Moms with Unpaid Maternity Leave

BabyRut2015 · October 2015

I know we all have varying bills and costs of living, and I know this was discussed somewhere very early on, but now that we have a few months left and many of us are entering the 3rd trimester, I was curious what everyone had saved up.

I get unpaid (but reasonably unlimited) maternity leave, and I have about 5k saved, and I plan on taking 3 months off. I will keep saving these next few months.

Just kind of curious to see what you guys think and what you have planned.

ccoleeman · October 2015

I'm planning to get 12k saved. I don't *need* that much but I also want to keep saving into my mid and long term accounts while I'm out. I could still make it on half but being commission based it'll take time to get all my momentum back at work, and I'd rather oversave- in case baby comes early and I'm out for longer, any unexpected bills, etc.

Eta for clarity- I'm self employed so I also have to save to pay for office rent and staff while I'm out. And for some unsolicited advice- make sure you don't commingle your maternity leave $ with your emergency fund/other savings accounts. You don't want to be in a position where you have to choose between a car repair and an extra couple weeks with your LO (or credit card debt) If you over save for maternity then use the leftover to go toward the other accounts.

m6anderson · October 2015

I think there will be a huuuuge variance in this for everyone. It depends on what your cost of living is, and what your monthly expenses are. We had a number that we wanted to have saved, and it was a lofty goal for us. We hit it last week, which is nice because it means one less thing to stress about, but my number may be a month's expenses to someone in southern California, for example.

nlwz123 · October 2015

Definitely depends on where you live and what the cost of living is. 5K can be a lot in some places and peanuts in others. I get 6 weeks paid time off, but DH and I saved a lot of money in preparation when we were TTC.

Leah6120 · October 2015

Like pp's said this is super subjective.. but I would say a good goal is 4-6 months of whatever your monthly out of pocket expenses are. In the event the baby comes early or you need more time for any reason it gives you a little extra time.

kmo8986 · October 2015

I get 6 weeks at 2/3 pay (short term disability-it would be 8 if for some reason I end up with a c-section) and then I am taking anywhere from 2-6 more weeks unpaid depending on when baby comes. My plan is to go back to work mid April after spring break.

maureenmce · October 2015

As PP said, this will vary hugely, but in case you want some hard numbers, I'll have 12 weeks partial pay through temp disability and paid family leave in CA, but I'm taking another 12 weeks after that, so I'll be gone for 6 months total (3 months partial pay, 3 months no pay.)

Our savings goal was $7500 in our immediately accessible savings account, but we also have about $10,000 in an absolute emergency fund that we do not want to touch at all, but it's nice to know it's there. We're still a couple thousand away from our $7500 goal, but we're on target to reach it the first week of December.

We live in Southern Cal though, where our rent is high, but we're also frugal, so I'm hoping not to have to spend 100% of the 7500 we save. Also, my husband will only be taking 2 weeks off (SADLY) and will get full pay for both of those weeks, so we'll have his income throughout. I make more than he does, though! So it'll be a real hit to our income and savings goals to take those 6 months, but I really want that time with our first baby, so we're making it work.

enkb · October 2015

I don't have a specific baby saving goal, I've put 10% of my income in a savings account since my first job at 15, so we've got a comfortable savings in part for this time that we haven't been specifically adding to it for baby. Things are complicated for going back to work for me, my husband and I own our own business and are the only 2 employees, so I technically don't get any paid or unpaid leave, but he can keep the doors open on his own for at least a little while after baby. Not sure how long, as we've never tried it, but a few weeks at least.

ashhsa · October 2015

Crap. I'm self employed and I have nothing saved. Haha. This makes me feel so guilty. My husband earns enough to support us, but still, probably would help a lot if I thought about saving some money now....

