Baby on a budget - does anyone have a list/spreadsheet that can help?

[MusicalMummyJules]

Hi All,

Trying to do a budget for my baby which is due in January as DP has no understanding of how much things cost etc

Hope someone can help!

Thanks in advance,

Jules

They don't need to cost very much at all really.

You can ask on freecycle for stuff, or buy big things that are local collection on ebay.

You'll need somewhere for baby to sleep, and a few sleepsuits and some nappies. And a car seat assuming baby will ever travel by car.
Then a sling and/or pushchair.

Breastfeeding is free and requires nothing except a couple of nursing bras and some breast pads.

Most other stuff is 'nice to have' rather than necessary.

Hiya, I have a must, could and should budgeting spreadsheet that I can send you if you are able to post an email address (sorry, can't CAT). I planned and then managed to get lots of freecycle etc. It great, because now that she is growing out of things I'm freecycling them onwards.

I agree freecycle is great and you can put on wanted ads if your looking for something in particular. Theres always people getting rid of baby clothes guarenteed they are not all great but sometimes some people get rid of really nice stuff. If you get a moses basket off there the mattresses only cost £10 from babies r us.
Most supermarkets do own brand baby clothes, etc too. Or try your local NTC sale for second hand baby stuff.

Check out when and where local NCT Nearly New Sales are www.nct.org.uk/home - pop in your post code and it will find those nearest to you. As a rough rule of thumb things usually cost about 1/4 of the original retail price.

Freecycle is pretty good for baby things. I gave all of DS things away just before i found out i was pg with dc2 (cries) but have manages to get most things back in time.
You don't need that much really, all the baby mags give you a list as long as your arm.

please don't get suckered into buying mountains of stuff before the baby arrives. the shops do not shut just because you've had a baby, the internet does not close down. get the bare minimum and then add when you establish a need.

Nothingventured - That'd be great. My email address is [email protected]

I already have a child (born 7 years ago) but feel rather out of touch at the prospect of having a newborn baby again and it will be DP's first. I'm already aware of what things I don't want to waste my money on thank goodness!

MusicalMummyJules Have sent that to you now, hope its the kind of thing you meant. If you click into the boxes and put in your budget planned price and then your actual spend price it will auto calc the total for you.

You can buy for a new baby within a budget but the only thing I will say to invest in is a good car seat. If you are given one you do not know its history i.e been in an accident, dropped, been altered or had a parts removed. You also will not have the latest technology of in car safety if it is an older model. I don't think you can put a price on safety and when it comes to car seats you only know if its works if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident. Sorry to put a downer on this

I agree, got the maxi cosi first size and then the maxi cosi priorifix which was £250 but I just didn't want to risk anything, you feel so much safer with the isofix.