Now don’t get your hopes high …I haven’t got any news that I wish to share with you! We may yet add to our family once more – we aren’t decided yet – so thought this post about budgeting for a baby would be worth publishing.
People say that you hardly notice the cost of your second child and I can believe that is true if they are the same gender as your first-born – but what if they’re not? Sure, they can live in plain white babygro’s and bodysuits for a couple of months but eventually parents will end up splashing out on gender specific clothes. I did – and I am not even someone who goes in for gender specifics but I did find myself buying cute little dresses and other things which I had never owned before with Jack.
Here are my baby budgeting tips:
– Start buying things when pregnant. Obviously parents are going to start buying the big stuff before the baby comes along but the little stuff is often forgotten about in the process. Make sure to stock up on nappies, wipes/cotton wool balls, nappy sacks and bathing products for your child. Whether you plan to breast feed or formula feed, make sure to invest in a breast pump, formula and bottles just in case. You can always pass these on or sell them on if you don’t require them.
– Buy second-hand where possible. There are obviously some items that you shouldn’t buy second hand but why not take advantage of that bundle of baby clothes you saw selling for peanuts on your local Facebook selling page? As long as they are in fairly good condition, who is to know they aren’t new? Times are hard, we have to make savings where we can – even a second hand pushchair. A quick wash and they will be good as new. When it comes to budgeting, buying second-hand is always going to be a top tip.
–Take advantage of the stuff people give you. This counts for companies and friends/family alike. Plenty of companies will send you some freebies if you sign up to their mother and baby mailing lists. Make sure to join all the major baby clubs – Boots, Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda- you will get extra points or coupons. You may also find that people you know will give you some stuff they no longer need – I had a few people give us black bags crammed full of baby clothes with both Jack and Olivia – some were brand new! – plus we were given some nursery furniture too when it came to Jack!
– Don’t forget the baby shower! As mentioned above, take advantage of the stuff people give you. If you have a baby shower, you will get gifts which is lovely! You can also throw a baby shower party on a tight budget too – you can create the decor yourself using baby clipart and you can easily make the buffet food yourself too. A baby shower doesn’t have to be expensive.
-Enter competitions. I entered loads when I was pregnant with Jack – especially when I was on maternity leave and had more time on my hands – and I won loads of things for Jack. I didn’t win as much when pregnant with Olivia but still won some handy things. I entered for plenty of things to try and decorate their nursery – Jen has some fab tips for designing a nursery here.
Have you got any tips on budgeting for a baby?
