Having a baby is a very
exciting time and the mother-to-be especially cannot
wait to start preparing a nursery, choosing baby equipment
and stocking up on baby linen and clothes. Even if it
is your second or third pregnancy, that nesting feeling
is hard to ignore and partners often find this feeling
difficult to fathom.
Money worries and general finances are often the
biggest problem that affects couples. If you are both
working at the start of the pregnancy, it can be a
great concern as to how you are going to manage on
a reduced income. You are going to need all the help
you can get.
It has been estimated that it can cost as much as
$360 000 to raise a child from birth to the age of
21. That can be a daunting statistic to absorb. So
perhaps you need to keep costs under control right
from the start. Don’t be afraid to talk to your
partner about your concerns regarding money, and then
plan your finances together. Work out a proper budget
with a note of everything you spend each month. Make
a point of keeping receipts so you know where everything
is going and include all the regular outgoings. You
may find there are some areas where you could make
savings in the long term. Keep your credit and store
cards to the minimum
It is much more important that your baby feels safe,
secure, loved and cherished than showered with all
the latest equipment, designer clothes and masses
of toys. We all follow with interest news of the celebrities
and their own babies but we do not need to mimic their
lavish spending on the most expensive strollers or
diaper bags.
What essentials do you really need?
- Somewhere to sleep – A cot, mattress and
bedding with perhaps a Moses basket for those first
couple of months.
- Feeding equipment – for breast feeding you
will need nursing bras and a stock of breast pads.
For formula feeding you will need a set of bottles,
sterilizer plus formula which you will have to buy
until your baby is at least one year old.
- Clothes for your baby – these should be easy
to wash and to take on and off. You will need a basic
set for up to 3 months, 3 to 6 months and 6 months
to a year to keep you going. You can add to these
as your baby grows and you take stock of any extra
clothing you have been given.
- Diapers – while many moms opt for disposables,
a growing number are investing in reusable diapers
which are environmentally friendly and much easier
to launder these days. If you chose reusable diapers,
you will save a considerable amount in the long term.
- Getting out and about – a stroller that you
can adjust from newborn to toddler is the most useful
piece of equipment. These days they usually come with
a matching car seat too. Another useful piece of equipment
is a baby sling which you can use to carry your baby
on your front for the first few weeks.
As you go through the months of your pregnancy, put
aside a monthly sum to use to stock up on all the
basics you will need for your baby plus you can buy
many items in bulk so you have a good supply for the
first few months to a year. Some of the bulk items
would be baby wipes and diapers.
You can also spread the cost by buying one larger
item for your baby each month to avoid a big shopping
spree late in your pregnancy or when your baby is
born. Put together a list of the basic equipment and
clothing you will need such as our list above but
with more detail. Check this list against lists which
baby stores bring out.
You can then safely cross out about 50% of the store
lists as they will be encouraging you to buy as much
as possible!
When you have your own list completed, ask friends
and family what they think are really necessities.
Tap into their experience if they have had babies
in the last few years. They will have a good idea
of what you are likely to use. Often they will offer
to buy something from your list as a gift to you for
the baby or they will have that very piece of equipment
to lend to you. Be happy to accept such offers.
Other ways to budget for your baby
Family and friends will often organize a baby shower
for a new mom to be. If you know about such a shower
beforehand, you can be honest about letting your friends
know what you need. If it is a surprise, then you
will end up with extra baby goodies and you can always
exchange any duplicates for something else you need.
Sometimes family and friends will club together to
buy a large piece of equipment such a cot or a stroller
rather than buying lots of smaller items or a pile
of soft toys!
Check out equipment for sale in your local newspaper,
“used baby equipment shop” or on the internet.
www.craigslist.org is a good site to search. All of
these sources will sell equipment for much less than
if you were buying brand new.
If you are entitled to any company or government
benefits while you are pregnant, make sure you apply
for these. You can often save many dollars by buying
good products on the market that are generic. In addition,
collecting coupons both from you weekly newspaper
and on the internet can give you great savings too.
Most online stores have sales and if you combine such
sales with internet coupons or specials, you can save
money and have your purchases delivered to your door.
There are free websites to check out for coupons such
as www.couponchief.com and wwww.ultimatecoupons.com
As your baby starts to grow and needs larger toy
items and books, you can borrow from libraries and
of course when you join parent and baby/toddler groups,
your child will be able to try out lots of different
toys and equipment. Often by trying out a large toy
on your child first, you will be able to see if he
really enjoys it before you spend money on buying
it yourself. This can be another saving tip!
Finally, don’t forget to take care in cleaning
and maintaining your baby clothes and equipment so
that they have a good re-sale value if you want to
sell them on when your baby or babies have outgrown
them.
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