Gemma Bird shares her essential maternity leave budgeting tips to help new parents manage their finances during reduced income periods
Financial expert and mum-of-two Gemma Bird has shared the three rules she says helped her stay afloat during maternity leave — and they all come down to planning ahead. Government guidance on Gov.uk states that Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) can be paid for up to 39 weeks.
For the first six weeks, eligible parents get 90 per cent of average weekly earnings (before tax). In the 33 weeks that follow it is paid at either £194.32 per week or 90 per cent of average weekly earnings – whichever is lower.
Reflecting on her previous situation with maternity pay, Gemma explained that when her son Brody was born she was earning around £1,500 a month, but she knew that wouldn’t last once her income dropped to about £650.
Wanting to be on maternity leave for a year, Gemma strategically planned for the remaining three months when her income took a steep hit.
Talking about her own experience, she explained that her maternity package varied between jobs. “I had a really good maternity package the first time, the second time I didn’t. I had three months full, three months half, three months statutory, but I was taking a year off, then I had three months with no pay,” she said.
Gemma, known to followers as Money Mum, said three simple rules helped her avoid money worries later in her leave, reports The Mirror.
Plan ahead and save
Gemma, in partnership with Amazon, said she treated the paid part of maternity leave as her chance to build a buffer, putting away as much as possible to cover the final unpaid stretch.
“If you’re looking at taking a year off, don’t forget you only get nine months of statutory and anything that your work tops up,” she warned. “Try and think about that before you go off, so that you’ve filled your three months as well.”
She added that she’s always tried to be strict with spending — searching for bargains, buying second-hand and snapping up reduced items — while cutting back on “nice-to-haves” such as gym memberships, takeout coffees and unused subscriptions.
Gemma has previously credited those habits with helping her save significant sums over time, including paying off a £225,000 mortgage by the age of 37 on a £25,000 salary.
Seek out budget-friendly days out
She also said one of the biggest ongoing expenses after having a baby can be the cost of “doing things” — especially if socialising starts to revolve around cafés and paid activities.
Gemma said she found a weekly baby group at her local church that cost just £1. “I got a coffee, I got a cake, we did singing time, I met loads of friends,” she said.
But she admitted she couldn’t keep up with more expensive meet-ups. “They also wanted to meet up at coffee shops, but I was literally on maternity pay, I was self-employed, I was unbelievably poor,” she added.
Don’t buy everything in advance
Her final tip is to resist splashing out on baby items before you know what you’ll genuinely need. Gemma said products like breast pumps are a good example — because not everyone ends up breastfeeding and many items can be ordered quickly later if required.
“A lot of mums don’t know if they’re going to breastfeed or not, so I always say don’t buy the breast pump, don’t buy everything until you’ve had that baby,” she added.
Instead, she encouraged parents to accept hand-me-downs and shop second-hand where possible — from baby clothes to bigger-ticket items like Moses baskets — adding that many families end up buying far more than they actually use.
Gemma’s top tips
- Shop second hand, but shop smart: Not everything needs to be bought brand new – some baby items can be brought second hand for a fraction of the price such as clothes, prams, bouncers, but car seats and mattresses should be brought new for health and safety purposes. To save money on those bigger purchases that I know I’ll need to buy new, I set price alerts on my Amazon wish list so I can get the best deal possible. For second hand items, I look out for deals on Amazon’s Second Chance Store, to find things like refurbished baby monitors for a great price.
- Make repeat buys easier: There are items you know you’ll be buying over and over again, like wipes and nappies. Amazon’s Subscribe & Save can help make these repeat purchases easier to manage, with recurring deliveries on eligible products and potential savings on repeat orders.
- Make the most of your existing memberships: It’s also worth making the most of the benefits within your existing subscriptions. For example, Prime members have access to fast, free delivery, which can be particularly useful for new parents – whether they’ve forgotten an item or realise they need something at speed.
- The items you’ll buy but barely use: There are always things we buy but barely end up using. Social media can be great for inspiration, but it can also lead to unnecessary purchases. I’d recommend splitting your shopping list into essentials and nice-to-haves, and setting a budget for each. Babies grow so quickly – so rather than buying lots of different outfits, stick to a few practical baby grows for those early days. Same goes for bigger purchases – skip that designer baby bag, and opt for a non-branded baby bag. You’ll be surprised at the noticeable difference these small swaps can make to your budget.
- If you’ve forgotten, don’t panic: There’s a lot to keep in mind when you’re preparing for a baby, so my key advice is not to panic. You don’t have to buy everything immediately, and there will inevitably be things you forget. Amazon’s Add to Delivery feature allows Prime members to add forgotten or additional items to an upcoming delivery, helping avoid the need to place multiple separate orders.