UptownPearl · October 2015

We had been setting about $400 aside a month into the baby fund since I found out I was pregnant, but our insurance changed over the summer and now our expected birthing costs are way higher and pretty much wiping out that entire savings. We get a little money at Christmas and we're hoping between that and cutting down on expenses we'll be able to get by on just DH's salary until I go back to work. we're hoping we don't have to dip into our savings, but it's there if we absolutely need it.

holidayemma · October 2015

I get state maternity allowance in the UK which is pretty low but definitely better than nothing - we have saved but not enough in my mind (a lot went on the new baby wagon car). Unfortunately I have been unemployed for the last 3 months which has really added to that stress of it as I expected at least a couple of extra months savings - I don't claim job seekers allowance as I'm freelance and its part and parcel of my industry but it stresses me to spend the money we saved which means I will have to go back to work earlier and less time with baby... Really hoping to get a few weeks work in but it's not looking too great at the moment - I have been seriously unlucky...

So I feel your money worries... At least breast milk is free right? ;-)

PedsIsHardcore · October 2015

I get 12 weeks unpaid. We are only saving a little because my SO and I make about the same for pay. Plus tax time will be coming up during that time.

fishsticks-n-custard · October 2015

All my leave is unpaid but we've been able to save up about 8 months of expenses since finding out I was pregnant and hope to have a little more saved.

(If I had stayed at my first job, I would have had 6 weeks but due to stress and just poor working environment, I ended up quitting. For the best though as the new job is much more supportive of my being pregnant. Putting me on light duty in Dec and only when I feel up to it starting 12/18. Recently at my last job one of the administrators actually commented on them loosing employees but saying "Yeah some just leave and some get pregnant and decide they don't want to work." Nice.)

allslee · October 2015

I'll be off for 52 weeks at 55% of my salary through employment insurance (ie the government). My employer tops up the first 6 weeks to 100% of my salary. So not unpaid by any means but a huge blow to our budget as I am the primary earner. We won't have a lot saved up but we have enough to cover some of the lost income. We will just cut back on a lot of extras and hubby will pick up some extra hours.

BabyRut2015 · October 2015

@PedsIsHardcore DH and I also realized tax returns come right after baby lol.

We don't "need" my income, we would just suffer without it, budget grocery shopping, never go out to eat, probably cancel the cable lol. So I feel pretty good, I guess I was just curious because other moms at work were telling me what they had saved, and they varied so much.

I'll have only about 2 mths income saved by dec/jan, but at the same time we don't rely on my income for the mortgage or any other big bills. So I'm hoping 3 months off will be financially smooth.

Also, we completed and paid off any big projects or purchases before baby (like a new fence).....

I guess I'm just scared that I will have to go back to work before I'd planned on.

Thanks for the input ladies!

BelleZBoo · October 2015

I am incredibly lucky that my job pays for 12 weeks maternity leave but I will be taking a 4 week unpaid FMLA in addition to that. My husband makes enough to support us but I've still been conscious of saving and have about $7500 put aside in a separate account. This should be enough to cover our insurance expenses, baby gear and furniture.

huskerfan2012 · October 2015

I am able to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave, however I will only be taking 8. I've been saving up my PTO so I'll use that once I take my time off. We don't have a giant savings fund saved up, unfortunately. We'll have enough to pay off the "Doctor" part of my pregnancy (clinic visits minus ultrasounds and the doctors role in the delivery) and MAYBE a little extra. We would have quite a bit more but life happens and we had to use it for unexpected expenses. I just have to keep reminding myself that if I wait until I'm "rich" to have a baby, it will never happen!

AmeliaKris · October 2015

I saved up what my paycheck would have been for the time off. I'm taking 8 weeks off and saved $4000. Plus we will get about $5000 in tax return while I'm off. I live in Iowa so cost of living is pretty low.

MrsReese28 · October 2015

We are lucky in that we own our house outright and have no car payments. After burning my sick time, I will be taking about 2 months of unpaid. We might have about 2K set aside which should be more than enough especially since we have already purchased all the big stuff.

teachmegs817 · October 2015

I have started saving $200 a month which will give me about somewhere in the middle of 1-2K, for our bills and things like gas/groceries/baby stuff if neccessary. We're also working towards the end result of a major upstairs reno. (3 bedrooms, laundry room upstairs, new attic staircase, and a master bathroom), along with thinking about our Holiday shopping budget, so a lot of money has been getting allocated to things other than savings and bills it seems for us. I'd like to have a little extra cushion when baby comes, but what we've set aside will be more than enough on top of what DH makes at his job. I am taking 12 weeks off and have accrued 5 weeks of paid time off from my job (Teacher). I am looking at 7 additional weeks without a pay check. We've been working hard at paying down credit cards and getting ahead on certain things, when we were TTC and since becoming pregnant. I didn't even factor in that taxes will probably come our way sometime late March and I'll still be out on leave then. I guess if we needed to use that money for anything we will have it, but we didn't consider that into what we've been putting aside.

