How much does a baby cost?

[mummysfirsttime]

Hubby and I are ttc at present (after 2 mc) and doing the usual saving etc. both in reasonable jobs at present. We were discussing money today and DH mentioned that some guys at his work said having a baby isn't actually as expensive as we think. I know this is a bit like asking the length of a piece of string but... How much does having a baby cost? Obv there is different ways to doing things like buying second hand etc but just thought it may be interesting to get some idea? Thank you

Not much for u maybe about 300? Got cot for 69 quid new, pram for 120.99 off ebay new and worth 434 pounds. Loads of deals on there. Also joined the boots parenting club and got a changing bag for free, then a few cheap clothes and your practically done.

The cost of actual 'things' for the baby wasn't too expensive (around £2000 all in but could have been much cheaper) however the cost in me not working for a year and then returning part time and paying nursery fees is what has been extremely expensive...Totally worth it though:)

A baby costs the difference between your salary and your SMP, and then after the first year it costs either the salary of whoever stays at home or the cost of childcare.

Clothes, food, kit for the baby etc are negligible compared to those two costs, and in fact cost less than many parents will save by not going to restaurants/theatre/cinema/holidays.

As much or as little as you want it to. Breastfeeding and co sleeping are free, slings cheap compared to prams, charity shops and Ebay crammed full of baby clothes. Designer outfits, travel systems and matching nursery furniture are optional.

I am somewhere between these extremes, but Ebay and NCT nearly new sales are my friends.

Childcare and part time work (if you've previously been full time) are the big costs.

Thank you. Think that's whats worrying me more that we won't get my salary as I'll get 6 wks full pay then SMP. But I'm sure it's worth it just panicking a little!

You'll also get Child Benefit and may well be eligible for working taxi credits. When i was on SMP with DS, we arranged just too pay the interest on our mortgage for ad few months.

They dont count the first 100 for smp so that could mean you could end up getting more in tcs?

Do do your sums about childcare costs though - a surprising number of people post on MN who are just about to return to work and are suddenly shocked to discover that 50 hours of childcare on a 3:1 ratio actually costs a lot of money.
On the upside you'll get child benefit if you're not HR taxpayer.

Remember that they get more expensive as they grow up. Food, clothes, shoes, school uniforms, extra curricular activities (if they do them), Christmas and birthday presents. None of it gets cheaper as they get older.

Reduced income on maternity leave was a little bit of a shock. Effectively I earnt 25% of my full-time salary in that year. We changed supermarkets! But it was good practice as income stayed at the same level for a while because in effect half my now half-time salary went on childcare once I went back to work (yes I know obviously both of us were paying for childcare for our child it's just the maths works out that way). Much easier once dd started at school.

You do spend a lot less on some things - clothes particularly in my case, and petrol for work travel. And child benefit helps!

It sounds like you are doing the right thing being aware of it - we were lucky in that I was very anal about how much we spent so noticed early doors in maternity leave that we needed to cut back on things.

I'm a teacher, so reasonably well paid professional job, and where I live in South London the childcare will probably cost my whole salary. Maybe I'll get an extra 100 pounds extra from going to work. My advice would be to ensure you can pay the mortgage, bills and all your outgoings on one salary because the baby will eat up the other one. Although I'm still pregnant so maybe I'm over exaggerating and we'll actually be richer than I thought!

I think it costs you what you choose it to! U can spend thousands it's easy but u can also do eBay nearly new sales and not buy the crap and spend a little

my babies were free, grew them myself and everything.

Agree with the fact that it's the childcare or the forfeited salary that is your major expense. Everything else pales into comparison.

Re "the stuff"

The things they recommend that you get new are cot mattresses and car seats, although must confess I got given my Stage 1 car seat second hand by a friend. I prob wouldn't buy one from a stranger. You can often get good deals in places like Halfords on "last years" model car seats which are just as good/safe.

Re clothes, don't buy "outfits" for babies under 3 mo (poss even 6 mo). What you need is many multipacks of sleep suits and onesies/vests that wash like rags. I like the Mothercare ones as they come with built in scratch mitts. You can sometimes find people selling whole bags of these basics as a job lot. If you're planning more than one child, get a lot of white/neutrals. With gender scans so common now, baby clothes do tend to be very pink or blue. Yeah, it doesnt matter really, but you get bored of saying "No actually it's a girl but she's got an older brother and I'm damned if i'm buying everything again"

Most people these days only have 1 or 2 kids so secondhand stuff is often really great quality. I got all my Grobags on ebay for around £5 each, whereas they retail new at £25. Got a travel cot for £20 (retails at £99) and you'd not have thought it'd ever been used (not that you need a travel cot right now- that's just an example)

You may be able to borrow things from friends who are between babies as well. I have lent loads of stuff like breast pumps, swaddles, play gyms, cot mobiles, jumperoo etc and also borrowed a fair bit of stuff that only gets used for a few months per baby.

Although I know it can sound "grabby" I'd also make a list of things you need so that if friends/relatives tell you that they want to buy something, they buy something you actually need. Give them a free hand and you risk receiving one beautiful, embroidered, handwash only muslin, when actually you wanted a 10 pack of plain ones

Good luck TTC

I actually saved money while on mat leave (Canadian system is a bit different to UK) but poverty really hit when child care costs more than our rent. having a self employed husband who went back to school for 2 years didn't help either.

