Diaper Swappers

cococomey · 01-21-2011, 11:25 AM

I am a planner by nature so I have already figured out how much I have to save to be able to be off for 2 months and feel comfortable with it. The trouble is SOMETHING keeps coming up and dipping into my stash

Anyone else doing this?
I am using the envelope system.... what else is working for some of you ???
I need a boost since DH had to go to the dentist as an emergency last week

Lovinmama3 · 01-21-2011, 11:35 AM

DD crashing...I have already started to think about this too and I'm only 8 weeks pregnant.

I'll be taking the full 12 weeks off and I am not sure how much time I'll have saved to use (my company allows employees to donate PPT for anyone on an FMLA leave so I'm hoping a few will donate some like they did with my son). Anyway, I plan on putting money aside every month instead of spending it on shopping, eating out and entertainment. Not sure how much, but as much as I can. Oh and our tax return will be put in the maternity leave stash as well.

doodah · 01-21-2011, 03:16 PM

we're saving. I have some paid vacation even though I am a daycare provider but I will be taking some unpaid as well in addition to hiring backup help so the parents are not inconvenienced. I am a planner and assuming the worse case scenario here but the best case would be that I have a quick recovery and don't have to take a loss on the maternity leave. The way our saving is working out is to pay off several things before the baby is born and use that previous payment money as our cushion.

MomToMyMonkeys · 01-21-2011, 04:31 PM

I run a preschool, and it's a family business, so I don't get maternity leave per se. I was back at work 3 days after Emery was born, but that was by choice. I plan to come back as soon as I can with this one, but my family will understand if I can't.

My due date, however, is in the worst possible time, because that is our transition from our school year session to our summer session, and summer is always crazy full. I try to pass off as much as I can to my lead teachers and assistants, but there are some things that I feel like only I can do right. Control freak, I guess.

sh0rtchica · 01-30-2011, 06:21 PM

i know this is an old thread, but yeah i also have to save for maternity leave. i've decided not to return to my job, and i won't have any paid leave at all, but i'm the primary bread-earner so we can't survive off DH's income alone. i started planning this when i found out in october, and so far I've managed to put away $2500. I'll need to double that to get through about 2.5 months without working, and then after that I'll have to pull in $1500/month with contracting jobs. it's a scary prospect!!

it's been really hard to save this month - i had to create different budgets for the first 4 months of the year, the next 3 months, and then the last 5 months (I budget in Quicken so it's a yearly budget, but you can change category amounts each month or quarter if you want). we're still eating out too much and buying lots of convenience foods - partly because i've been sick all month. that's gotta change once this baby comes!

Fishie Kisses · 01-31-2011, 01:26 AM

We have to budget, but not quite like that. I will get Short Term Disability from the state for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after which is 60% of my pay (but tax free, so it's actually almost exactly my take-home). Then I get and additional 6 weeks of paid FMLA at 55% (also tax free). The only thing I will have to strictly budget for is my medical premiums which is about $500/mo for the whole family. I will have to send in a check every month in order to keep it.

I don't intend to take the 6 weeks prior. I'd actually really like to work right up until my EDD, but my boss won't let me work past May 1

Hopefully he's early.

cococomey · 01-31-2011, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sh0rtchica

i know this is an old thread, but yeah i also have to save for maternity leave. i've decided not to return to my job, and i won't have any paid leave at all, but i'm the primary bread-earner so we can't survive off DH's income alone. i started planning this when i found out in october, and so far I've managed to put away $2500. I'll need to double that to get through about 2.5 months without working, and then after that I'll have to pull in $1500/month with contracting jobs. it's a scary prospect!!

it's been really hard to save this month - i had to create different budgets for the first 4 months of the year, the next 3 months, and then the last 5 months (I budget in Quicken so it's a yearly budget, but you can change category amounts each month or quarter if you want). we're still eating out too much and buying lots of convenience foods - partly because i've been sick all month. that's gotta change once this baby comes!

WOW- I am proud of you! That is a great start. I need to save $2400.00 to be off 2 months- something keeps dipping into it so I am only @ $850.00... I know I won't get to $2400 but I can get close. Not unless I get some side jobs and I hoard crazier than I am now

My mom comes here 3 days a week and always wants to eat out...I tell her no and then she pays for it and I feel bad

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishie Kisses

We have to budget, but not quite like that. I will get Short Term Disability from the state for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after which is 60% of my pay (but tax free, so it's actually almost exactly my take-home). Then I get and additional 6 weeks of paid FMLA at 55% (also tax free). The only thing I will have to strictly budget for is my medical premiums which is about $500/mo for the whole family. I will have to send in a check every month in order to keep it.

I don't intend to take the 6 weeks prior. I'd actually really like to work right up until my EDD, but my boss won't let me work past May 1

Hopefully he's early.

