Kids <monthly cost?>

[adrianp89]

Me and the wife and are going to start trying for a kid later this year. Just curious what you guys with new borns see for monthly costs all in? Probably seems like a weird question but I like always be prepared and plan ahead.

 

[tabbibus]

Best of luck. First kid I assume? No idea the actual amount. But the biggest recurring expenses are diapers. Get the most out of a baby shower so you don't have to buy the one time things.

Amazon subscribe and save for all those recurring stuff

 

[Rockit69]

1,080.13

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Just go to Walmart I see a lot of people buying them there some even buy 2 at a time when I see them in their shopping cart I warn them to put them back on the shelf because they are really expensive and then they grow up move out and have kids of their own and then those grow up and have kids of their own and then you die.

 

[Acard7]

You’ll stop spending your money on other things once you have the kid, so it sorta balances out. For example, the wife and I loved going out with friends on the weekend, that obviously stopped and made us realize how much we were spending doing that before

Daycare around rural Iowa for us is about 500 a month but that’s only 4 days a week. So once you have found out you’re pregnant just start looking for daycares to hold a spot (if you’re going to go that route).

I’d agree with the diapers convo above, that cost piles up, but subscribing helps. Formula also is pretty pricey, if you can find it right now. Just starting out with the first kid is expensive because you have to start from ground up. So make sure you get on a registry and hope there’s some that will buy the big ticket items!

Good luck and don’t get disheartened if your Wife doesn’t get pregnant right away! My wife is due with our second daughter this Friday. 2 kids will be an adventure lol.

 

[TimW451]

Monthly expenses are nothing compared to the capital costs. Buy and trade preowned what you can, toys, clothes, etc. Don’t step inside a Babies R Us. Ask those who been before you what to really buy and not buy. Lower your average cost per kid by having at least two or three. Sell the golf clubs, won’t be using them for several years. Good thing you’re already doing boat rentals. Start saving for college now, still won’t have enough, but you’ll be closer.

 

[adrianp89]

Monthly expenses are nothing compared to the capital costs. Buy and trade preowned what you can, toys, clothes, etc. Don’t step inside a Babies R Us. Ask those who been before you what to really buy and not buy. Lower your average cost per kid by having at least two or three. Sell the golf clubs, won’t be using them for several years. Good thing you’re already doing boat rentals. Start saving for college now, still won’t have enough, but you’ll be closer.

I think I will keep overall cost low by only having one! lol

Good call on pre-owned. I bet you can find some good stuff pretty cheap on the marketplace or OfferUp.

 

[adrianp89]

Good luck and don’t get disheartened if your Wife doesn’t get pregnant right away! My wife is due with our second daughter this Friday. 2 kids will be an adventure lol.

Well if we can't get pregnant I am going to order my dream car I was told I can't have lol - I will take a win either way!

 

[adrianp89]

You’ll stop spending your money on other things once you have the kid, so it sorta balances out. For example, the wife and I loved going out with friends on the weekend, that obviously stopped and made us realize how much we were spending doing that before

Daycare around rural Iowa for us is about 500 a month but that’s only 4 days a week. So once you have found out you’re pregnant just start looking for daycares to hold a spot (if you’re going to go that route).

I’d agree with the diapers convo above, that cost piles up, but subscribing helps. Formula also is pretty pricey, if you can find it right now. Just starting out with the first kid is expensive because you have to start from ground up. So make sure you get on a registry and hope there’s some that will buy the big ticket items!

Good luck and don’t get disheartened if your Wife doesn’t get pregnant right away! My wife is due with our second daughter this Friday. 2 kids will be an adventure lol.

$500 a month - that is insanely cheap. I have heard of $700 a week here. We both work from home with flexible schedules so we can probably make it work without daycare luckily.

 

[Beachbummer]

Cost saving tips:

Breastfeeding if you can pull it off.

Have it after you're siblings so you inherit their baby stuff.

Buy used and collect free stuff as much as you can.

