Collaborative Post
Starting a family is a really exciting time but as most parents know – they will need to manage their money differently compared to before. There are lots of things we need to think about. Such as diapers, child care, formula and more. We need to also think about savings so we don’t go into more debt once we’re ready to have our baby. We’ve put together some things to watch out for when starting a family
Ways to Save and Understanding a Baby Budget
Budgets are likely to increase with a new baby. On things such as clothing, baby food, formula, diapers and so on. It’s important to plan ahead. Things further down the line such as school costs, clothing and entertainment need to be thought about as well. When planning ahead it’s important to have these forecasted numbers.
In the early days there are ways to save with a baby budget. One way is to enjoy baby freebies now and again. There are many different ways to enjoy baby stuff for free. Such as asking for samples from hospitals and manufacturers as well as friends and family. The list is endless. There is a knack to it and can take practice but it’s worth it in the long run to save money.
Child and Baby Care Costs
Let’s be honest child mind and care can be expensive. The way baby freebies could work in this case is through child minding with friends and family. They can’t help all the time though. Most of us plan to work while raising a family as some of us don’t have a choice. It’s vital to save money ahead of time to cover these increasing costs of child care. Having a budget in place for this is vital.
Life Insurance Budget
When a family comes around it’s vital to have life insurance. You need to know have that budget in case anything happens and someone passes away. So saving for this is important too. In the early days budgeting on your baby can help – as mentioned discovering baby deals and other freebies for babies.
Moving to a Family Home
Some of us need to move the more babies we have. Plan ahead and think how much you’ll need for a mortgage for a bigger house is another budgeting factor to think about. As your family grows and gets older you might want to move to an area with a better schooling system too.
Other Lifestyle Budget Changes for your Family
There are other things you will need to account for when deciding to raise a family. How much will a vacation cost each year? What will you need to give up and spend less on? Buying extra plane tickets and food costs. Everything does add up so it’s important to factor in all of these changes.
Saving Money for College and School
Saving money for your babies college years should start as you raise a family. Most of us incur debt from college so this can be eased by paying some of that money. Some students never get out of that debt so any help from us – the parents can be a lifesaver.
USA Health Care Family Costs
As long as your insured then health care plans cover most appointments. However, if something untoward happens in terms of childhood illnesses it’s vital there is budget set aside for this too. Your baby might develop allergies, you may need a specific type of formula or anything else. It’s something to keep aware of in these early years.
These are some of the things you will need to think about when deciding to have a baby and raise a family and the budgets that come with this. Although many things can help us save such as freebies for babies, baby samples and help from family, there are other costs. Such as health care, moving to a bigger house, budget for the baby in those early days, life insurance and child care. It is all worth it though. We know raising a family can be very expensive but if both parents pull together then all their dreams can become a reality sooner or later.
