Really want a 2nd baby...is it so expensive?

[daisydee43]

Hi

Dd is 1 and although I never thought I'd be saying this, but I want another baby so bad and I think dd would really benefit as she loves other kids. The only thing is that dh says we need to be making more money. I did try buying a business but that seems to not be going anywhere now but I'm still going to try.

Just wondered with all the stuff you buy for the first, is the second really that expensive?

Thank you

Children are expensive. How old are you? It might be wise to leave a while until your income improves or you can make some arrangements to make things more affordable. A lot of people on here just parrot, 'Babies are cheap,' but that can be irresponsible depending on your circumstances.

I am 26 and have my own place but its only 2 bedroom but would like to stay here for sometime. Although we live quite comfortably we do have to watch everything

Do you need to pay for child care? That's the biggest pre-school expense. It can make things easier if you wait until the eldest would be eligible for the subsidised 15 hours a week.

Yes I pay child care - with a childminder so have heard they do discounts? When do they become eligible for 15 hrs?

I do think the second is cheaper though - you don't waste as much money on things you don't need, you already have some of the big things like a cot.

If you're going to need a bigger house or car though, things are going to get expensive.

15 hours is the term after their 3rd birthday.

In my experience, it isn't so much the stuff the second one needs (we bought a double buggy but could have managed without) but what happens for childcare. DD is 2, so her government hours don't kick in for another year. Nursery costs for the two of them, for 2 days per week, and including the sibling discount my nursery offers, is a cost which is 150% of my mortgage payments. We can't increase voucher contributions and we are not entitled to any assistance with the costs, so we have seen the childcare bill increase significantly. Another year's gap between them would have made a big difference!

'Yes I pay child care - with a childminder so have heard they do discounts? '

I wouldn't count on that. Given your age and that your DD is only 1, I would leave it until you really get going on the business, tbh. Babies can be cheap, children are not. And yy, I'd get your housing sorted out if at all possible whilst interest rates are low. We had 3 years between our kids and it's worked quite well.

WRT to discounts - I don't know about childminders but our nursery gave a 10% discount for the second child - so don't count on it being worth much.