okay, so i've been a renter out in the country for a while now, and also childless... well, my husband & i made an offer on a house that's in the city and found out we were going to have a baby in the same week! eep!!
i'm making a budget (particularly for the 12 week leave i will need to take when the baby comes) but i'm not sure what to include... here's what i got so far.
~electricity (not sure how much it will be?? do rates vary a lot within a similar region?)
~cell phone (no land line)
~water & sewer (absolutely NO CLUE! never had to pay before)
~mortgage (PITI, TBD)
~credit card bills ($200/month)
~car insurance (<$75/month)
~OB payments (next 7 months $170/month; hospital bills following)
~doctor copays (?$50/month? 2 visits for a while)
~prescriptions ($40/month)
~diapers ($???)
~groceries ($200)
~gas ($100? it will go down from what it is now, our commute will be about 1/3 of what it is currently)
~garbage ($20/month?)
anything else you can think of? thnx
2007-07-31 06:26:18 · 4 answers · asked by Ember Halo 6 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
for the baby we have the crib & bedding lined up & I'm planning to breastfeed.
wipes though!! definitely! thnx
2007-07-31 06:36:58 · update #1
aw, thanks!!
2007-07-31 06:42:50 · update #2
oh, and i have to put aside money for savings also... $300/month until the baby is born for my FMLA leave
2007-07-31 06:43:38 · update #3
my insurance only covers 80% :( after a $300 deductable.
gas bill!!! i totally forgot! the house has gas heat.
2007-07-31 06:52:23 · update #4
we're cutting back big time!
no cable, no internet, no home phone, cancelling our gym memberships, hubby is quitting smoking; he's handy with the car & he just tuned it all up.
our one splurge we decided on for entertainment is a subscription to Netflix for $17/month! (we can rent workout videos & movies! yay!)
2007-07-31 06:55:21 · update #5
When you own your own home, there are always expenses popping up. Might be minor (faucet washer needs to be replaced), could be major (water heater goes - figure several hundred dollars). Also there will be things you need when you move in, even if you already have enough furniture - curtains for example.
Yes, electricity prices can vary a lot. Also, will you have gas service? Are you planning to have cable TV? Internet service?
Don't see anything there for clothes - you'll need some.
If you have medical insurance, and apparently you do since you talk about copays, won't that cover most of the OB bill and the hospital bills?
With the new baby - baby furniture, equipment and clothes - you might get some of this at a shower if you have one, or grandparents sometimes buy some of it. A $20 pack of diapers might last a week.
You also need money for the "stuff" that happens - car repairs for example. And miscellaneous expenses - you can cut back on spending, but there will still be some extra things you buy.
Congrats on your new home, and the baby - good luck all around.
2007-07-31 06:45:02 · answer #1 · answered by Judy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
for the baby, along with diapers you will have clothing, bedding, baby wipes, formula, bottles, toys. You sould be able to call your local companies for their rates on things like electricity and garbage.
2007-07-31 13:35:32 · answer #2 · answered by its me 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
congrats on upcoming challenges.
suggest a visit to daveramsey.com to learn what u'll need about money budgets and stuff they don't teach in college.
2007-07-31 14:17:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
WOW!!! Congrats!!!!!
Ive got neither children nor my own home, but I thought I would congratulate you regardless!!! AWESOME!!!!
Dont forget homeowners insurance!!!
2007-07-31 13:41:07 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