To wonder how much you spend on 1 year old a week? This seems like a lot?

[munnyworries]

I spend around 400 a month on ds who is one, outside nursery fees. This includes a weekly shop of six ready meals so I don’t have to cook every meal from scratch (I work full time), a pack of 32 nappies 11 pounds, whole milk, 2 packs of wipes, one pack of Milton wipes and snacks like organix bars etc then fruit and veg. This comes to around 35 a week. On top of this there is petrol to and from nursery, ten pounds a week. Entry to farms or soft play twice a week, 15-20 quid. Then things like new vests or socks here and there, or the odd toy now and then. Easily spend 100 a week. I don’t think I spend too much or too recklessly, I consider these things ds needs? Is this similar to other people’s spending? A family member has said they can’t understand how I would need to spend more than 25 a week!

*a week

I think it varies week by week depending on what you do. Do you need to economise? If you need to cut your bill then baby doesn't need soft play or farms twice a week and i don't think i bought clothes weekly. You don't need to buy organix bars etc either. But you haven't said if you actually want to cut down or if you just bothered by family members comment?...

That’s a huge amount! Batch cook on a weekend go to the local swimming pool, library, council run soft play, church toddler group.

@Lorelaigilmore88 i am ok financially but definitely don’t want to be spending more than I need as times are generally hard! I just didn’t think it was loads? I wondered what others spend for same age.

I didn't buy wipes, used washable nappies, they ate what we ate so no special foods. We didn't do soft play etc etc. We did always spend what to most people is a crazy amount of money on holidays thou, over 20% of our income. Each to their own.

@Iwishiwasasilentnight the ready meals are only for once a day and cost 9 pounds total so it feels worth it as I don’t have time to batch cook sadly

The nappies seem expensive OP. I use supermarket own brand. Sainsbury's size 5s are less than £3 for 40 nappies. We also bulk buy plastic free wipes, which is cheaper than buying individual packets.

@User1775 thanks I will look into washable wipes!

@Covidwoes these are pampers 11 pounds a week for 32 or 37 I can’t remember how many now. I haven’t looked at supermarket brands but I will

six ready meals - unnecessary
snacks like organix bars - unnecessary
Entry to farms or soft play twice a week - unnecessary
toy now and then - unnecessary.

Easily spend 100 a week. This is a lot. It is your money, your choice.

I do think it sounds like a lot, but then I used cloth nappies and wipes so didn’t have that as part of a weekly spend, and I take DD to places like the library (for toddler story and rhyme sessions) and to local park/nature reserves, which are free. We do go to soft play and farms etc but not every week. Also things like organix bars are really expensive for what they are, but as PP said it all depends on whether you are comfortable with spending this amount - there are definitely areas to economise but it depends if you need or want to!

If you are regularly using soft play then ask if they do an annual Membership. Two of my GCs have them and it's £50 per year - the same can apply to Farm/zoo venues.

@SutWytTi surely toys are necessary for development? I’m talking 10-15 pounds nothing huge

Get Aldi nappies

@oodles50 what would you give instead of organix bars? I thought things like general biscuits were bad, so I’ve stuck with these brands. Ds is my first!

Agree with pps, have a lot at supermarket brand nappies and wipes instead of pampers/water wipes etc they are tonnes cheaper. Look at church mum groups as they are generally free or cheaper than entry to farms and soft play... Nothing wrong with ready meals to make life easier but if baby is 1 you don't need to buy special baby meals like Ella's kitchen which are generally small and expensive...

I dont think it's unreasonable for someone willing to spend for convenience.

Plenty you could cut of you needed to. The activities could be swapped for much cheaper or free versions if you wanted.

Whilst the ready meals are cheap enough that's somewhere I'd cut back. They're mainly ultra processed food and you'll be giving DS a taste for it never mind all the potential for damage. It'd take 10 mins to airfry half a salmon fillet and cook some veg, 20 mins make a huge batch of mac cheese, etc.

I would try and batch cook to reduce ready meals

Not for money reasons just better quality

I was a sahm so more time for food.

But activities wise... soft play 2-3 times a month. Several toddler groups £1 or £2 each. Then parks, the woods, free museums, the library... all free.

If you can afford it, nothing there sounds insane. We take our 1yo to soft play a lot less but we have a large garden (half an acre!) and live near lots of nature walks and parks. If we didn’t I would be taking him regularly! Nursery is within walking distance so no fuel cost there, we work from home so we don’t use ready meals. But if we worked outside the home you bet I would 100% be using those.

I do recommend reuseable wipes, they are convenient when you get the hang of it, we’ve never ever bought wet wipes and I find they get a pooey bum a lot cleaner!

Food wise he eats what we eat, snacks are usually things like babybels, crackers, boiled egg, cold leftover roast chicken, fruit or veg. I buy a lot of frozen veg to add florets of broccoli and stuff to his nursery pack up lunch. I find the whole family eat more variety if I buy frozen and it makes prep quicker. Working from home definitely helps though, no commute.

Where we spend dumb money is taking him out for lunch all the time, especially now that the weather is rubbish and I don’t want to picnic outside so much. It probably wipes out all those savings I’ve detailed above. In fact it definitely does and I should stop doing it.

Fruit, or plain crackers.

You're buying very expensive nappies.
What are the Milton wipes for?
I wouldn't buy the ready meals or the snack bars.
I wouldn't spend £10-15 a week on new toys!

I am assuming your child gets birthday presents and Christmas presents?

Kids need to play, but actually most toys are of limited use - a child needs to play, but that doesn't mean they need a lot of commercial toys.

If you assess the last six toys you bought, do they genuinely offer new development opportunities?

It's a bit meaningless to ask if it's "too much". If you can afford it and you're happy it's not too much. It's probably more than most people spend but that's not necessarily a problem if the funds are there. On the other hand there are plenty of areas you could cut down your spending. It's your choice.

Bread
Oatcakes
Fruit
Veg