Very personal opinion.

If you can set it up so wife can stay home as long as possible, it helps greatly. This of course depends on personality too, but if she is willing, when adding the cost of daycare and how well the kids do with a parent at the house before they start school, it's a huge expense that will pay in how well the kids will do. If you can't do it, so be it, and the lost income is not trivial, but if you set it up right and can afford it, it will be worth it. (Same as natural birth vs cesarean, formula vs. Breast milk. Daycare vs. parent at home) The option is perfectly valid and exists for a reason, but if you can pull off the harder one, that much better.

Best of luck!!!

 

[Sean R]

When we had out first (17years ago) my wife stayed home, money was tight but it was really a great experience for both of us, she loved it. The hardest part for my wife was the other mothers, at first the working moms would say things like "I don't know how you just can sit at home all day" and then 8 years later when she went bach to work the stay at home moms would say " I just couldn't abandon my children" it would piss me off and really hurt my wife's feelings. So no matter what, someone will have an oppion. You do what best for you guys and also women can be mean.

 

[Beachbummer]

@Sean R your comment is so spot on. Best advice I can give, take what works, ignore what doesn't. You try your best and learn what works for you. Everyone has an opinion, and every kid is different too. Don't let others weigh too much into your happiness and style with raising your kids.

Folks can mean well and say the darnest things. Quickly develop skin required to ignore what needs to be ignored. The earliest the better.

Best of luck!

 

[DogDadDave]

The important thing is that there's a huge range in possible costs and you shouldn't feel bad for anything you choose to do spending-wise as long as you're not putting their health and safety in jeopardy.

Daycare is $12k+ a year around me. We have a private sitter for our not quite year old son that has a son about the same age and fortunately costs about the same as the local daycares and he's a lot happier there.

Food was free the first 4 months because he breast fed 100%. Otherwise his impact on our food bill is like $20-30 a week in blueberries, strawberries, bananas, etc. We eat out less so we probably save money.

Clothes can cost what you want then to. Buy all brand new name brand stuff of buy at Walmart or second hand. Diapers are what they are.

Fortunately we get to re-use the crib, infant car seat, height chair, etc for kid #2 (plan is to start trying soon), but we're probably going to some money turning the baby gear storage room in to a toddler room over the next few months.

Don't forget the infant life vest for the boat!

 

[drewkaree]

My wife and I are in agreement, skip the kids and have the grandkids first. They're WAY more fun and easier to deal with.

 

[Quad]

When our kid was born, my wife was working from home with a flexible schedule. She basically worked and provided for him until he was about 1.5 yrs old then we moved him into daycare. We used washable diapers and that was my responsibility. Saved a ton of cash that way. Childcare ended up being $2000+/mo.

 

[Matt_D]

My twins are 14, now. When they were born, we quickly went from double income, no kids to single income, two kids. Money was tight, but the time with the kids can't ever be bought. When they were infants, we saved a lot of money buying second hand at mom-to-mom sales. Keep your eye out for those. File a new W4 right away when the baby is born. Your tax withholdings will drop quite a bit, freeing up some money for your new expenses.

 

[AZMark]

We both work from home with flexible schedules so we can probably make it work without daycare luckily.

This is my wife’s thinking and it does not work. It’s ruining our lives and relationship.
Plan on getting help, paid or family or both.

 

[adrianp89]

This is my wife’s thinking and it does not work. It’s ruining our lives and relationship.
Plan on getting help, paid or family or both.

We will have help from her mother. Probably not much from my side. What makes it difficult?

 

[Southernerd]

It depends on how much stuff your wife commands you to purchase in addition to the 300+ diapers a month, etc.... It does get more expensive over time, as well.

 

[Matt_D]

What makes it difficult?

Who else laughed when they read this? When they're not asleep, a baby is a full time distraction from anything productive you're trying to accomplish in life. So even though your schedule is flexible, your day will be interrupted constantly. Your mileage may vary, but that's my experience.