Category: Lifestyle

Disclaimer: some of the links in this post are referral bonuses.

I’ve been on maternity leave 3 times and have definitely felt the squeeze of the reduced maternity pay that is offered during those times.

This has made me have to research ways to earn extra money to survive these times. I’ll admit, none of them brought in loads of money but they made enough to survive.

Vinted

Sold over 400 items in 3 years – mostly baby clothes which then helped buy the next size I needed. Click for referral link.

Matched Betting

Very beneficial but limited unless you have the time to do the additional offers. I used OddsMonkey for this and found it really useful.

Surveys

Prolific has been the one to boost income the most. I tried others but nothing really stuck with payouts being too high or not offering enough surveys. Across 3 years I’ve managed to earn £1000 from Prolific.

Market Research

This one is amazing for payouts if you get picked to do them. The best site for opportunities has been Respondent and the studies are genuinely interesting.

Mobile Gaming

Swagbucks and TesterUp (on the App Store) have helped pay out for these and helped during night feeds.

Cashback

Only recently jumped on this and wished I started sooner. I’ve always collected Tesco Clubcard and Nectar points but cashback is handy for other brands and purchases. My go to sites have been QuidCo, Jam Doughnut and Rakuten.

In September 2023 I began my Master’s Degree. I was 7 months postpartum with my second born at the time. The course was part time and online so I could juggle motherhood alongside it.

Little did I know what I’d experience throughout it and I still question how I even managed to complete it. The mental challenges were REAL.

Having a miscarriage, getting married, returning to work and then a full term, high risk pregnancy and being 4 months postpartum when I submitted my dissertation really made me realise I can truly achieve something if I set my mind on it.

Would I do it again if I knew all of those life events would happen during it? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

But it shows that having kids doesn’t mean your life is over. You can still do and achieve things for yourself. It’s just in a different way to the norm with a lot more stress!