The Mothershift Guide to Saving Money on Maternity Leave

As if having a baby isn’t expensive enough, maternity pay then enters the chat and changes the financial landscape almost overnight. Whether you’ve planned ahead or are figuring it out as you go, it can feel like one of those moments where your usual way of managing money suddenly needs a rethink.

And yet, this stage of life also comes with a different kind of spending pattern. More time at home, more time outdoors, more ‘let’s just get out of the house for a bit’, and often a more conscious approach to where your money is actually going.

This isn’t about tightening everything or making things feel restricted. It’s more about having a few simple, realistic ways to make your money stretch further, alongside tools and habits that support you in the background while you focus on everything else that comes with this season.

Cashback, rewards and getting more from what you already spend

One of the easiest ways to save money without changing your lifestyle is to make everyday spending work harder in the background.

Apps like JamDoughnut allow you to buy gift cards for brands you already shop with and receive instant cashback on those purchases. This can be particularly useful for supermarkets and regular household spending, where the savings can build steadily over time. Using a referral code where available can add an extra boost at the start, making it easier to build the habit.

Me and my husband have saved over £550 in about two years, through supermarket purchases, petrol and emergency takeaways. We actually used it to pay for a weekend away through a holiday voucher site on my latest maternity leave, and had nearly £100 back instantly.

You can receive an instant bonus paid to your JamDoughnut account of between £3-£5 after purchasing your first gift card if you use the referral code: 2TDX when signing up.

Sprive is a similar concept, but instead of receiving physical cashback the extra goes directly off your mortgage as an overpayment - a great option for if you’ve reduced your monthly payments to free up more spending money but still want to make a dent on overpaying.

We've saved around £490 off our mortgage on a mixture of supermarkets, clothes shopping and even our latest MOT. Feel free to use our referral code when you sign up: LKRP2F6J

Alongside this, it’s worth considering whether any of your existing spending could be routed through reward or cashback systems you already have access to, rather than introducing entirely new behaviours.

Using baby clubs and retail perks

If you are buying baby essentials, it’s worth making use of the loyalty schemes and baby clubs that many retailers offer, as these are designed to support the maternity phase.

The Parenthood by M&S offers personalised offers, vouchers, and early access to promotions that can be useful for both baby items and general household shopping. Sometime's they even offer free products - I've had a entirely free lemon cake before.

Other retailers such as Tesco and the Boots Parenting Club also offer similar programmes, which can include extra points, discounts, and occasional freebies. Signing up to a small number of these, rather than all of them, can help keep things simple while still capturing the benefits.

Being intentional with everyday spending

Rather than focusing on cutting back, a more realistic approach on maternity leave is to become slightly more intentional with how everyday purchases are made.

This might look like:

• Planning a weekly shop with flexibility rather than strict rules

• Choosing where to shop based on value rather than habit

• Keeping a small number of go-to meals that are easy, reliable, and low effort

• Being more conscious of impulse purchases, particularly online

  
  

The goal isn’t to remove spontaneity entirely, but to make sure it’s a choice rather than a default.

Reviewing subscriptions and recurring costs

Maternity leave can be a good time to reassess ongoing monthly commitments, particularly subscriptions that may have been added over time and are no longer used regularly.

This could include streaming platforms, unused apps, or duplicated services within the household. Even small monthly amounts can add up, and cancelling or pausing a few of these can create extra flexibility without impacting daily life in a noticeable way.

You can easily check and find your subscriptions on your phone by checking subscriptions on the App Store or Google Play Store - check it out, you may be surprised.

Make your money go further without doing more

Saving money on maternity leave isn’t always about cutting things out, but about being a bit more intentional with how you spend so the same amount stretches further.

One way to do this is through sinking funds. Rather than everything coming out of one general pot, you set aside small amounts for things like baby clothes, days out, or the occasional treat. It doesn’t need to be precise, but it makes it easier to spend without second-guessing it.

It can also help to be more conscious about when you spend. Grouping things together, like a planned coffee or lunch when you’re already out, often feels more manageable than lots of smaller, unplanned spends across the week.

And importantly, it’s worth keeping a small amount of spending that is just for you. A coffee, a lunch, something small you’ve been wanting. It’s often that balance that makes everything else feel sustainable.

Using what’s already available

There are also a number of supports and resources that can be easy to overlook but worth checking depending on eligibility.

This can include:

• NHS-related services such as free advice and baby check-ins

• Local family hubs or community groups

• Government support schemes such as Healthy Start vouchers, where applicable

  
  

These aren’t always widely discussed, but they can provide practical support without requiring additional spend.

Finally..

Don’t forget to secure your Mothershift membership. If you’re looking for more ways to make maternity leave feel like your time, we bring together exclusive discounts, and practical content designed to support new parents in Greater Manchester on maternity or parental leave.

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