Thursday, August 29, 2013

Total cost estimate for baby's first year?

best infant toys 0-3 months
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Taylor


So I'm 16 and pregnant. My due date is January 28th, 2014. My boyfriend and I are gonna take full responsibility for this baby and pay for everything he/she needs without relying on our parents or taking any government assistance. We'd like to see if anyone has a rough estimate on how much our baby will cost us for the first year? We understand we'll have to provide for him/her throughout their whole childhood, but for now we're wondering around how much it will cost for the first year. I have insurance through Tricare since my father is in the army, so all of our hospital fees are covered by that, including the birth. I am planning on breast feeding and using a breast pump which is also free with insurance, so we won't be needing to pay for formula either. I know eventually I'll have to total it up myself and I know it all depends on what brands of baby products we buy, but for now it'd be nice to have a rough estimate of how much it'll cost us. Include diapers & wipes (I know that's gonna be a lot! haha), clothing, baby food, the nursery set (crib, changing table, etc.), car seat and stroller, toys, baby care items (such as a baby tub, lotion, shampoo, etc.), and any additional items the baby will need. Thank you so much!!
@bby: Yes, we're getting a breast pump for free through my insurance. We aren't formula feeding.
Also, is that estimate with or without hospital and birthing fees? We won't have to pay for those because I have Tricare insurance free since my dad is in the army.



Answer
Sorry but the person above is so beyond wrong. Having a baby is no where near that cheap. $300 for diapers for a whole year? That's only $25 a month. One box of the cheapest diapers is $32 and you only get about 260 in them which isn't enough for a whole month. All of her calculations are so so wrong. she didn't even include wipes? A baby doesn't have to be super crazy expensive like $20,000, but no way in hell is it less than $2,000 a year.

Buying the cheapest diapers and wipes, its probably about $75 a month. That alone is $900.

You'll need clothes for a whole year, so newborn, 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12. If you buy used like off of Craigslist, you could probably get by with $50 for newborn (they arent in them long) and $100 for each clothes size, so that's a total of $450.

You'll need Bibs ($75), burp rags ($100), towels ($200), and wash clothes. ($75) so $450

Shampoo, body wash, lotion, You'll probably need about 20 bottles of each for the whole year, so $180

With those things alone its $2,000. That's not even close to half the things you'll need.

I didn't even get into a crib, changing table, dresser, Bassinet, pack n play, swing, bouncer, stroller, infant car seat, baby car seat (yes they're different and you'll need both) high chair, exersaucer, ect. All of which is safe to say another $1,500 if bought cheapest possible.

There's also all the little things like bottles, nuks, diaper rash cream, bedding, blankets, toys, baby monitor, diaper genie, baby bath, sunscreen, baby grooming kit, ect. For a whole year I'd say at least $500

Breast feeding isn't free either. You'll need breast milk storage bags, breast pads, nipple cream, breast feeding cover ups, nursing bras, a nipple shield, special bottles for the breast pump. Easily another $1,000 breast feeding things are way more expensive than you'd think. You'll probably spend $600 alone on storage bags and breast pads.

There's so much more you need I didn't even come close to adding in here. Id say if you buy used and the cheapest stuff possible $7,000-$8,000 is a good estimate. If you buy new things, I'd say about $10,000-$12,000.

Ok just a question about what i should do? GIVe me answers?




Mikah


ok im having a baby and i plan to spend about 6000 on her before her arrival. Should i buy like everything the baby needs now or should i do it later. I dont think i will have to money to buy everything later so should i buy things such as high chair, clothing for the next season, clothing that she will need later shuch as tshirts and stuff, sippy cups,walkers, toys, play centers, potty chair exc.....


Answer
First, is there any way you can get someone to throw you a baby shower or a baby welcoming party? I got so much stuff from my shower and welcoming party, and there were only about 10 people at each.
The things you have to have before the baby is born are:
Car Seat (and stroller if you want a system)- up to $600
Crib/bassinet or Pack N Play- available on ebay for DEALS.
bedding to fit (two sets each)
Minimum 3 each (1 wearing, 1 washing, 1 clean) of: sleepers, onesies, socks, bibs, burp cloths, wash cloths, and receiving blankets (for swaddling)
Some cute outfits for guests, get mostly 0-3 mos and some newborn sizes-there is a big diff.

You won't need the sippy cups, exersaucer/walker and high chair for a good six months. Shop around for deals if you are trying to stick to a budget- I got a pack n play on ebay for $80, it had a changing table and bassinet and of course can be used as a crib, that easily saved us $500. The best part is that my son can always sleep in his own bed. Make sure your infant capsule can go up to 13kg/28lbs- that is more than a year old then you can get a convertible car seat that turns into a booster (about $300.) Don't get too comfortable with your budget- you may need to get bottles and all that stuff after the baby is born and then have to pay for formula, hope not but just a word of warning. Put the difference in a savings account for all those unexpected expenses.

Most of all, have so much fun shopping. :)




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