Me and my gorgeous baby

Me and my gorgeous baby
Perhaps the only barefaced pic of me that will ever grace the internet

Sunday 26 August 2012

No! Don't make me go back there!

I have 2 more pay days left and 5 more months of maternity leave, then I have the choice to either be broke for 3 months, go back early and spend less time with my baby or be completely broke and hand in my notice. Let's face it, the £81 and a few pence child benefit we get monthly just about covers nappies and dummies, babies are blimming expensive!
The original plan was for me to go back to work part time at the end of October, but as soon as I gave birth, I knew that I really didn't want to leave my baby. I need to start making money as, even if I go back in January (after a year's maternity leave), I'll have no money for Christmas, or going out for my birthday, or maybe not even for Isabella's first birthday.
My first idea was to make a few quid from doing online surveys. I used to do them all the time when I lived in my old flat and ended up earning £30 on one site and a £10 Argos voucher on another. But that was back when I had a lot more free time in the evening and it took me almost a year to make my £30 and Argos voucher. Plus it's annoying. And a tad repetitive. And very boring. And your email ends up being spammed no end as your details are spread far and wide across the internet.
The second idea was to start my own business, as I've been intending to do for 2 years. The number of mums starting their own businesses has risen by 20% since 2000 and there are now over a million of us at it. Also, it means having a bit of money and if things pick up enough, not having to return to the office and leave my baby. So far, I've spent about £70 of my hard-earned money on supplies, made a few trial bath muffins and set up a Facebook page to advertise my wares. It's not exactly a massive money spinner as of yet. BUUUUUUT there is one shining beacon on the horizon! My mother-in-law organises a local event every year called the Towpath Harvest where people in our town come together to barter and to sell their home-grown and home-made produce so I'm going to see if I can drum up a bit of business. The goal is to become established enough to do the craft fair circuit next Christmas.
Then there's the third option; trying to make money in the comfort of my own home using the wonder that is the internet. I've joined PeoplePerHour offering my services and am at present searching about 6 different websites for some data entry work. I think I'm just going to have to persevere and throw many nets in the ocean. All going well, I'll be able to earn a bit of pocket money to keep clean nappies on my baby's bum and food in her tummy. Wish me luck!
It's not that I don't want to work, quite the opposite. I've always been a grafter and worked since the age of 15, but I've found that my priorities shifted from having a bit of spare cash to go to the pub to spending as much time with my baby as possible and watching her develop into her own little person. I'm just really not ready to leave her yet and the thought of going back to a job that I didn't really like (and was supposed to be temporary) in the first place and missing out being with my baby does just bum me out no end. Maybe I should just start playing the lottery and see how that works out for me...
TTFN!

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