cost of a baby

Hi, my DH have been talking about starting a family and we are currently bickering over just how much it costs to have a baby....and we are talking from a month to month basis....I know someone recently posted a calculator to estimate the cost of raising a child but what we are looking for is the month to month cost of having a baby no over 18 years.

We both know that it is expensive but exactly what is expensive? Is it considerably more a month? Like $500 or $1000 more? Just how much do diapers and formula cost?.

So my question is, about average, how much do you think you spend for the baby IN ADDITION to what you were spending before the baby came along.

THANKS

Oh what a question!!!!!!! Heres my shopping costs for my 6 month old....

As long as you do your research, diapers wipes, formula and food dont have to cost you an arm and a leg...

We buy a HUGE pack of diapers (DriBottoms from Wal-Mart) for $10. It has 68 diapers and usually lasts about a month. Wal-Mart also has a HUGE thing of Baby wipes (parents choice) for $4 and a little change... Depending on what you use the wipes for depends on how long they will last. And how many you might have left over... But theres 210 wipes in this pack.. and theres usually a lot left over.

Formula... Enfamil with Iron-- This is the most expensive item for Baby... BUT you can chop costs by pating attention to sales... I get powdered formula. Its $11.99 a can.. and we use about 6 cans a month. Sometimes its cheaper but thats its average price. I chose powdered formula, because you actually get about ten ounces more out of Powdered formula than out of any other way. Definately good.

The baby is on Cereal, and jar foods... #2.. As well as Juice. For cereal.. its 1.50 to 2.50 per box... Rice Binds a baby 99.9% of the time... He does eat rice cereal.. But Oatmeal and Barley dont bind babies. He loves Oatmeal.. I usually buy 2 boxes ($3 total cost every two months)... He eats a lot, but it lasts a long time.

Jar foods are pricey, as you move up in numbers... BUT there are awesome sales that hit every few months or so.. you just need to be willing to do the research, or shop at different supermarkets! We also give him organic foods, so they are a little more expensive, but not that bad... We use Gerber and they are about 48cents to 59 cents a jar on sale. Honestly... I would pick up about 12-24, and see how they lasted... I cant give you how long they lasted because we started giving the baby real food too... (ie bananas smushed so he could eat them, rice and potatos) So they lasted significantly longer than it would for most people.

Juice... He drinks Apple and white grape juice.. Half water, half juice.. I buy Store brand.. whatevers cheapest...

All in all.. One package of diapers, one package of wipes, 6 cans of formula, two boxes of cereal, 12-24 jars of food (@55cents) and a bottle of juice, I spend about $102.78 extra a month (plus tax)!!!!!

Of course, it depends on how many diapers your child goes through, and how much jar food you give him. As well as if it costs you anything for insurance, and prescriptions. Our insurance leaves us with paying a few dollars on certain co pays.

When he was younger, he went through more diapers, and he goes through phases where he eats more or less, as well as what. Also, through trial and error, I found out which diapers were great, or horrible, expensive, and affordable, as well as everything else. (in essence- in the beginning we spent A LOT more..) I wish I had known about this site sooner!!!

Recently I bout him Biter biscuits, and Fruit wheels, (gerber self feeding foods) and they were about $3 dollars each.

Another 'cost' that a lot of people dont recognize is the fact that this job is full time... I am a stay at home mommy and I love it.. But it is a 24/7 job that is much more demanding than any other job I have ever worked. It saves us a bunch by me staying home, but it does make making the ends meet a little tighter! Its worth it though, because I researched the Cost of having someone else raise my child. JMO though, and some food for thought.

Any other questions, feel free to FM me!!! Hope this info helped!!! Good luck!!!!

Dh has been worried about cost as well...and this is I guess the numbers that I would have expected...


thanks lauren...thats a great breakdown...

I think the breakdown above is good - BUT, it does not take anything else besides the baby's food and diapers into account.

On a random basis, you might incur healthcare costs - I don't know about everyone else's insurance, but I have to pay $15 every time I take Paul for a sick visit (well visits are covered 100%). Sick visits (when they happen) ALWAYS mean TWO visits - b/c the doctors always want to follow-up two weeks later - esp. if they prescribed an antibiotic. So, there's an extra $30 for any given month.

Also - babies grow the fastest they will ever grow in their first 12 mos. of life - which means, you will be buying clothing alot during the first year. Those cute little outfits add up fast! And, I cannot tell you how much I've spent on just SOCKS! My son's feet grow so fast - LOL!

Then there's toys, teething supplies, medicines and feeding accessories, new car seats, etc. Not everyone gets every item from their baby registries, so if this stuff is not already purchased for you - you'll have to budget for it yourself.