Starting a family on a low(ish) income

[Leaveitout]

Hi ladies,

I hope this is the right place to post. My partner and I want to start a family. We are worried it's simply too expensive and concerned our combined income just isn't enough

Has anyone else worried about this and decided not to have a family?

I'm quite upset and really worried.

Thanks

Depends entirely on your income and your outgoings?

in other words, we need to know what you earn ;)

Babies are really not as expensive as people make out - or at least, they're as expensive as you make them. You don't have to have everything new and you don't need half the gear that's recommended. Second hand pram, nice comfy sling, decent car seat, moses basket, a few clothes, nappies, is all you need to start off.

I come from a long line of paupers. I'm here, and if my Georgian ancestors had considered their financial prospects, I wouldn't be.

The cost of having children increases in proportion to your affluence - for example, my parents didn't have a moses basket - they had a drawer (this was perfectly acceptable in the 50s and 60s).

Babies are really not as expensive as people make out

I totally agree. Especially in the years before school starts. There are so many ways to save money getting the things you need. A really major way to save money is to breastfeed. Formula costs a fortune. You could also use cloth nappies.

The expenses mount up the older the DC get! Someone on here was saying she couldn't afford £1400 for a school trip for her DC!

If you buy baby stuff 2nd hand the costs can be quite low. Plenty of people successfully raise a family on low incomes, but whether or not you will be able to maintain a lifestyle you have in mind is another matter.

The child care costs are expensive... not the baby!

We think the same - I would get statutory maternity pay which physically would not be enough to even pay our bills unless I went back to work after 6 weeks and then there's childcare at 750 / 1000 per month! We have decided not to have kids !

Well a baby isn’t expensive at first but it’s 18 years and beyond?

In answer to question I can’t afford one and don’t have any family support so I won’t bring a kid into this world. I get stressed just dealing with myself.

Yeah if I decide to have another I'd probably wouldn't buy as much and get stuff second hand (buggy etc) the whole buying baby stuff is a Money making racket! People get caught up in all the excitement of it all and spend £££ because stuff looks pretty or they think they need it. As others have said you don't actually need that much.

We are on a lowish income and have made it work, it can be tight some months but we work it out.

Babies aren't expensive, no. But kids are/can be. Add to that the cost of childcare or not having two incomes.

But how long is a piece of string really, how much do you have, outgoings, career prospects etc.

Work out how much you earn plus child support and other benefits

Well it's about standard of living, isn't it?

If you don't think you can afford it now, what can you do to improve your situation?

Whenever I read the 'baby's aren't expensive' line I wonder where we went wrong! The things (buggies, high chairs etc)are nothing compared to childcare. I became a SAHM so the cost was my all of my earnings, friends have gone back ft and it's around £50 a day for childcare .
You need to look at your income and outgoings op.

Agree with all the posters who say it's not the actual child that is expensive, it's the loss of income on maternity leave and the childcare costs that are the killers!

Yep, maybe I should have clarified it's the childcare which I'm mainly worried with

Haven't looked into tax benefits when you have kids, are there any help for parents? Also I believe there is a scheme where you can get money off childcare? X

Look into entitled.com and put in your earnings and how much you think childcare would cost etc and see how much support you'd get.

Also, think about once your child is at school whether you could work during school hours and do school pick ups etc or think about relocating somewhere less expensive and so on.

Babies are not expensive. But having them is incredibly expensive either in childcare or the price their mums career/future independence/freedom of choice.

I’d say do it. Children are only as expensive as you make them. They love toys and books and clothes from charity shops, and gifts from families too.

Good luck!

Can you (or your partner) afford to be a SAHP until your child is 3? Then you will get 30 free hours childcare.

Or can you possibly work opposite shifts?

I earn £8.75 an hour and am a single parent, it can get expensive and I have decided to sficj

Google tax free childcare op, you can have your contribution 'topped up' , so for every £8 you put in the government put in £2 (up to around £2k a year I think, you'd have to check). You would be entitled to at least 15 hours a week funded childcare when your baby turns 3, 30 hours if you meet criteria ie. you're working a certain number of hours.

As pps have said baby's are only as expensive as you let them be. I had our little boy in July, we spent about £800 preparing for him (cot, travel system etc). All of his vests were hand me downs from my friends and both mums went shopping for clothes for us.

Everyone loves a new baby so I wouldn't be surprised if you get offered a lot of stuff.

We spend about £12 a week on nappies and £6 on formula top ups as he is hungrier than I can produce.

I would suggest looking at your income v your outgoings and remember that the saying "if you wait until you can afford it, you'll never have children" is so true!!

Sorry I spent so long writing that (distracted by baby) I didn't see your comment about childcare.
Don't worry, you will manage. And there will be a lot of good advice coming your way from other mners