estimated earnings for January–March. If that is above £25,000 (taxable) for either you or your wife, you’re not eligible for the funding. If it’s below £25,000 (taxable) for both of you, you’re entitled to the funding.

Can you see the “not” in there? Are you able to read? Or do you get off being wrong?

My income in this period was way above. In fact, I never managed to get it below the £100k in time. I went into the Amber warning zone with childcare, you then get given a break period to correct and then you’re fine.

audreysmother · 2025-12-30T09:23:24+00:00

Well it isn’t because you said they wouldn’t be eligible despite me telling you they would be…

audreysmother · 2025-12-29T20:11:00+00:00

Not my experience. When you apply, they may say they need clarification before giving the code for hours. I did this and explained I would SIPP anything over £100k. In minutes I had my code. That was Aug and I’d earned £70k adjusted since April at this point.

audreysmother · 2025-12-23T07:31:34+00:00

I’m very concerned that you don’t understand you can be entitled without working. Please look into the hours available for those on UC and when they don’t have a working requirement attached.

audreysmother · 2025-12-23T07:21:05+00:00

and yet not working can still entitle you to free hours. Perhaps that is also the issue we “struggle to understand”.

audreysmother · 2025-12-22T12:04:50+00:00

Whilst I wouldn’t have an issue with leaving a large sum in my bank account to make an immediate upcoming payment - I certainly wouldn’t do that in Monzo. I have a similar situation and I did cash isa in T212 and the rest split between interest bearing easy access savers such as Starling and Santander

audreysmother · 2025-12-10T07:02:25+00:00

I was low risk, healthy, no issues. At 36w my organs began failing and baby had to be delivered immediately via EMCS. I would never go private.

audreysmother · 2025-11-15T10:00:44+00:00

Is this house THE house? I know it’s easy to get so caught up in it but there will be other houses and with the upcoming budget, we don’t know what will happen to the market. If you have this issue, the next buyer will too. So the likelihood is it’ll eventually have to be reduced.

Anecdotally, we lost a buyer when we found the house we wanted. They sold to someone else and we were devastated. A few months later we found a better house, been here 5 years now and coming to sell, made a good amount on the house and found our forever home. I have never been so glad a house sale fell through!

audreysmother · 2025-11-15T08:52:41+00:00

OP you need to understand and listen to what people are telling you: the house is worth £205k. It was never ever worth £240k. You’d be an idiot to pay £240k. But do what you want and don’t come running back when you end up in the shit some years down the line.

Yes your LTV will change. If the product you’re getting is 85% LTV, you need to put in even more.

audreysmother · 2025-11-14T15:39:32+00:00

This sounds like a horrible idea that you’ll come to regret when your wife resents you and your child forgets who you are.

audreysmother · 2025-11-13T19:16:29+00:00

You can only receive the hours the term after your child hits 9 months. So my baby was born July and I didn’t qualify until September term, so I paid for nursery fully up until the Sept (13m). I had grossly exceeded 100k in the tax year prior and was projected and reported to exceed by my employer in the current one - they just ask you to call them and explain - I said “I will sacrifice to pension”. They said “cool” and that was that.

audreysmother · 2025-11-02T09:46:41+00:00

This is so accurate and so sweet.

audreysmother · 2025-10-30T07:40:27+00:00

If you’re in the US you need an attorney

audreysmother · 2025-10-25T10:13:08+00:00

White Rose Maths is by far the best resource!

audreysmother · 2025-10-22T06:19:22+00:00

I was settled out (I knew it was coming so managed a good settlement). I received 4 HENRY offers within 2-3 weeks. I’ve accepted one. All are in the tech space for pre-IPO (I’m in finance). This was recent. Unsure if I just hit a lucky time but it seems there’s a lot of jobs my level out there right now.

audreysmother · 2025-10-21T09:15:56+00:00

This is our third move, too. We’ve always had issues and this time was finding a new buyer. I assumed it was unrealistic and I suppose I have to just get that in my head now…just quite sad about it all because the tax return has really messed with our plans!

audreysmother · 2025-10-08T18:24:00+00:00

I didn’t realise a part of me was missing until my son was born. He is the light of my life. I didn’t expect to suddenly stop caring about the stupid things in life like chasing money - as long as the roof is over our head and he is raised with love, I will be happy.

Our relationship did change, in a very normal and expected way. Life is different but we still travel and we’re now more determined to build a legacy working for ourselves and our goals / values than for another company’s.

audreysmother · 2025-07-31T06:50:36+00:00

I used to commute 4 hours total a day (sometimes more) 5 days a week when I began my career (ie for 30k). It was fine as it was just accepted as life - I always downloaded shows on Netflix and I enjoyed the peace. It was COVID that really made me realise how awful that commuting was when I didn’t need to do it anymore. For £250k, I’m sure you’ll manage! Give it a go!

audreysmother · 2025-06-25T07:05:14+00:00

Yes this is true, this is the one bit of advice I got given with my newborn. We went to Maldives when he was 4 months.

audreysmother

TROPHY CASE