Is it possible to have a baby on a tight budget?
Answer:
As a mom who endured an unhealthy pregnancy in my first tri-mester... I found pregnancy to be costly -- thank goodness I had health insurance!
Is it possible -- sure.
There is a book out there called "Baby Bargains" -- it gives you detailed information on how to save money & have a baby on a budget. It was written by a Pediatrician as well as a Full-Time Mother... (also check out their books Baby 411 & Toddler 411!)
They have a lot of advice on how you can save (prior to getting pregnant) and which brands to buy that do not cost a lot of money.
There is never a financially stable time to have kids.. but you will make do.
:)
Best of luck
i would say it depends on how tight, first thing breastfeed , formula is very expensive . buy generic and pay off any debt you can
good luck
people do it everyday. My husband and i are totally broke all the time but we have two beautiful girls to love and they have every thing they need. It just all comes together. sure its rough but when we look at our girls at the end of the day I would never change it.
The lesson everyone learns- YOU ARE NEVER FINANCIALLY READY FOR CHILDREN... wether you make 250,000 a year or you are making 19,000 a year. So if you want to start your family- start. It doesn'tmatter how much you make- you will end up making things work.. and things will all work out. Sure it's expensive- but you probably wont be spending so much money on date nights or going out or eating out etc etc and instead of buying the new tv you want- youll buy diapers and wipes and all that =) I was a single mom for 6 years and I wasn't even making 20 grand a year- and I managed to live on my own in a nice apartment and support myself and my daughter with no child support or help from the state- you can do it- it just means you have to sacrafice a little more... good luck!
Well, you will find it can be done. You will simply learn how to arrange your lifestyle to match that which you will have with the child. If you realistically want to see what it would mean, just sit down and try to calculate what a general cost of diapers, formula, food, etc would be if you had a baby. You will see its not as dramatic as you might be fearing. It can be done, but you will have to shave off some of the frills until the child is a little older.
It is possible to plan a pregnancy, plan out what it will take financially to have a baby, are you working now, and will you continue to work once baby is born, look it to the cost of baby sitting, those are goals to save for before doing the big do. Also consider the different programs that are out there for young mothers and everyone is eligible regardless of your station in life. I hope this helps a little.
Your last three words are the most important..."responsible, healthy pregnancy". I realize that it is every woman's right to have a baby, but it isn't always right... If you can't afford to have the baby, it is my belief that you shouldn't have one. Children are costly, and require an unparalleled commitment of time, as well as money. If you have to return to work quickly, just to make enough money to pay the bills - why did you have the child? Too many children have been raised by daycare centres and nannies these past two decades...and do you think that there is any correlation between that fact and the number of teenaged pregnancies, suicides and school violence?
Depending on how 'tight' money is for you, you might have more than a few options.
Most states offer free, or low cost health care to pregnant women in 'poverty'. You could find your states department of human services to find out what the cap is for income.
There are also plenty of options for inexpensive parenting once the baby comes.
Goodwill offers TONS of gently used baby clothes for next to nothing. For less than $40 you can buy an entire wardrobe for a baby that will last between birth to 6months!
Some parents choose to co-sleep with thier children (I do!). This takes away the necessity of a crib, bassinette, or sleeper, but is only recommended for parents who don't drink, or use illegal drugs.
There are multiple agencies that provide free baby gear, including carseats, diaper bags, bottles, etc.
If you choose to breastfeed, you also save a bit of money. When you breastfeed, you don't buy bottles, formula, pacifiers, or other unnecessary things.
WIC can also provide breastfeeding mothers free breastpumps for 'expressing' milk if you plan on going back to work after the baby is born, and wic is also great at helping new mothers get used to taking care of kiddos.
Strollers can also be pricey, so I would suggest looking online for a 'Nadine Sling'... It's a long piece of fabric that you secure around your shoulder. It fits all the way from newborn up to 4 and 5 year olds, and it's designed to be SUPER comfy for moms.
:) I have to say, you might want to look into attachment parenting (it sounds a little crazy sometimes), but it's seriously cheaper than going out and buying a bassinette, a crib, a mattress, special bedding, bottles, sanitizers, pacifiers, and expensive strollers!
Please feel free to e-mail me if you need more info... I'm a seriously cheap mamma! :D
As a single mother from day one. You learn how to do without so your child can have what he/she needs. You will never have enough money so you make do with what you have without going on welfare. As long as you have health insurance you will have a responsible and healthy pregnancy. I had a high risk pregnancy...Thank God I had insurance!!
With my first child I had the money to buy my son whatever I wanted to to a degree. My husband paid for anything I wanted. My second son came at a bad time, I found out I was pregnant right after I filed for divorce and that was hard. My x husband wasn't going to help me this time because we were getting a divorce. So I had to budget for everything. Clip coupons, sign up online for coupons, buy in bulk and stock up when you can. You really just have to make it work the best you can.
my husband is in the marines and they make crap money - so i know what you mean! Just cut down on all the extra cash you use ( movies, eatting out...etc) and try to pay off credit cards as much as possible during the 9 months! We decided on a set amount to put in savings each paycheck and stuck to that and we are actually a lot better off financially now than we were pre-pregnacy!! afterwards there is always breastfeeding and WIC both which help out alot!
good luck!
of course it is, if you wait until you can afford it then you will never have a bub, there are many ways to get through it as cheap as possible , like while breastfeeding it is not costingf a cent, try cloth nappies, disposable ones are so expensive, and you dont need a heap of clothes, bub grows so quickly and people buy too many and some never even get worn
Truthfully, your priorities change so much when you have a child.. Things you couldn't live without last month are totally forgotten once the child comes. You will find a way. Just get regular prenatal visits, save money now. We started a fund for our kid the day we found out I was pregnant. I promise you, the lattes, the manicures etc. All the "fat" will instantly be trimmed from your budget. and you will come up with a way to support everyone. Maybe you eat in more, maybe you wait for the DVD instead of spending 30 bucks on a movie (thats a weeks worth of diapers right there) Plus have a HUGE baby shower and ask for necessities like pampers, t-shirts, baby wipes. formula bottles. Things that you can never have too much of. Many times, you will get everything you need to start wihtout spending a dime.
It os so worth it my baby is a teen now and being witness to her life from day one is a gift that is unexplainable and more important than the 2nd car or the bigger house.
It really never is the "right" time to have a baby--And not just financially--emotionally, socially, in your marriage, with your friends, etc..you will go through so many changes--I think the financial excuse is a way of avoiding things--yes--babies are costly--but you forget about that when you have them--it is just wonderful--
And having a baby is so transformative--The things that you think are so important right now--that you need money for--will all change once you have a baby-and you will discover that you have plently of money (for instance--I used to go out shopping with friends and to lunches etc--or go out dancing--all the time--and now--well--once in awhile I still enjoy these activities--but mainly--my priorities have drastically changed-not because I was forced to--but because I wanted to be different--having a baby made me a different person--and we are more interested in buying things for our child--etc--you will have enough for medical care, etc--it can be costly-but those things will be okay--You may just be thinking--okay--I live like this and spend this much and now on top of it the baby expenses...No--Your whole idea of what you WANT to spend on is going to change!...
And it's a fun change:) A little scary--but fun!
Good Luck:)
I do know that some how the money will find a way. Get to know people around you in your same situation. Go to thrift stores and yard sales.
I am in a very similar situation, I am a teacher and my wife just a part time worker and we are expecting twins this spring. We are looking around, and asking coworkers for their spare things, and taking anything that that someone gives us.
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