Short term disability is perfect for Maternity leave- good for you.

sh0rtchica · 01-31-2011, 07:05 AM

i don't think we have short term disability! i may want to look into it, though.

colleen food is usually the #1 place you can cut down. if you don't currently, you may want to consider hanging out in the Thirfty forum for some great ideas on how to save on food costs

yeah the COBRA costs are a big part of my savings. i think my premium is only about $450/month through work. I'm going to stay with my insurance long enough to cover the birth and follow-up visits, then switch to DH's through work. that will only be about $100 or so extra/month. i'm staying with my insurance through the birth because it's so much better than DH's, and i need the out-of-network coverage for my homebirth.

cococomey · 01-31-2011, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sh0rtchica

i don't think we have short term disability! i may want to look into it, though.

colleen food is usually the #1 place you can cut down. if you don't currently, you may want to consider hanging out in the Thirfty forum for some great ideas on how to save on food costs

yeah the COBRA costs are a big part of my savings. i think my premium is only about $450/month through work. I'm going to stay with my insurance long enough to cover the birth and follow-up visits, then switch to DH's through work. that will only be about $100 or so extra/month. i'm staying with my insurance through the birth because it's so much better than DH's, and i need the out-of-network coverage for my homebirth.

oh yea- I am thrifty already

My mom hates to cook so she thinks she is doing me a favor to eat out. It only makes me feel guilty and I know I have food at home that just needs to be cooked.
We have 4 kids so we NEVER eat out. Not only is it a chore but my DH gets home too late at night to wait for him.
My mom likes to go out at like 5 pm and eat --- ughhhh--- I have been sticking to my rules and telling her to just go enjoy herself alone.

01-21-2011, 11:35 AM	#2
Lovinmama3 Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 4,343 Ratings: 178 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Does anyone else have to save $$$ to take maternity leave???? DD crashing...I have already started to think about this too and I'm only 8 weeks pregnant. I'll be taking the full 12 weeks off and I am not sure how much time I'll have saved to use (my company allows employees to donate PPT for anyone on an FMLA leave so I'm hoping a few will donate some like they did with my son). Anyway, I plan on putting money aside every month instead of spending it on shopping, eating out and entertainment. Not sure how much, but as much as I can. Oh and our tax return will be put in the maternity leave stash as well. __________________ Katie - WOHM to two boys and wife to a third boy. Expecting our third child at the end of October!

01-21-2011, 03:16 PM	#3
doodah Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 9,542 Ratings: 346 Feedback: 100%	Re: Does anyone else have to save $$$ to take maternity leave???? we're saving. I have some paid vacation even though I am a daycare provider but I will be taking some unpaid as well in addition to hiring backup help so the parents are not inconvenienced. I am a planner and assuming the worse case scenario here but the best case would be that I have a quick recovery and don't have to take a loss on the maternity leave. The way our saving is working out is to pay off several things before the baby is born and use that previous payment money as our cushion.

01-21-2011, 04:31 PM	#4
MomToMyMonkeys Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: League City, Texas Posts: 2,258 Ratings: 102 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Does anyone else have to save $$$ to take maternity leave???? I run a preschool, and it's a family business, so I don't get maternity leave per se. I was back at work 3 days after Emery was born, but that was by choice. I plan to come back as soon as I can with this one, but my family will understand if I can't. My due date, however, is in the worst possible time, because that is our transition from our school year session to our summer session, and summer is always crazy full. I try to pass off as much as I can to my lead teachers and assistants, but there are some things that I feel like only I can do right. Control freak, I guess. __________________ Amy- full time WOHM mama to 5 monkeys (D-14, C-8.75, R-7.75, E-3.5, A-18m) Another monkey is coming this December! MY ISO/IHA : http://www.diaperswappers.com/forum/...7#post15927157

01-30-2011, 06:21 PM	#5
sh0rtchica Registered Users Join Date: May 2009 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 4,723 Ratings: 49 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Does anyone else have to save $$$ to take maternity leave???? i know this is an old thread, but yeah i also have to save for maternity leave. i've decided not to return to my job, and i won't have any paid leave at all, but i'm the primary bread-earner so we can't survive off DH's income alone. i started planning this when i found out in october, and so far I've managed to put away $2500. I'll need to double that to get through about 2.5 months without working, and then after that I'll have to pull in $1500/month with contracting jobs. it's a scary prospect!! it's been really hard to save this month - i had to create different budgets for the first 4 months of the year, the next 3 months, and then the last 5 months (I budget in Quicken so it's a yearly budget, but you can change category amounts each month or quarter if you want). we're still eating out too much and buying lots of convenience foods - partly because i've been sick all month. that's gotta change once this baby comes! __________________ Lisa, mama to Adrian (3/5/09) and Carmen (5/12/11) Finally living my WAHM dream! My Business \| Earn Amazon gift cards! \| Be my swag friend?

01-31-2011, 01:26 AM	#6
Fishie Kisses Wahm Moderator "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SJV, CA Posts: 14,545 Ratings: 180 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Does anyone else have to save $$$ to take maternity leave???? We have to budget, but not quite like that. I will get Short Term Disability from the state for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after which is 60% of my pay (but tax free, so it's actually almost exactly my take-home). Then I get and additional 6 weeks of paid FMLA at 55% (also tax free). The only thing I will have to strictly budget for is my medical premiums which is about $500/mo for the whole family. I will have to send in a check every month in order to keep it. I don't intend to take the 6 weeks prior. I'd actually really like to work right up until my EDD, but my boss won't let me work past May 1 Hopefully he's early. __________________ Tashauna~~proud wife to my trained boo-boo fixer and mama to 3 boys on earth and two in heaven ^i^ (10wks-11/12 and 4 weeks 2/13)...Finally expecting a rainbow! STICK BABY, STICK!! *4812162024283236 **40 Try SWAGBUCKS and PLINK and get paid!! I've earned $275 in Amazon gift cards and $400 in Paypal already just since Jan 1, 2013!!!