Having a baby is easily one of the biggest decisions that any couple will make in their adult life, yet strangely it’s also one of the easiest decisions to make. It’s the natural evolution of a relationship between man and woman after getting to know one another and enjoying some couple time, holidays etc. The time will come when you want to start a family and cement your love for each other and having a baby that will show the world how much you love each other. But, it is not cheap!
In recent research by child poverty action group, it was found that nowadays it costs a couple around £75k to raise a child to the age of 18 and single parents just under £102k. In anybody’s book that is a serious amount of money. It’s actually like a lottery win, haha! Omg I could have been a millionaire if I didn’t have five children. Only joking!
So if you’re planning on starting a family, it’s important to know the costs and the best way to not only achieve the best for your child but also affording it within your budget. There is a guide that offers invaluable help to couples who are planning for a baby on a budget.
From the moment you get pregnant it so important to budget. I remember when my wife was pregnant with our twin girls the first thing we did was to work out all our outgoings such as bills etc and then how much money we were earning so we would know how much we had left so we could budget that money towards all the stuff we would need for our new babies. It was certainly going to be a challenge especially as everything you need for a baby was doubled up with twins.
Planning for the arrival of your new baby is something that should be started as soon as you find out you are pregnant. This could involve planning to buy certain items that you are going to need from the moment your baby is born. It’s a good idea to start stockpiling nappies and baby grows because those first few months you are going to need a lot. It’s also worthwhile to look into cloth nappies (re-useable nappies) as they could save you a fortune in comparison to disposable nappies and of course they are much better for the environment.
Another really good way to help you budget is to do a wish list of things you will need. Family and friends are always willing, and in fact want to help out, but instead letting them decide what to buy why not show them your wish list of the things you need.
When you are planning for a baby on a budget it’s not always vital to have brand new products for such items such as a cot or a pram, and nowadays there are plenty of Facebook groups where you can buy second hand equipment which is like new and is a fraction of the cost. We saved a fortune when we were able to buy a cot second hand.
Having a baby is an expensive time and it will be costly, but planning a baby on a budget can be done and if the planning is done before the baby is born it will leave you less stressed when your baby arrives and you can enjoy what is truly the most wonderful, exciting time of anybody’s life – becoming a parent.
One part of planning your baby budget is knowing how much time you have before the baby arrives. The easiest way of doing this is by getting a pregnancy ultrasound scan. You can use these to determine how far along you are.
Armed with that in hand, you’ll have more of a timeline for getting things together. That could mean that you’ll have more breathing room than you’d expect.
Remember to have everything gotten and budgeted for several weeks before the baby is due to arrive; they can always come a little earlier than expected.
It’s all about organising your money, planning out how much money you have to spend on your new arrival and staying within your fixed budget.
What are your tips for planning for a baby on a budget? I would love to hear in the comments below.
