… and my maternity pay has ended. Noooooooo!

I knew this day was coming, as Lily is now 9 months. So it’s not unexpected. But to suddenly not be earning and to have to ask my husband for money – that is weird. It’s a really weird thing to get used to. We always planned for this. And it’s not money for myself, it’s for the bills, for food and for stuff I buy for the children.

So here’s the thing. I can’t stop buying baby clothes. It’s actually ridiculous. I’ve been spending quite frivolously, knowing that I had my maternity pay. Everytime I took Lily to Rhymetime at the Curve, I always go into Choice afterwards to see what they have, a £3 sleepsuit, £2 leggings. Or what’s on sale at Debenhams and M&S. Maybe a peek in TK Maxx. Oh go on, Primark is just next door. And then downstairs at H&M is where I can’t not buy ALL the baby clothes. AGH! And they say shopping in Slough is shite. Hello?! My contactless card says otherwise. The person who invented contactless is evil. That is where it all goes wrong, I just tap it here and tap it there and don’t notice the money gone until I get my bank statement.

The thing is, Lily doesn’t even need all these clothes! It’s just an addiction and now I HAVE to stop. I don’t have the cash coming in any more. Which I guess is a good thing, maybe I’ll get my home back. I’ve been decluttering since January, but the baby clothes are just gathering in boxes as Lily outgrows them at a rapid rate. I don’t even want to show you the corner of our bedroom. I may have got Tyler and Lily out of our bedroom and into their own, but our bedroom needs these boxes gone. This is going to be a mass eBay, that will probably take months. I’m going to make myself put at least one bundle on eBay per day to get through them.

Yesterday I found a box of pre-owned clothes that were my friend’s daughter’s and Tyler’s, all 9-12 months. Lily literally has a whole ready-made wardrobe there – I don’t need to buy anything else. Apart from a sunhat. So I have made a pact with myself not to buy any clothes for her for at least 3 months. Can I do it?!?

I’m going to have this week be the last week of fun as it’s Easter hols, and then from the week after I will watch what I spend. I think I will take out an amount of cash each week and that is spending money for bus/train fares and food/toiletries. No clothes! I will NOT touch that contactless card!

I’m writing this down so I can’t go back, I have to stick to this. I’ll write an update in a month’s time to let you know how it goes! Wish me luck!

Sabrina x