Lalo
What would be a good average estimate of the cost of raising a baby in the first four years?
What years are costs the highest?
What are the most expensive costs each year?
Answer
It can be as little as just the cost of extra laundry and cheap food, or it can be the cost of diapers, nannies, preschool, expensive toys, brand named clothes.
The infant year will often cost the most, because even if you breastfeed and use cloth diapers, you are still washing those diapers and going through 4-5 wardrobes. Also you will likely buy at least SOME speciality baby things, like pacifiers, swings, swaddles, a crib or co-sleeper, burp cloths, nursing pillow, and other toys for infants. This is the year where every 3 months means an entirely new set of toys and clothes.
Year 4 will generally be the cheapest, since they only need 1 wardrobe for the year (well 2, summer and winter clothes but these can overlap... a T-shirt and coat for instance) and you don't have specialty foods to buy like whole milk or organic (although some may continue this, most feed preschoolers regular food who would feed an infant / toddler organic, and the food tends to be junkier and cheaper types, like mac and cheese instead of sweet potatoes).
You can spend a lot at any age though if you choose.
It is hard to put a price tag on it. I would say as little as $200 a month per child is reasonable, but it is easy to go over that especially with infants when you include what you are likely to buy for "start up". This is a "base amount" and going under that would be difficult IMO. Also, that is NOT daycare / nannies / preschools. It is being fairly frugal, but not crazily so. That does include laundry, some used / generic clothes, used toys, basic toiletries and medicine, and food. Also the occasional bigger item purchased used (like a stroller or car seat - which are listed commonly for as little as $30 each).
We use disposable diapers, but they are only $20 a month per child (they only need about 4 a day as toddlers). Food per toddler is probably about $80 a month (healthy and organic, you can be cheaper than this, but we don't do tiny jars / containers of things, which would cost more - just real food and whole milk). We pay $200 a year for doctor's visits with our health insurance. My mom buys their clothes (she is a cloths shoppingholic). For furniture this year we are getting 2 potty chairs for $3 each and a table and chairs set for $20. I buy mostly used toys, but lots of them, maybe $200 for the year. Wipes are likely $6 a month (2 cents each, we use at most 10 a day). OTC medicines, baby shampoo maybe $50 a year.
I suppose there is gas for playdates, but I would use gas going places anyway. Our car seats were gifts from someone I use to work with. Stroller a gift from a family member. I have a couple of other strollers I got cheap from Craig's list.
When you are really trying to keep cost down, the cost of food is going to matter. That can be a determining factor, because no matter what they WILL need food. You can't get around that. (Unless you get WIC, then the food is free).
I have twins and our money is tight, but I make sure they have everything. They have used versions, and I cook their meals. I am a SAHM. Most parents are not as able to be as frugal as $200 a month per child. That comes to $10,000 for 4 years. Food itself is going to be $21 a week (or $1 for a meal and a snack), and that alone is $4,000. Then you have laundry, clothes, big items, outings, toys etc. So I would put $10,000 as your "base" and from there it can easily go up.
It can be as little as just the cost of extra laundry and cheap food, or it can be the cost of diapers, nannies, preschool, expensive toys, brand named clothes.
The infant year will often cost the most, because even if you breastfeed and use cloth diapers, you are still washing those diapers and going through 4-5 wardrobes. Also you will likely buy at least SOME speciality baby things, like pacifiers, swings, swaddles, a crib or co-sleeper, burp cloths, nursing pillow, and other toys for infants. This is the year where every 3 months means an entirely new set of toys and clothes.
Year 4 will generally be the cheapest, since they only need 1 wardrobe for the year (well 2, summer and winter clothes but these can overlap... a T-shirt and coat for instance) and you don't have specialty foods to buy like whole milk or organic (although some may continue this, most feed preschoolers regular food who would feed an infant / toddler organic, and the food tends to be junkier and cheaper types, like mac and cheese instead of sweet potatoes).
You can spend a lot at any age though if you choose.
It is hard to put a price tag on it. I would say as little as $200 a month per child is reasonable, but it is easy to go over that especially with infants when you include what you are likely to buy for "start up". This is a "base amount" and going under that would be difficult IMO. Also, that is NOT daycare / nannies / preschools. It is being fairly frugal, but not crazily so. That does include laundry, some used / generic clothes, used toys, basic toiletries and medicine, and food. Also the occasional bigger item purchased used (like a stroller or car seat - which are listed commonly for as little as $30 each).
