Look at it this way...your husband has a job that's able to support everyone just fine, you maybe run an in-home daycare or babysit for extra $$, you buy generic diapers or Huggies from the dollar store (yes, they have them), and get perfectly good clothes from Goodwill and Consignment shops. You breastfeed, so no food costs for now, and when they do start eating it's very inexpensive, you just have to know where to get good deals. Excluding their college money and things like that way down the road, can someone xplain to me why people say it costs so much? Remember that people have been saying that for years...and time shave changed drastically, so if you think hard on it it's not like that anymore.
2007-09-07 08:50:56 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
you're right... babies CAN be fairly inexpensive but the reality is that many people just can't be frugal when it comes to anything and especially not when there is a NEW BABY!!! i am super frugal but still think i'd have a hard time reigning in the spending. also many families aren't able to maintain their lifestyle on just one income. i HAVE to work in order for my husband and i to live in the house that we have and love and live the way we do. we don't have any credit cards so our debt is minimal (one car note and our mortgage) but i carry our medical insurance because it's cheaper and better than my husband's. if we had a kid we would have to utilize daycare which IS expensive and just not an option for me and many people.
but congrats to you for being able to manage a family on a budget!!
2007-09-07 09:03:41 · answer #1 · answered by somebody's a mom!! 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Because they do! Kids aren't all they're cracked up to be! And i know because I used to be one! You have to take into consideration that when a baby is born, you got hospital bills to pay for their care, add to that the number of hospital visits your child needs for stuff like flu shots. Then you gotta worry about feeding that child and putting clothes on its back. Up until that child is 18, the biggest challenge will be to provide a way for the child to go to college just in case he/she doesn't get a scholarship of some sort. How could you say that when a child starts eating, it's inexpensive? OK, that may be a fact now, but when the child starts growing up, you better be prepared for a healthy appetite, and it's coming from the kid! Because kids stop growing at 18, you can expect them to have a king-size appetite until that age! If you take away college money, that's just one expense gone but you still have to understand that even without it, it's still going to be expensive! Children need to go to the best schools they can to get the right education they deserve. The clothes need to be decent so other people will at least think that the providers of that child are not hard up for money too! Then, if the child wants to play sports, he/she is going to need the right equipment to get started. What about graduation? That's going to cost a fortune with getting that child sent off to school as well as getting relatives to come for support as well as a party to celebrate the success.
Let's not forget that besides money, it's going to cost parents a lot of time and effort. When you have children, it's a 24/7 job that you get no time off for, no paid holidays, and no benefits! The reason times have changed drastically is because the money that is being made by big companies and/or individuals, wasn't as big as it is today! Back then, a million dollars that was made for a company or individual was unheard of, now everybody (not really) is making that kind of money! With that income, in comes the food, in comes the clothes, in comes the necessities that you and the children need. Without it, well.....what you have is the outcome of no income!
2007-09-07 16:18:04 · answer #2 · answered by Nate 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
2 words... Single Parent! I don't have a husband who works so I can stay home and earn that "extra income" you speak about... I pay $440 a month in daycare alone so that I can work, and this is a single parent rate! I have a 4 year old, so while she doesn't need diapers, she still needs a new wardrobe twice a year, and some inbetween clothes if needed. Not to mention shoes, haircuts, toiletries, laundry soap, food for her, health insurance, furniture, field trips at school... yeah, breastfeeding is the cheap way to go now, but baby food is not that cheap, and children eat a lot! When the reality of it hit you, let me know... HA!
2007-09-07 16:15:48 · answer #3 · answered by Leigha S 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I disagree with you slightly. Until you have a baby most people, have both the wife and husband working. If there doing fine at this point then that's good, and don't forge t many people have school loans, home loans, car loans etc. Then a baby comes along, which costs for the birth, clothes, and begginning diapers etc. mother stops working so there goes that income, and how many one time mothers can handle there baby and also someone else kids? Plus in order to run an "in home" daycare center you have to get permits 9cost money) inspections (more money) and supplies for the kids your watching. Then theres the monthly doctors bills, diapers, babys grow fast so you have to buy mroe clothes, and you have more clothes to wash b/c they get their clothes dirty fast and thats more money for water! All of this is going on half of the income that you were living on before your baby came into this world! What if mom goes back to work instead of staying home? then you have to find someone who can babysit, if your luck a family member, if not your shelling out money everymonth for someone else to be with your baby! All in all babies are great and wonderful, at the appropriate time in life when your financially stable to live off of one income and having extra expenses coming in!!
2007-09-07 16:10:25 · answer #4 · answered by Brittany M 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are talking about an ideal situation. Some babies just don't breastfeed and you are forced to buy formula and bottles. Although they do work alot of times, some babies have cannot use generic diapers, or even Huggies, because of an irritant in the diaper, or they just leak. My friend can only use Pampers with her son because all other leak! Another thing you didn't mention is doctors visits, medications, shampoos, diaper rash creams, and other unexpected things that come up. While some are able to keep their costs to a minimum, others have no choice. It's mostly because of nessecity, not to spoil the baby.
One more thing, if you hubby barely makes enough to get by every month, the little extra adds up if you don't have it.
Just a thought....
