Imagine you are a server at a restaurant, and, you are 9 months pregnant. You would not get a paid maternity leave, nor any benefits from your employer. Your partner is about to undergo a knee surgery and cannot work. You are worried about the finances with the baby on the way. And a good soul gives you $900 as a tip! This is the story of Sarah Clark from Phoenix, Arizona who waits tables at a local restaurant.
A few days before the Christmas eve, Sarah served a family at the Pita Jungle, where she has been working for the last seven years. The family visited the place regularly, and the woman was pregnant as well. They got talking and Sarah told her about her worries about the future. So when she received a tip of $900, she was shocked… and grateful!
Image source: CNN
The tipper, being pregnant, must have understood what Sarah was going through. It is difficult to survive a few months without active income as such. But when you add a baby to the equation, it becomes even more difficult. The kind lady felt a need to help Sarah out. She also wrote, “This is God’s money. He gave it to us so we could give it to you. God bless.”
Sarah and her family are grateful that the kind lady decided to be so generous while tipping. Sarah feels that this would help her family a lot during pregnancy.
How to plan your finances for the baby’s arrival? Read on to find out.
How to plan your finances during pregnancy
This story shows us the good side of people. However, not everyone is lucky to have someone like this to help them out. In fact, this is quite a rare phenomenon. So if you are pregnant, it is imperative that you plan for your finances well during pregnancy. Here are 4 things you should do to ensure that your pregnancy journey is smooth.
- Get an estimate of the expenses during your maternity. You have to set up a nursery, visit the doctor regularly, deliver the baby, take care of her needs. All of these things would incur some expenses. It is wise to get an estimate of the expenses so that you plan your finances better.
- Plan your leave. Maternity leave varies from country to country. However, most of the women end up taking a leave from two to four months. A part or the whole of the leave could be a paid leave. It is important that you recuperate before you join back, and may have to take an unpaid leave. Try and find out if you want to take the leave all at once or break it up over a year.
- Get insured. Many countries would not insure you for your delivery. However,you can get a cover for the delivery-related complications. Get yourself and your baby insured. You may not need it, but it is always good to be prepared.
- Purchase pre-loved items. There are two things that are true when it comes to infants. They grow up very fast, and their material needs are not that many! Besides diapers, clothes and a few toys, they are not going to appreciate if they are strolling around in a designer stroller or a pre-loved one! It is wise to spend on the things that are necessary, and get a few others that are pre-used by other babies. Invest the money you thus save for the baby’s future.
Back to the story, we wish Sarah a safe delivery, a bouncy baby, and a quick recovery. Mums and dads-to-be, plan your expenses well so that when the baby comes, you won’t need to worry about it!
(Image and story source: CNN)
Also read: Plan for a stress-free delivery by taking care of these 5 things!
Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from sg.theAsianparent.com
