How much does having a baby cost?

Hi, I know this is a difficult question to answer but me and OH have talked about trying for a baby next year and I was just wondering........:rolleyes:

Be lovely to hear from you
Currently studying for a Diploma - wish me luck :)

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  • pretzelnut
    pretzelnut Posts: 4,301 Forumite
    Babies cost as much or as little as you like to spend.

    Ok you have the essentials, like pram, car seat, nappies, wipes etc, but there is so much stuff out there that you are lead to believe you need but you dont really.

    We have bought a lot on ebay and had a lot of stuff given to us. The biggest expense is the drop in income for 9 months whilst im on maternity leave but we budgetted early and are already living on 1 wage before my maternity starts that way its not a shock to have less money and an extra mouth all atthe same time.
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  • snugglepants
    snugglepants Posts: 509 Forumite
    I agree, a baby/child costs as much as you are willing to spend.

    In my personal opinion, the first year is the cheapest. The main expense is nappies, if you're breastfeeding. And clothes....well, I'm a firm believer in hand-me-downs for the first few moths at least - they sick and poo on everything so you don't need anything fancy! Even if you can't get hand-me-downs, cheap babygros are all you need in the 1st few months (and vests) clothing-wise.

    As the poster before said as well, there is so much you're lead to believe you need when really you don't. Like baby toys....they like to chew things and like bright colours. Thats it. You can stimulate their minds with things around you, instead of gimmicky things that most of the time are useless!

    Making your own baby food is fun, easy and inexpensive. Plus much better for baby :)

    As has been said, it's just preparing yourself to live on the income you will have when you do have a baby. And a brilliant way to do this is to simply work out what you will have as income then, and put into savings the difference right now, to see how you "survive" :)

    In my personal experience, it's when they start school that all the expenses start...........:rolleyes:
  • barnaby-bear
    barnaby-bear Posts: 4,142 Forumite
    Babies cost as much or as little as you like to spend.

    Ok you have the essentials, like pram, car seat, nappies, wipes etc, but there is so much stuff out there that you are lead to believe you need but you dont really.

    We have bought a lot on ebay and had a lot of stuff given to us. The biggest expense is the drop in income for 9 months whilst im on maternity leave but we budgetted early and are already living on 1 wage before my maternity starts that way its not a shock to have less money and an extra mouth all atthe same time.

    It's not the buying the stuff for them, that's minor consideration.
    It's the cost of:
    - housing/rent, access to affordable mortgage/rent/housing benefit
    - the loss of one salary
    - the cost of childcare if both parents continue to work

    The additional cost of things can be minimal - it's the fact that someone has to earn enough to pay your current living costs and cover the cost of someone (childcare or stay-at-home loss of salary) looking after the kid....

    You'll get lots of advice on puree-ing carrots and washing nappies to save the odd fiver but if you have a hefty mortgage/rent and no family offering free chilcdcare it's probably not the biggest concern....
  • rocketdog_2
    rocketdog_2 Posts: 144 Forumite
    Lots! When people say "they only need love" - ignore them, it's utter rubbish!!

    Start saving now and you'll be ok.
  • sparkle03
    sparkle03 Posts: 868 Forumite
    This has probably been said already but to put it quite simply, babies do cost you money, but at the end of the day its upto you how much they actually cost.
    In your heart of hearts you must have an idea if you have the spare cash for a baby?
    Equipment can be easily gotten hold of for free or cheaply from second hand sources, for example I have a 10 week old and I bought her crib for upstairs from ebay brand new in the box for £5.00 - bargain! But then I went and spent over £100 on the moses basket for downstairs! A fancy pram isnt needed but if you want one like I did then you have to save for it!

    Once you have all the initial stuff you have to remember they are growing fast and will need nappies and milk (if not breast feeding!)

    Its hard to understand but it really is true about them costing as much as you let them!

    Good Luck if you take the plunge!
    x

    Ps I also have a six year old and he costs a fortune! School trips, pocket money, clothes, trainers, uniform and days out and treats! But I spend on him how I can if I didnt have the cash for the things I buy him I would just downgrade iyswim?...........

    ''I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
    Marilyn Monroe
  • sparkle03
    sparkle03 Posts: 868 Forumite
    It's not the buying the stuff for them, that's minor consideration.
    It's the cost of:
    - housing/rent, access to affordable mortgage/rent/housing benefit
    - the loss of one salary
    - the cost of childcare if both parents continue to work

    The additional cost of things can be minimal - it's the fact that someone has to earn enough to pay your current living costs and cover the cost of someone (childcare or stay-at-home loss of salary) looking after the kid....

    You'll get lots of advice on puree-ing carrots and washing nappies to save the odd fiver but if you have a hefty mortgage/rent and no family offering free chilcdcare it's probably not the biggest concern....

    I can see where your coming from but I think we are answering assuming that this is all already sorted! (on the housing front anyway) It would be utter madness to consider trying for a baby if this wasnt the case! And with regards to work I can again see where your coming from but thats a whole other subject! :D

    ''I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
    Marilyn Monroe
  • fernliebee
    fernliebee Posts: 1,803 Forumite
    How long is a piece of string?

    There have been a few recent threads on here about the cost of babies, have a little search as I remember there being some great advice on these!

    As far as I am concerned my DD doesn't cost us much at all. We 'toned down' our lifestyle in preparation for trying for a baby and so spend much less now than we did BB (Before baby) She is 1 ATM, so we think of it as they get more expensive the older they get. Up until they go to school it is your call on how much to spend on what but like previous posters say once they are in school there are things they need like uniform, school trips etc.

    IMO you will never be 'ready' for a baby but if you want it enough you will make any situation work.
  • ragz_2
    ragz_2 Posts: 3,254
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    I think it depends on how much you earn. If you earn more as you are both earning you'll obviosly find the drop in income difficult. Also people used to spending a lot will spend a lot on a baby. Ours barely cost us anything, in fact we seem to be better off the more we have!
    For a family already on a low income like us, you will receive tax credits as well as the child benefit everyone gets and I find that's plenty enough to raise a kid on. Maternity grants pay for equipment (and at £500 a time, buying second hand or being given stuff means a profit!), which you only need the first time.

    Anyway, whatever your situation I really don't believe cost should be an issue when it comes to deciding to have a baby. If you can't handle a drop in income and don't want to get used to spending less on yourselves then you probaby aren't ready to have a baby. Parenting is about sacrifice.
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  • skintchick
    skintchick Posts: 15,114
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    THere is a similar thread on this subject you might like to look at, but what I said on there was that we have bought most of our stuff new, from high-end brands (Silver Cross, for example, for our travel system) and have spent around £1300 on everything including washable nappies (way cheaper than disposables overall), the cot, the travel system, a sling, toiletries, and general other stuff including some non-essentials.

    If you breastfeed there is little extra cost there except food for you, then there's the cost of things like baby massage classes and stuff you might want to go to.

    I think they get expensive as they get older, TBH. Small babies don;t appear to need a great deal.
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  • galvanizersbaby
    galvanizersbaby Posts: 4,676 Forumite
    sparkle03 wrote: »
    I can see where your coming from but I think we are answering assuming that this is all already sorted! (on the housing front anyway) It would be utter madness to consider trying for a baby if this wasnt the case! And with regards to work I can again see where your coming from but thats a whole other subject! :D

    I think the loss of one parents wage is often one of the main costs for many associated with having a baby if both parties are working in the first place of course.
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