A MUM whose income crashed after having a baby says selling her children’s old clothes online has become her “financial safety net” during maternity leave.
Stacey Hillier started using Vinted to clear out barely worn kids clothes that were quickly being outgrown.
Mum-of-two Stacey Hillier struggled when her income plummeted on maternity leave Credit: Jam Press/Stacey Hillier
She turned to Vinted as a side hustle Credit: Jam Press/Stacey Hillier
What began as a simple way to declutter soon turned into a handy source of extra cash, with the mum-of-two estimating she has made around £2,000 through the app.
The 32-year-old says the money has helped cover everything from family days out to holiday spending at a time when household finances have come under pressure.
“Maternity leave has massively affected our household finances,” Stacey, from Warwickshire, said.
“Normally, my husband and I both pay into our joint account to cover the bills, but now I’m on statutory maternity pay I can’t contribute what I used to.
“That puts more pressure on my husband to cover household costs, while I still want to be able to do things with the children, buy groceries and enjoy days out with them.
“The drop in income is huge.”
Before going on maternity leave in January, the mum-of-two was earning around £3,000 a month.
Now, she receives statutory maternity pay of around £187 a week – roughly £700 a month.
And she admits the reduction in income has been difficult to adjust to.
Stacey said: “One thing I’ve always found strange is that you can have up to a year off to spend with your baby, but financially it’s such a difficult time.
“People think maternity leave is time off, but it’s actually one of the most expensive periods of your life.
“I’ve got a five-year-old as well, so I still want to make sure she can enjoy days out during the holidays and that we can take family holidays.
“Food has become much more expensive, and children’s clothes are a huge expense because babies grow out of things so quickly.
“They’ll wear something two or three times and suddenly it doesn’t fit anymore.
“The formula we buy costs around £11 a tub and we go through one every six days.”
Knowing money would be tighter during maternity leave, Stacey began putting money aside as soon as she discovered she was pregnant.
But selling unwanted items has provided an extra financial cushion.
She said: “Extra income during maternity leave is really important to me.
“I’m hoping to take a full year of maternity leave, which means I’ll have three months completely unpaid.
“That’s quite scary, so having my Vinted balance there as a backup gives me peace of mind.”
The app has also changed the way Stacey shops.
She recently spotted a set of baby rompers priced at £22 in a shop, but after checking Vinted found the exact same set for £8 – saving herself £14.
She added: “I definitely shop differently now. If I see something expensive in a shop, I’ll check Vinted first.”
Stacey now sees Vinted as a safety net which gives her freedom Credit: Jam Press/Stacey Hillier
Stacey first started using the platform after a recommendation from a friend.
She said: “We used to use Facebook buy-and-sell groups, but I never liked the idea of strangers turning up at my front door.
“Once I started selling, I realised people were buying clothes my children had only worn a few times.
“They were getting great bargains and I was making some money back.”
The savvy mum revealed that children’s clothes are her biggest sellers.
She said: “Children’s clothes definitely sell best for me because they grow out of them so quickly.
“My youngest is four-months-old and some outfits have only been worn three or four times.
“They still look brand new.”
While many items sell for just a few quid, Stacey insists it all adds up.
Rather than withdrawing the money immediately, she leaves it in her Vinted account and lets the balance build.
Stacey said: “Most things I list are only £1, £2 or £3, but it adds up surprisingly quickly, especially when someone buys a bundle.
“I treat it as a little safety net if I need it.
“I’ll often wait until I’ve built up around £100 and then use it to pay for something fun, like a family day out.”
She added: “I started buying things on Vinted for myself as well, like maternity clothes, wedding outfits and baby shower dresses.
“If I’m only going to wear something once, I’d rather buy it second-hand and then pass it on afterwards.
“I use the app pretty much every day and I’m always having a little browse.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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