Saving for a baby

clairehi

Good advice on costs for new baby kit, but dont forget Freecycle, Ebay and NCT sales are your friends for good quality second hand stuff. A lot of baby items are used for such a short period of time that they are virtually mint condition second hand. Also wait and see what friends donate to you!

Also, at the 6-9 month stage you will probably need some new equipment items such as a high chair, safety gates and a travel cot. A second stage car seat is also expensive and most babies have grown out of their first stage one by 9 months or so.

I am sure your mat leave will fly by. When you go back to work, childcare will be a major expense. Don't forget to find out if your employer offers childcare vouchers which help reduce the cost. There will be some future changes to eligibility for these - more info:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/childcare-vouchers#urgent

**kym**

Make-it-3 wrote: »

Kym - how did you do all your 'pregnancy' bits for £250? In my area hyno birthing classes alone are more than £250? My budget for similar things comes out to nearly £3K and that's even allowing for some freebies I've already got from freecycle.

£250 for hypnobirthing classes?! :eek: I wouldn't have been able to have afforded that which would have been a shame because the combination of hypnobirthing and waterbirth made my labour and birth such a wonderful experience with very manageable pain... THe exact costs were:

3D scan £49
Maternity bras and pants £74
Stretchmark cream £15
Yoga DVD £5
Alternative therapies - folic acid, raspberry leaf tea, arnica tablets, evening primrose oil capsules, clary sage oil, lavender oil, lavender base relaxation massage gel £19
Birthing ball £5
Hypnobirthing classes £50
Tens machine hire £24
Matenity pads and disposable pants £5
Books - what to expect when you're expecting and what to expect in the first year £4 - second hand

I spent next to nothing on clothes over the pregnancy as a lot of my normal clothes are A line and fit me to the end as I was quite small - maybe about £20 in primark on some vests a size larger than normal, some linen trousers and a nightie to birth in - I haven't included this in my total as I would normally have spent soooo much more money on clothes over the course of 9 months!!

I should say that although everything we bought isn't exactly a necessity, we have used absolutely everything we bought except the baby bath - definitely no need for this when you have a kitchen sink!

Miss_Penny_Pincher_2

gorgeous photo kym!

moneypuddle if you aimed to save say £4,000 that would comfortably give you the £2,400 to top up your income then £1,600 for buying all the items you want plus allows for extras during the first year. Even with breastfeeding and using cloth nappies you might find that there are hidden costs such as breastfeeding pads, more nursing bras as your shape changes, disposable liners, tea tree oil.

Then during the year there will probably be other small costs that add up like larger size clothes, Calpol, wipes, beakers, plates, spoons, cough medicine, ice cube trays, hand blender, swimming nappies, bibs, story books, musical toys, rattles, push along walker, first trike, jigsaws, shoes...

VK-2008

loving the above photo

as for saving just start buying bits in as you go along in a weekly shop

we have already got all out bottles, steriliers, playmat, toys, teddies, books, clothes, sleepsuits, mits, hats, bibs, booties, babygrows, blankets, towels, toiletries, dummies, thermometer, cutlery, muslins, burbies etc
if you buy it in it dont seem as bad, all we really need to get is the big things like cot, carseat, pram but as they are bulky we are holding off. remember you can get bargains and things in sale

emsywoo123

**kym** wrote: »

All added up, it seems to me that we spent a lot, but to be honest we really didn't notice it - we just bought slowly over the course of the pregnancy and it came out of our normal budget - my other expenditure went down in pregnancy as obviously I wasn't drinking or going out as much,

I think these 2 points are really important........buy gradually as and when things are on offer, rather than thinking "today I will buy the sterilizer" I saw it on offer at half price when I was about 16 weeks so got it then rather than waited. Really can save a fortune that way

And other costs really do go down when preggers.....alcohol, meals out (too sick 1st trimester, too knackered 3rd trimester!!) and no alton towers type things either :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

MARYSWISDOM

Do not bottle feed ,a new survey shows by breastfeeding your child you can save £970 per year not including all the health benefits that comes with breastfeeding!I done it for 18months .the best thing ive done but can be hard sometimes so contact your local peer support if you have one in your area.

onlyroz

Have you considered the costs of childcare once you return to work? Everything else is peanuts in comparison.

savingmummy

MARYSWISDOM wrote: »

Do not bottle feed ,a new survey shows by breastfeeding your child you can save £970 per year not including all the health benefits that comes with breastfeeding!I done it for 18months .the best thing ive done but can be hard sometimes so contact your local peer support if you have one in your area.

All very well if you can!
I was unable too as i had no milk at all:rotfl:

LilacPixie

MARYSWISDOM wrote: »

Do not bottle feed ,a new survey shows by breastfeeding your child you can save £970 per year not including all the health benefits that comes with breastfeeding!I done it for 18months .the best thing ive done but can be hard sometimes so contact your local peer support if you have one in your area.

You don't know the op's circumstances. possibly she can feed herself so the costs of bottles/sterilising equipment are real and valid expenses to be considered.