We use disposable diapers, but they are only $20 a month per child (they only need about 4 a day as toddlers). Food per toddler is probably about $80 a month (healthy and organic, you can be cheaper than this, but we don't do tiny jars / containers of things, which would cost more - just real food and whole milk). We pay $200 a year for doctor's visits with our health insurance. My mom buys their clothes (she is a cloths shoppingholic). For furniture this year we are getting 2 potty chairs for $3 each and a table and chairs set for $20. I buy mostly used toys, but lots of them, maybe $200 for the year. Wipes are likely $6 a month (2 cents each, we use at most 10 a day). OTC medicines, baby shampoo maybe $50 a year.
I suppose there is gas for playdates, but I would use gas going places anyway. Our car seats were gifts from someone I use to work with. Stroller a gift from a family member. I have a couple of other strollers I got cheap from Craig's list.
When you are really trying to keep cost down, the cost of food is going to matter. That can be a determining factor, because no matter what they WILL need food. You can't get around that. (Unless you get WIC, then the food is free).
I have twins and our money is tight, but I make sure they have everything. They have used versions, and I cook their meals. I am a SAHM. Most parents are not as able to be as frugal as $200 a month per child. That comes to $10,000 for 4 years. Food itself is going to be $21 a week (or $1 for a meal and a snack), and that alone is $4,000. Then you have laundry, clothes, big items, outings, toys etc. So I would put $10,000 as your "base" and from there it can easily go up.
What is the best eCommerce software for SEO?
Serendipit
Okay, I have an online store and I need an eCommerce software solution that provides the following:
1. Writes HTML without added "fluff" coding that impedes optimal SEO
2. Easy WYSIWYG editor - again that doesn't add superfluous code
3. Graphic customization and template options
4. Payment features integrated with paypal and other merchant accounts
5. No commission fee based on sales
6. Integration with billing software like Quickbooks
7. Streamlined Order processing
8. Integration with USPS click and ship for shipping labels.
9. Inventory control
10. Automated drop shipping function.
I am currently using an eCommerce solution but it generates 10 x more html code than it needs and I've read this can be detrimental for SEO. It also has limitations as it integrates with Paypal because I cannot ship through it. I have to process orders through my site and process shipping through paypal. There are other features I don't like as well, all detrimental to SEO, like page name conventions are numbered rather than having the name of the page, and how things link to a default.asp page instead of the .com main home page. I am a graphic designer and my husband is a programmer so we can handle pretty complete software but we need something that does it all and WELL for Search Engine Optimization!!!
We have been pretty successful with our own SEO - we've done the backlinking and article submissions, small paid advertising in key markets and such. In 6 months we've gone from a 1 to a page rank of 3 on Google. But we can do better and don't want our eCommerce software to hinder us in any way.
Site is: www.babysproutnaturals.com
The page rank 3 is what I'm listed at when I go to www.page-rank-lookup.com. Google has only indexed 2 page of my pages (the home page and /category_s/36.htm) with external links with a total of 174 links (I know there are more that Google isn't counting yet).
Answer
Besides your domain name, what "generic" keywords query do you submit at google.com in order to bring up your PR3 website. I tried searching for "organic baby apparel," and your website is no where to be found within 500,000 or so search results? Who's providing the PR3 ranking?
Nevertheless, here's a preliminary review of your SEO metatags along with some suggested improvements:
1. Current: <title>Cloth Diapers, Organic Baby Apparel and Unique Gifts for Mommy and Baby! Live Natural Baby! </title>
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow">
Improvement by eliminating spamdexed/duplicate entries and ad copy followed by a territory/business locator, i.e., city, state: <title>Cloth Diapers, Organic Baby Apparel, Unique Gifts for Mothers, Natural, Non-Toxic | Fair Oaks, California</title>
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow">
2. Current: <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Our mission is to offer safe, organic, non-toxic products for infants and mothers: cloth diapers, bumgenius cloth diapers, Happy Heiny's cloth diapers, Wrap n Wear baby carriers, Nature Momma Angel Baby, The Baby Bunch layette sets, Zee Spot Organic Onesies, Vulli non-toxic rubber toys. It is our goal to provide education about affordable product alternatives for mommy and baby that are not only better for infants and the environment, but have additional benefits by providing healthier solutions for busy, working families and actually save you money! Baby Sprout Naturals aims to inspire you to make a change in your purchasing habits, and to eliminate toxic and harmful products from your everyday use. Help us save the earth, one baby at a time!">
Improvement: Re-editing of this entry to no more than 45 words forming a singular sentence.