jcarmele · October 2015

This makes me sad that unpaid maternity leave is even a thing .. Sigh I feel for all you Mamas, and can't imagine having to save up. May I ask where you all are that the leave is unpaid ? US? (I am in Canada) are all states unpaid .. Only certain jobs etc ? Sorry if not the time / place to ask but just curious !

UptownPearl · October 2015

jcarmele said:
This makes me sad that unpaid maternity leave is even a thing .. Sigh I feel for all you Mamas, and can't imagine having to save up. May I ask where you all are that the leave is unpaid ? US? (I am in Canada) are all states unpaid .. Only certain jobs etc ? Sorry if not the time / place to ask but just curious !

America. We don't value family and healthcare costs are absurd. We need serious updating.

maureenmce · October 2015

@jcarmele I'm in the US. I'm very, very lucky to live in California, one of only a handful of states that at least offer 6 weeks temp disability and 6 weeks of paid family leave, both at 55% of salary, I believe. But beyond that, I'm on my own. For women in other states they get nothing from the government and only get paid leave if their company offers it. If I weren't in CA I'd be screwed because my industry (reality tv) is freelance, and you work on a show until it's done, there's no leave if you can't work, not sick leave, not vacation time, certainly not maternity leave. If I worked for my husband's company I would get one week paid in full, then the option to take the CA leave.

It's honestly very stressful even in CA with the benefits we have! I am envious of those in other countries with great maternity (and paternity!) leave options.

jcarmele · October 2015

@UptownPearl & @maureenmce thank you for your replies. I knew the American benefits weren't AS great but I had no idea to the extent. In Canada in my province I have a total of 52 weeks Unpaid leave from work but paid 55% of my salary from the government. It sounds like a huge cut but once you take off all the extra taxes etc the amount you bring home isn't too far off from the regular bring home amount. I just want to say a HUGe kudos to all you American mommies saving and sacrificing for your little ones to come. That's just one more added stress and proves how strong women really are. ❤️

bkeep22 · October 2015

My entire leave will be unpaid..I'd had a master budget planned to help us save for maternity leave..but I have had terrible morning/all day sickness which has greatly affected my ability to work..so it's looking like we won't have anything saved for when the baby arrives..thankfully, we have purchased a lot of the things we need for the baby. Unfortunately, it's sounding like I'll be back to work a lot sooner than I would like.

BabyRut2015 · October 2015

Awww I'm sorry @bkeep22 we still have some time to save!!

I was also worried about not being able to work through my entire pregnancy...but more so towards the end. I'm calling victory on every week I keep up my regular schedule st this point lol. I feel good, but my job is physical and definitely takes a toll.

I work in a restaurant and it's getting so much busier, which is great for saving!! But bad for my sore back and swollen ankles lol.

I wish you the best of luck in saving up a little and not having to go back too early!!

Rach8672 · October 2015

I ended up pregnant pretty quick so we didn't really plan ahead for savings for the baby. However we did start trying because we felt better financially and just moved in to a two bedroom. I have 6 weeks at 60% of pay and 6 weeks unpaid . I have very little PTO saved , we have been traveling like crazy! Props to all the mommas who were able to set a good amount aside , its very tough

bkeep22 · October 2015

BabyRut2015 said:
Awww I'm sorry @bkeep22 we still have some time to save!!

I was also worried about not being able to work through my entire pregnancy...but more so towards the end. I'm calling victory on every week I keep up my regular schedule st this point lol. I feel good, but my job is physical and definitely takes a toll.

I work in a restaurant and it's getting so much busier, which is great for saving!! But bad for my sore back and swollen ankles lol.

I wish you the best of luck in saving up a little and not having to go back too early!!

Thanks for the support! Some pregnancies are just tougher in different ways than others I guess. Being this pregnancy was unplanned, we weren't as prepared as I would have liked. But that's okay, we'll get through it one way or another.

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