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Depending on how much you would like to save, and what access you want to your money, there is a huge choice of accounts. You can save regular amounts, or lump sums, or both. Some accounts have no minimum deposits, other might have a low minimum amount required.

Balancing work, childcare and all the expenses connected with the birth of a new baby, means now, more than ever, you'll probably need to take a closer look at your finances. So, if you're considering a career break, cutting down on your working hours, paying for childcare or investing in your baby's future it's time to start planning.

You are now responsible not only for your own life, but for that of your born or soon to be born child. If you have not already looked into your options regarding savings and investments, now is the time to do so.

A mortgage is the largest amount of money you're ever likely to borrow, so it's important to take on the right one. The mortgage itself is made up of two parts: the loan and the way it's repaid. Loans can be variable, fixed or discounted against interest rates.

With interest rates at all time lows for savers and normal deposit accounts offering poor returns you may want to consider different types of investment. With so many products available these days, you should really take the time to understand how each financial product works, and what you need to think about before choosing a particular one.

Before you decide on where to put your savings, remember that you need to take into account factors such as risk and performance, flexibility, how much you have to invest and the amount of risk you can take for higher returns.

Health insurance is used to pay for private care in hospital or from various health professionals in hospitals or in their practices. The arrangements vary from one company to another but most companies have agreements with hospitals that the company will pay the hospital directly.

Now that you are parents, if you haven't already done so, you should organise life insurance and serious illness cover. These will ensure that if anything happens to either or both of you, your children will be financially secure. Life insurance covers your family in the event of your death.

If you decide to take a career break to care for your child, you won't be able to contribute to a pension until you return to paid employment. This may mean that you could end up on a low income or depend on your husband's pension in later years.

Your guide to knowing your money and work rights and benefits.