just a question about newborns and money

[Irish_Alley]

I know it can be expensive when buying things for kids but I don’t know off and what’s my new monthly bill going to be im not really asking for a amount but more of what they will use like how many diapers daily the average baby will use formula all the essentials for him. any help would be greatly appreciated

[bake74]

     Honestly it depends on the child and the parents.  I have had two, a boy and a girl.
      In my case they were about the same, but I was a parent who checked diapers a lot, so I used more.  Feeding came at regular times with 2 snacks in between.  There is the diaper rash creme, formula is expensive if you go that route.  My biggest problem was keeping my wife from buying everything she could find for a baby, I'm sorry but a 2 or even 8 month old wont remember what he/she wore or had to play with, just as long as they are happy and have the support they need to grow up to be responsible adults is what really should matter, not impressing others.  Sorry, got carried away there for a minute.
   You should start putting money away though, sticker shock does happen with children, especially when they are first born. 
    In any case good luck, are you guys expecting, planning, or just had a child ?

[fitz]

Sounds like someone is going to be selling a truck soon.
Just kidding. I hope the baby is doing well.

[Irish_Alley]

Lol ill sell my wife before the truck. But she's due July 25th and like I told my mother in-law who hates my truck and who's been saying I should sell it. I told her I now have someone to pass the truck down to.  Think I want to do that just to get under her skin lol. But I'm more concerned about the basics. Cause I know my and her family will buy everything else. For one we qualified for WIC even though I work for the state so that will help alot.  Just trying to think ahead I know we will never have enough money but just looking for the basic supplies

[zieg85]

Kids are expensive, I raised 2.  Both at home still, a Junior in HS and the other a Junior in college.  I can't imagine how anyone can do it now a days.  They say it will be worth it all... The jury is still out on that however I wouldn't trade the good times for anything.  I felt I needed to sell my toy, a 72 Chevelle, because it would have become a money pit real fast.  Sacrifices were made and life goes on.  I found my extended cab and IMO have something more unique than the Chevelle ever could have been...

[daschlag]

First of all, congratulations!  We had our first (a boy) 18 months ago.  There is only so much you can do to prepare, because you can never fully prepare for what you're about to experience.

The first thing you'll notice is that all of the things you value now (yourself, your truck, your friends, your hobbies) will take a back seat to this tiny new person who depends upon you.  Not that you'll lose yourself, just that you won't be #1 anymore.  You'll only understand that once you meet him/her, look into his/her eyes, and see him/her looking back.  You'll find yourself prepared to do whatever it takes to provide for the little one and your wife, since she is the primary source of life, love, and nurturing for the baby.

You've definitely got the right attitude about all the stuff that people are just waiting to sell you.  They know exactly how to make it sound like your baby MUST have all this crap that, 100 years ago, didn't even exist yet.  For that matter, people have been around for what... 5000 years?  And they got along just fine without an electric baby-wipe warmer. 

Still, there are a lot of expenses to prepare for.  Yes, diapers.  We probably spend around $50/month on them.  Use Costco, or Amazon, or diapers.com and buy in bulk. 

We never used formula so that saved us a lot of money.  Instead, when breast-feeding got tough, we paid a nursing consultant (about $80) and fixed the issue.  He is still nursing to this day.  That's a very personal choice though and depends upon what works for mom and baby.  My only advice is don't give up too soon and remember that breast milk has all the nutrients the baby needs, and it's free!  We borrowed an electric breast pump from a friend (but bought our own tubes and bottles) so that mom could have a break from the baby once in a while.  If you plan to use formula, budget $200/mo, otherwise maybe $20/mo for bottles and stuff.  You can even rent a pump from the hospital for a nominal fee.

Accessories - crib, sheets, changing table, car seat, etc.  Ask around, because a lot of your friends or family might be sitting on stuff that they'd be happy to get rid of.  We got most of those items from friends or family, used, but plenty of life still in them.  Don't buy into the concept of dropping $2k at Babies R Us.  Not necessary.  Craigslist is your friend.  Budget about $200 up front and maybe another $40/mo for unexpected supplies.

Clothing - this is the one thing that is perfectly acceptable to beg for.  Who doesn't love buying clothes for a tiny new baby?!  Grandparents will take care of this for you, just be specific about what you need and what size.  You don't want to end up with 10 jogging suits when what you really need are sleepers and onesies.  Even so, sometimes you'll need something on short notice, so budget about $35/mo.

Health care - if you work for the state, you've probably got good coverage, but be prepared for the co-pays and deductibles, plus medicine, creams, etc.  Maybe $50/mo.

It adds up!  But if you have a realistic view on what is necessary and what is targeted marketing, you can come through in one piece.  As you stated, the most important thing your baby needs is love and nurturing.  I live in Seattle, where people have a lot of extra money lying around, and the general culture is that you demonstrate your love by spending lots of money.  Nannies, gadgets, designer clothes, even foreign language classes (yeah that's right) for infants are all commonplace around here.  Keep your wallet close, and your baby closer, and you'll be fine!  Good luck man.  And take good care of that truck so the kid will have something to take to prom.

