A savvy saving mum whose thrifty know-how helped her dodge falling into £3,500 of debt during her maternity leave has credited her success to survey side-hustles, strict budgeting and a dehumidifier. Phe Edwards, 27, a project manager from Lancashire, has always been an avid saver, but when she discovered she was pregnant in April 2021 she vowed to do even better – cutting down her household expenses the mum-to-be saved an extra £5,000 before maternity leave.
By October 2022 however, Phe had spiralled into a shopping habit and realised it was time to start saving again. Boosting her income by completing online surveys and selling old clothes on Vinted, Phe managed to avoid falling into crippling debt during her 12-month maternity leave.
“By saving I managed to fund my maternity leave,” said Phe. “But I also avoided £3,500 worth of debt. I returned to work in December and now I put away £1,000 a month for my wants and needs and the rest goes in savings.”