36 weeks with #2
2007-09-07 16:06:39 · answer #5 · answered by Rebecca 4 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Babies are always growing so for every growth spurt they get they need new clothes and shoes..etc. Diapers are really expensive, and formula! Almost $5.00 for a concentrate can for people who choose not to breastfeed because of personal reasons. And they eat a whole lot more when they get bigger. And the cost of heating and electricity. They need night lights on at night because they are scared. They need the extra heat during the winter because they are small. So yeah raising a child cost a lot. Raising children cost even more. But all and all they are worth all my money.
2007-09-07 20:42:59 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Husbands usually have to get 2 or more jobs to support a stay-at-home mother. Oftentimes couples will decide that one parent will be full-time and the other will be part-time to bring in more money. Still, sometimes the full-time parent takes on a second job anyway.
Also, the cost of daycare is killer, which is why a lot of times one parent is only part-time.
here's a list of the ESSENTIALS for a newborn baby:
crib
receiving blankets
diapers
wipes
bathtime washes
carseat
clothing
diaper bag
After that, in the first year you still need to buy:
more diapers
more wipes
more clothing
more bath stuff
toys
food
stroller
shoes
After that, on a yearly basis you can count on having to get the following regularly for the child:
MORE clothing (but less as they get older and stop growing out of everything so fast)
MORE shoes
MORE food
MORE bath stuff
MORE toys
In addition to all of this, you have to pay hospital bills for you (popping a kid out is no cheap adventure, so you'd have to hope that you have some damn good insurance) and them (regular checkups, emergency visits, etc. - once again hopefully the insurance is good). Medicine for when he/she's sick.
Remember your parents buying you school supplies every year? That can cost anywhere from $20-$300 depending on what you need to get. Imagine that EVERY YEAR (in addition to back-to-school clothing and shoes). In addition, there are usually additional things parents need to pay for, such as fees for field trips, extracurricular activities, and class fees. Those can be anywhere from $2 to somewhere in the thousands in one pop.
THEN you get into the extra stuff. Birthdays? Holidays like Christmas? Halloween costumes? Presents for their friends birthdays? Extra hobbies (model building, music, computers, etc.)
Instead of just thinking of the first month, try thinking about the whole 18 years.
2007-09-07 16:25:21 · answer #7 · answered by Laura 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they do!
Health care for one. You CANNOT skimp on health care with a child. And children get sick at any given time over any given reason. By yourself you can pick and choose how to deal with your health issues alone or through the doc but not with kids.
Food expenses (formula), clothing (they're constantly growing out of everything), utilities (kids are not responsible with energy conservation), gifts (kids always want presents for special occassions), repairs (kids break stuff), and medicine (being a parent often raises your aspirin bills).
College funds and car insurance when they're older too. Job opportunities limited because of familial obligations.
Think hard before you wanna have a kid. You better have some money coming from somewhere or it's gonna be HELL.
Not counting one parent skipping out on the family. Left that out.
John Lucas
2007-09-07 16:19:00 · answer #8 · answered by johnlucas31320 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Health care premiums for good health insurance and the co-pays for routine care can be the icing on the money cake. Yes, you can do most child rearing frugally, but it is hard to get around the $150/ per month per person health insurance costs. Maybe your husbands job pays 100% of it- that is a wonderful advantage many families just can't afford.
My parents were 17 & 20 when they had us. We did not have health insurance. We were dirt poor. We were happy. But we were healthy. If we had gotten sick, or a disease it would have meant homelessness. We were lucky then.
2007-09-07 16:04:08 · answer #9 · answered by quirky 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well as for me i must give my daughter the best, preowned clothes? Not for my little girl, i get her new clothes, from babies r us. Toys are all brand new, true about the breast milk, i did that until she rejected my Brest and i had to buy a pump, and as most of us know, Brest milk drys up rather quickly when you have to pump. So i had to switch to bottles and formula, again, no generic brand there, similac was what she got. Then diapers, generic tend to leak allot, so i stick with my huggies. All her toys are either fisher price or playschool. Then her room is done in princess. But if you do stick to things like that yeah it can be pretty cheap, but i feel bad that i'm not giving her the best. So i hope that helped a little.
2007-09-07 16:24:07 · answer #10 · answered by sarah 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because you want whats best for your child. You want the best education the best clothes the best food. Not everyone can or will breastfeed and as they grow older they have wants and needs. They want to play sports or go to prom and have a nice dress or nice clothes so they don't go to school and get made fun of. Did you walk around in high school in good will clothes? I know I didn't. And I know I don't want my child to. And secondly not everyone is married. They are in a long term relationship... And both parents should work. As time goes on rent goes up, you have gas, a car insurrance, electric, food, your own clothing, and then you have a child that will grow older and you can't tell them no they cant do a sport or school activitie cause you can't afford it you will crush their dreams. You can't send your kid to school looking raggety they will call social services or other kids will think there poor and hurt their feelings. Kids are expensive.. They Don't come with instructions... And they need responsible adult role models to take care of them correctly and afford the things they need. Also what if your child is born with problems that they have to have special teachers, or multiple surgeries? Nothing in the world is free especially not taking care of a child.
2007-09-07 15:59:57 · answer #11 · answered by Jesmo 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