[Captkaos]

Elizabeth is 4 now.  And all the projects I had got put on back burner.  I don't miss them at all and wouldn't trade them for anything.  She is my #1 project.  I am currently working on my Blazer that takes me away from here for a couple hours on weekends.  I feel guilty doing it some times.

Jamie and I breast fed, and saved a TON on forumula like daschlag did.

Hindsight I agree 110% with what daschlag posted.

Keeping the obscene purchases in check was the hardest, Jamie wanted to buy everything for Liz.  Her parents were doing the same and we finally decided to let them spoil her with stuff she didn't need; wipe warmer, diaper disposal bin, every possible outfit you could find as a gift and we left them in a box for a month and if it wasn't opened we returned it to the store.

[Grim 82]

Thrift stores and garage sales for the hard parts, and Sam's club for the software. Having a shower will yield some must have items, and alot of people have boxes upon boxes of old clothes and toys that they would part with.

[PromiseKeeper]

congrats Irish! Enjoy every minute of this...don't miss a thing with your wife or the baby. Be there for everything and you'll never regret it. It's like alot of things...if you wait till you can afford it, you'll never do it. 20 years from now you'll look back a see how blessed you are. I can remember selling my first fishing boat because we needed gravel in the driveway. Lots of water over the dam since then! Both are getting married this year...wow....am I that old??? I wouldn't change a thing 

[Irish_Alley]

Thanks for all the support and info. I am looking forward to this just making sure it all works out

[bake74]

     It will be the best day of your life, just like all your children b-days will be.  Congrats, and I am sure everything will be fine.

[N2TRUX]

Jamie and I breast fed, and saved a TON on forumula like daschlag did.

That had to be rough on you there buddy...

Kids are expensive, but well worth the investment. My daughter is 18 so anything I remember won't apply in todays times. What I will strongly suggest is start a savings plan TODAY. I have no idea what your financial situation is, but I will guess that you are like most people and can't afford College tuition. It's absolutely insane what a College cost these days, so it will only be worse by the time your newborn is ready.

I opened a savings account for my daughter when she was born. Fortunately I was diligent enough to stick with it, so she has the luxury of attending a major University and will come out of it with a degree, and no debt.

Good luck with that baby, and enjoy every blessed moment that they bring. Please think of its future today.

[1980c10]

Congrats,
-When I found out I was going to have a little girl I bought 1 large package of diapers in each size. This way I had a diaper break every time she grew to a bigger size.
-When a mother to be is pregnant they have a "nesting" instinct.
With this in mind allow her to make the purchases instead of yourself and try to steer her in the direction of more practical purchases, Such as the diaper idea etc. Also try to wait until after a baby shower so you don't double up on items.
-Think of friends you have with children and ask them to keep the hand me downs for your new baby. My best friend will never have to buy clothes for his little girl beause I give all the stuff she outgrows to him.
-My little girls clothes come from garage sales. I buy stuff for the next several years if it looks good and box it up and open it up and go through it every time she grow a little bit. A good sale or two can save a hundred dollars easy. I have bought plenty of name brand stuff with tags still on the clothes.
-Soon you'll have a little helper for your truck

[Lt.Del]

Forget the money...you'll never have enough, but you survive...cherish the memories and be thankful cameras nowadays don't require film developing.  It's been said here, you can't plan, just roll with it.  Ebay and yard sales are great for clothes that will only last 2 or 3 months anyway, then resell them and buy the next size up.

Be prepared for the best moment of your life!  I had a camera in the delivery room to keep the memory fresh for eternity.  I have run marathons when I was younger and I thought I felt the best adrenaline rush, best seconds of my life when I first crossed the finish line at 26.2 miles.  But, even that doesnt compare to the reality you're a daddy. After a 20 hr labor, when I went to the waiting room to tell the family at 3:07 am, I couldn't even talk, emotions just came over me in a flood.  I was afraid the family would think something went wrong, because I couldn't talk...I simply held up the OK sign w/ my hand and then the thumbs up...i could not talk. Wow, what a feeling!
I pull up Andrew's website (now six years old) whenever I need a pick-me-up
www.AndrewDelbridge.com showing his birth pics, all the way up to the past year or so...i need to update it now. the family loves it because they can watch him grow.

Don't forget to take time for your wife...it can get hectic for a while after birth, but you must show your wife attention...lots changes, no time for anything, no sleep....don't forget the important things.    

[roadrage41]

+1 for start buying diapers now. I went to the store every week and bought diapers, make sure you get a decent quality brand name ones, your baby will inevitably be allergic to a bunch of random things for a little bit. If you've got a toys'r'us in your area, get one of the shopping cards they have, and buy diapers from them, they're usually cheaper than wal mart surprisingly. I'd say sizes 2-3-4 are the most important, my daughter turns 1 next month and is just now on the verge of going to size 5.

Buy clothes on eBAY. you will have so many 0-3, 3-6, clothes that you  might as well get them from an online yard sale, and sell them back off that way too. Invest in Shout stain sticks and Dreft baby laundry detergent to keep it looking nice.

Avoid fancy name brand clothes, yes it is cute for your baby to have a new pair of nike's. your baby will probably wear them once. if at all. Check out etsy.com for handmade cute stuff on the cheap.

You also cant have too many receiving blankets and burp cloth's.