3. Current: <META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="bumGenius, diapers, cloth, baby, mother, mom, mommy, babies, cloth diapers, cloth diaper, cloth diapering, cloth-diapers, diaper, natural, nontoxic, non-toxic, environmental, earth friendly, easy, Happy Heiny's, pocket diaper, all in one, one size, friendly, fun, games, education, articles, environmental articles, Wrap n Wear, Baby Legs, Leg warmers, cotton diaper, Vulli, toys, The Baby Bunch, onesie bouquets, natural parenting, granola mommy, organic apparel, unique gifts, Nature Momma Angel Baby, Wild Dill toys, Nubius Organics, Sckoon Organics, Isabooties Shoes, Conduct Happiness Apparel, The Playful Penguin Toys, RosiePosie Organics, Baby Earth.">
Improvement with removal of spamdexed/duplicate entries, use of compound and plural variations and finalization of all entries to no more than 15 'generic' keywords total: <META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="diapers, cloth, baby, mother, mommy, babies, natural, nontoxic, environmental, earth friendly, easy, pocket, all in one, size, fun, games, education, articles, environmental, toys, bouquets, natural parenting, unique gifts">
Hopefully you will be able to incorporate these improvements which follow the Google.com guidelines in order to elevate your PR by use of effective SEO metatags.
Good luck!
Besides your domain name, what "generic" keywords query do you submit at google.com in order to bring up your PR3 website. I tried searching for "organic baby apparel," and your website is no where to be found within 500,000 or so search results? Who's providing the PR3 ranking?
Nevertheless, here's a preliminary review of your SEO metatags along with some suggested improvements:
1. Current: <title>Cloth Diapers, Organic Baby Apparel and Unique Gifts for Mommy and Baby! Live Natural Baby! </title>
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow">
Improvement by eliminating spamdexed/duplicate entries and ad copy followed by a territory/business locator, i.e., city, state: <title>Cloth Diapers, Organic Baby Apparel, Unique Gifts for Mothers, Natural, Non-Toxic | Fair Oaks, California</title>
<meta name="robots" content="index,follow">
2. Current: <META NAME="Description" CONTENT="Our mission is to offer safe, organic, non-toxic products for infants and mothers: cloth diapers, bumgenius cloth diapers, Happy Heiny's cloth diapers, Wrap n Wear baby carriers, Nature Momma Angel Baby, The Baby Bunch layette sets, Zee Spot Organic Onesies, Vulli non-toxic rubber toys. It is our goal to provide education about affordable product alternatives for mommy and baby that are not only better for infants and the environment, but have additional benefits by providing healthier solutions for busy, working families and actually save you money! Baby Sprout Naturals aims to inspire you to make a change in your purchasing habits, and to eliminate toxic and harmful products from your everyday use. Help us save the earth, one baby at a time!">
Improvement: Re-editing of this entry to no more than 45 words forming a singular sentence.
3. Current: <META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="bumGenius, diapers, cloth, baby, mother, mom, mommy, babies, cloth diapers, cloth diaper, cloth diapering, cloth-diapers, diaper, natural, nontoxic, non-toxic, environmental, earth friendly, easy, Happy Heiny's, pocket diaper, all in one, one size, friendly, fun, games, education, articles, environmental articles, Wrap n Wear, Baby Legs, Leg warmers, cotton diaper, Vulli, toys, The Baby Bunch, onesie bouquets, natural parenting, granola mommy, organic apparel, unique gifts, Nature Momma Angel Baby, Wild Dill toys, Nubius Organics, Sckoon Organics, Isabooties Shoes, Conduct Happiness Apparel, The Playful Penguin Toys, RosiePosie Organics, Baby Earth.">
Improvement with removal of spamdexed/duplicate entries, use of compound and plural variations and finalization of all entries to no more than 15 'generic' keywords total: <META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="diapers, cloth, baby, mother, mommy, babies, natural, nontoxic, environmental, earth friendly, easy, pocket, all in one, size, fun, games, education, articles, environmental, toys, bouquets, natural parenting, unique gifts">
Hopefully you will be able to incorporate these improvements which follow the Google.com guidelines in order to elevate your PR by use of effective SEO metatags.
Good luck!
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment