Young,married and baby on the way?

Question

Is it true every young married couple struggles with money? Will it get easier. He is 25 and just starting his job in law enforcement and I am 24 and managing a buisiness. We don't make much money around 2,800 take home. We always get our bills paid, but struggle at times. We are expecting our first baby this winter. I am having anxiety over this. Is this true for alot of other couples starting out?

Answer 1

Me and my husband are both 26. We got married and moved in together when we were 24. After a few months, we got pregnant and had a little girl. We rent a pretty pricey apartment, but that's only because it was the nicest we could find around here and safest. He makes around that amount of money too, and we do struggle at times, but we are fine with it. I don't mind struggling as long as the fridge always has food in it. If we always have food, we will not go hungry, if we pay our rent, we will always have shelter. Our little girl has all the clothes she NEEDS. Don't buy too much, you can buy a lot of cute stuff at the carter's and osh kosh outlets for way cheaper if not the same price as stuff they sell at walmart... but definitely cuter. Just try to cook a lot, go out every week or every other week for dinner... make it special, there's no need to go out and eat or party or spend every other day like some people I know. You'll make ends meet.. don't worry about it :o)

Answer 2

Even older couples struggle with money. My best advice is to set a budget and stick to it. Shop thrift stores, consignment shops and second hands stores for baby items. You can get beautiful things for much less then new and the baby won't know the difference.

The biggest part of managing money is managing the way you look at things. Instead of saying oh it's on sale or what a great deal, decide if you really truly need the item. We always give ourselves 24 hours to decide on any items over $50 that way we don't impulse buy.

When it comes to buying for baby only buy what you truly need. You can probably skip a changing table a bed or floor with a blanket laid down works just as well. Invest in a crib that converts to a youth/twin bed as it will last longer. See if any friends that have children would be willing to lend you baby items they no longer need.

The easiest trap to fall into is credit and buying trends. Been there. Credit will allow you to buy now what you really can't afford and then later the bill just adds up. Use cash whenever possible and if you must use credit, make sure you can pay it off within three months. As for trends make sure you realize there will always be something new and improved but stick with the bare necessities and instead put money away in savings and you'll find that you do better then most young couples.

Hop this helped and best of luck.

Answer 3

Take it from me. I am a twenty year old first time mother and wife. My husband and I both work and we are saving to buy a house. We make less than you and have lots of bills. Don't worry, as long as you work together, and have good communication things will get done and get better. Sometimes you have to wait until things subside, like having struggling times. I think every young couple has to go through it. Like you, we struggle at the end of every month and are sometimes worried about making the bills. I used to have anxiety over things like this too, but I learned just to have trust in my husband to provide for us. Make sure the things you are spending money on are absolutely necessary. No more shopping sprees and buying un-needed things. You learn to cope with it and live like that until things change. Best wishes and congratulations on your baby on the way. Everything will be fine, don't stress yourself out. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Answer 4

Honestly, everyone starts somewhere! I think it's hard because many of us have successful parents and think that we're somehow never going to be as well of as them. However, there was a point in time where everyone started out struggling!

That being said, you're going to be just fine!! Things might be a little tight for a little while, but you can handle it and it's probably not as bad as you think!

Sign up for special offers from all the baby companies and clip coupons. Get netflix or something and forgo the movie theater. Eat at home and not out so much (pack lunches too). Even little savings here and there add up!

Good luck and congrats!!

Answer 5

Absolutely. We joke that we had to pay off our daughter wasn't really ours until we finished the installments to the dr's office a year later!

We didn't really break free until Sam got a professional job and we lived in a fixer-upper for 10 years and then sold it at a nice profit.

Even now (23 years later) there are challenges. Our daughter attends one of the priciest universities in the country (on loans and scholarships). Mental illness runs in the family, so I can't work and our dr. and med bill is outrageous, even after insurance.

Our son didn't look both ways on his bike and ended up with brain surgery $45,000 (insurance covered most of that). The goofball says now he wants something with a motor on it, like a go-cart or a motorcycle (NOT!). Like I said, a challenge.

Just be happy, honey. Don't fight over the money, and certainly don't worry about it. Make sure each spouse has a little spending money ($27) each month to do whatever they want to with, no explanations asked.

Have fun with the baby (Dad played with her before she was born! He put pressure ANYWHERE on my tummy and she'd kick him. HARD. He almost grabbed her foot once!) Remember, you'll receive a lot of baby's necessities at a baby shower. That will help tons with expenses.

We didn't need to go out for entertainment anymore, because it was just so fun just to sit and watch her, talk to her, play with her. The first couple of months are rough, until you and she come to an agreement about bedtime.

If you feel up to it in a few months, you can hire a high schooler to babysit while you expand your entrepreneurship. Look at it as a 20-year-long adventure, the most rewarding adventure of your life.

TX mom
debbie

Answer 6

Yes it's true. We had Abigail early on in life also and we struggled. When we were planning on getting pregnant with our second one, we were thinking about waiting until we had more money in the bank, waiting until my husband was promoted, waiting until we paid of the car.... in the end we just jumped in. Had Jack, bought our first house. We struggle all the time, but if you wait until everything is perfect, it could be too late. So, I say, as long as you are able to hold jobs, have family that can help you if nec.(not financially but emotionally) than you will be fine.
How many families do you know that don't worry about money at all?
none.

Answer 7

I disagree with most of the answers here. It really depends on what your bills are.. like if you have a house payment, car payments, etc.

My fiance is the only one working right now. We have a house, electricity+water, truck, insurance, cell phone, and a few credit card bills, and we still do just fine. We can't "splurge" on things like we did before we had a baby, but we still get the bills paid, and have money left over for everything we need for us and the baby, and a few luxery items a month.

If you are both working I say you shouldn't have much of a problem, as long as you aren't "big spenders" on stuff you don't need.

When the baby gets here, your priorities will more than likely change anyways. Instead of wanting to buy things for yourselves, you will want to spend any extra money on your baby. This was true in my case! I was a shopaholic before I had my baby, but now that he is here, any extra money I have goes right to him!

Good luck!

Answer 8

Yes, and money is always tight. You have to learn to live beaneath your means if you ever want to save. Don't go spending a lot of money on all the baby stuff either. I spent $100 on a changing table that I never used. Spent $50 on a swing that my daughter didn't like. Family and friends spent so much money on clothes that were newborn to six months that she grew out of them before she even had a chance to wear most of them, that was a serious waste of money. Don't worry to much, the only thing a newborn really needs is diapers, blankets, and a good amount of onesies. Oh! and a whole lot of love.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

well me personaly i shop second hand stores, i make every penny count. dont get me wrong most the clothes i buy second hand are brand new still have the original store tags on them gap, tommy, jc peenys things that cost 20 at the store cost like 5 at a second hand store you can get everything you need for your baby there and spend less then half the money ! and yes young couples have struggles with money justbe smart with your money keep a tight budget sounds like you and your hubby will be just find good luck