paying bills on maternity leave

so i was just wondering how everyone paid their bills while on maternity leave and still have enough money for the baby. i will be off for at least 6 weeks, and only get paid for 2 of those weeks. BD works, and he is taking 2 weeks off, but he doesnt make nearly enough money to pay all the bills, and baby stuff, groceries, ect.

im pretty sure i have enough stuff to last me until i can get back to work, i.e. diapers, wipes, baby tylenol, stuff like that.

i am just stressing so bad because i dont know how i am going to afford everything, what if something goes wrong and i have to be off for longer.  

any advice is greatly appreciated!

I have no clue how I have made it from March until now. I got put on bedrest at 30 weeks and am now just going back to work part time tomorrow. I haven't gotten a pay check this whole time. I had no maternity leave, nothing! I guess we just cut corners everywhere and didn't buy anything that wasn't needed. No eating out, no extras.

me and hubby closed out his 401K to help, I don't know what we would have done without it! I am taking 10 weeks though. Just get as much supplies as you can now, good luck momma

Watching* Ill be a single mother and dont get paid for my leave!!!

Hubby and I have just been saving as much as possilble. We cut down on eating out for lunch and taking our lunches to work. Also, since I'm the size of a whale I haven't wanted to do anything for a few weeks now, so that's saved money as well. Hubby can make money on the spot though so if we are ever in a bind, its not long before we come outa it. Good luck. Ohh...you could try coupons too...I've been cutting them outa the newspapers and getting them off the internet. Hope that helps =/

I was lucky and had some bonds for college left over and used that, then I got my tax returns and rebate and used that... All that lasted me a while, but we still lived on a pretty strict budget... No eating out, finding activities that didnt cost money, we got a plot at our local community garden ($40 for the summer) and grew our own tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, garlic, lots of stuff! WIC, are you on WIC? That helped with groceries a lot! Shopping at costco helped a bit, you have to spend a lot, but it lasts you a long time!

Quoting MommyIn08:“ so i was just wondering how everyone paid their bills while on maternity leave and still have enough ... [snip!] ... to afford everything, what if something goes wrong and i have to be off for longer.   any advice is greatly appreciated!”

Is he getting paid for the 2 weeks he's taking off??

While 2 weeks is nice, maybe cut it to 1 week now and then later he could take that extra week off?!

Quoting babygaga_mommy:“ Is he getting paid for the 2 weeks he's taking off?? While 2 weeks is nice, maybe cut it to 1 week now and then later he could take that extra week off?!”

yes he is getting paid for his 2 weeks off.

I got three jobs so I could pay for my leave since I wasnt going to get one but that was when I was single. Now I am pregnant and Dh and I are trying to figure out how to do it in Jan.

Quoting MommyIn08:“ so i was just wondering how everyone paid their bills while on maternity leave and still have enough ... [snip!] ... to afford everything, what if something goes wrong and i have to be off for longer.   any advice is greatly appreciated!”

im working until i pop then i get paid for 2 weeks off so im only taking 2 weeks off then my man takling a week off and getting paid then after that im bring him to work for me for 10 weeks

i working until i go into labor too, so i can rack up my paid personal time off..it accumulates by how many hours your work every week, and sice i work 40 hours a week, it equals to be that i get around 3 and a half hours of pto a week. its messed up. right now i have about 78 hours saved, and it i make it to my due date i will have 86. that is just over 2 weeks, so i will get a check for the first 2 weeks i am off. but after that nothing. i tried getting food assistance but i make too much. thank god i go approved for medicaid, otherwise, i would really be screwed.

i know everything will be ok, and will fall into place. im just soooo stressed about it right now.

Quoting MommyIn08:“ i working until i go into labor too, so i can rack up my paid personal time off..it accumulates by how ... [snip!] ... would really be screwed. i know everything will be ok, and will fall into place. im just soooo stressed about it right now.”

Lots of people tell me why only 2 weeks take off you need rest.. they don’t get it I have a baby to feed my man only bring home 2500 a month that’s not enough to pay of bills..
We got to do what we got to do
Im lucky my work letting me bring him in

i'm the same boat as you ladies right now. My fiance can't find a job it seems anywhere and I work fulltime. Ill get pd 60% of my pay for 6 wks which should be enough to get me by but with baby stuff and everything else there is no way I can. I'm hoping I can go back after a month off so I can make some money. I'm worried because I bring home 1000 twice a month and that being cut hopefully will be ok. luckily I dont think they can take taxes out of FMLA time. Does anyones employers provide FMLA?

yea mine does, but it is unpaid FMLA

Quoting MommyIn08:“ yea mine does, but it is unpaid FMLA”

well itll be hard but well all make it somehow