I bought loads of eBay, people sell new stuff and because there is to much baby stuff around, prices are very competitive.

Also, i was given loads! my inlaws bought the stroller and swing ( never used - gave it away) my mom bought a car set, changing table and sling, and I was given a crib from my cousin, thank god I didn't pay for it, dd only went in it a few times so I could take her picture ( screaming) plus dd had more clothes than she could wear.

With this baby, I will be much more aware of what we need; a few clothes, sling, diapers, Car seat- that's pretty much it. I will get a play mat because I found it useful to put dd on it while I showered, until she was able to move if course!

You can theoretically have a baby on tuppence ha'penny but realistically the day will come when you will pay anything to get some sleep/relieve your baby's wind/establish BFing/encourage bottle feeding/stop your baby crying in the car etc etc. Also when you have a baby, living frugally can seem much harder work than it would normally.

That said the mainstays like the cot etc certainly don't have to cost a fortune. There are loads of good buys and offers out there - especially if you don't mind giving your details to every single baby retailer and supplier!

It totally depends on you what you think is good value. For example for me our Angelcare baby monitor is worth every penny, but loads of people would say it was completely unnecessary!

Loads of great advice already. I'm currently overseas so different situation re childcare/ maternity leave but things that I have adopted re purchases:

• Forward planning during the sales - as much as you can just get the bare minimum basics for your new baby I would love to meet the person who can resist not getting a cute outfit every now and again. I ended up getting a few items in the January sales because I wanted things that made the baby a person, not just a "baby" (first one - due in May this year :)) but got e.g. one outfit for aged 3 months, a couple 3-6 months and even one 6-9 months (it will be winter and I know we would get one of those cute fluffy outfits with the hood with ears on it anyway......). Also worth it for things that you will buy new, such as car seats (unless second hand from a known source).
• Stocking up on necessities during special offers. We are doing this on nappies. I realise that there is the uncertainty that you get the right type for your baby, but where we are they are three times the price so worst case scenario we will sell the excess unopened bags!
• Ebay a definite life saver. When getting things like prams - don't always shun the more expensive ones though. We decided to get a second hand bugaboo but have taken the likely re-sale value into account (very popular around here and should be able to sell for at least what we bought it for)
• Gifts from friends / hand-me-downs - even if you don't think you won't use it you never know!

Good luck :)

I have borrowed loads of stuff that won't get used for long (bedside crib, moses basket etc). Entirely free and don't have to find somewhere to store it once the first few months are up. Did buy a new pram for £300. Car seats can be got for £30 if you don't have a lot of money. I got a more expensive one because I wanted the one that makes the travel system with the pram.
Clothing essentials I have got from Primark and Asda - the vests and sleepsuits are very cheap in those shops and actually can work out cheaper than ebay as no p+p to pay. But you could get a massive bundle on ebay. I've got some lovely outfits from ebay for a slightly older baby.

We got furniture from ikea - a standard chest of drawers is just fine, you don't need dedicated "nursery furniture".

All my baby has cost is my freedom and social life...

I jest. Kinda.

It's pretty much been covered in the answers already though - 'stuff' can cost as much (high end/designer) or as little (2nd hand/freebies) as you want. It's losing an income or a large percentage of an income that will be the real kicker.

And, yes, although as they reach school age your childcare costs will lower... they then tend to cost more materially - decent shoes regularly grown out of/wrecked, after school activities and clubs, etc.

Then as the teen years hit, laptops, 'fashionable' clothes instead of functional, 'pocket money' (pockets need to be awfully deep with the cost of cinema and nandos afterwards these days!), bikes, never underestimate the cost of gallons of lynx or hair products... and teen boys EAT. A. LOT.

Um, and then I suppose you might need to worry about Uni fees...

But, hey, it's all a gradual increase from a general starting point of Not Too Much. And by the time this life-draining expense really kicks in you adore the little blighters and it doesn't seem like such a sacrifice.

Most of the expensive stuff was paid for by family :D

In-laws- Maxi-cosi car seat
Parents- Cot and matress
Grandparents- pram

Thanks everyone! Good ideas there as always. I'll make a list of things we need/ want (not just now but when required) and if anyone asks what we need that should help. Thanks again

We're thinking of TTC in the not too distant future and wondered the same so I did lots of research and ran some sums. DH is a worst case scenario kind of guy so I purposely searched out lots of expensive items and a few unnecessary but nice to have extras (eg Stokke travel system, highchair, changing table and cot, priced up all the other "stuff" based on mumsnet best awards etc). I included the cost of things like normal sized packs of big brand nappies bought at full price, expensive formula, Phthalate and BPA free bottles (and factored in regular replacements and teats), spare sets of bedding, lots of muslins, reasonably expensive high street brand clothing, pretty much everything needed to kit out, feed and clothe baby. I also factored in things like weekly outings/clubs and classes, £15 a week for baby related impulse buys (that outfit that's totally impractical but oh so cute) etc. Basically, you name it, I priced it up, and I came up with a total of around £6000 from pregnancy to 12 months old. The only thing I didn't include was childcare as our situation means it wouldn't be needed.

On the other hand, by just acquiring the necessities, buying some of the pricier items second hand and buying everything else on a small but not too restrictive budget the cost came down to around £1500. Factor in useful gifts from friends and family and it comes down even more of course.