How much should I budget for baby

[Anonymous]

The biggest expense was childcare after my 4-month maternity leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:honestly, if you are trying to be frugal you can use facebook marketplace for anything except carseats (always buy those new). infants really don't need that much. do some shopping around to gauge prices

Ah yes! Never thought about Facebook market place. Heard of it but don’t have Facebook. I’ll make one and see what’s on there. Thank you

Don't even bother with marketplace for baby stuff -- find your local buy nothing group and people will be giving away post partum supplies, newborn-1yo sized clothes/shoes/etc, cribs, nursing stuff, everything for free. Just buy carseats new. Everything else get free if you can, especially expensive stuff like bouncers that your baby might decide to hate.

[Anonymous]

I just bought whatever I wanted, mostly new, and I spent maybe 1500 not including the nursery chair, which doubled that. Decorating/furnishing the nursery in general was the most expensive part. The gear for the actual baby didn’t add up to much even with a nice stroller and car seat.

[Anonymous]

Buy nothing group on FB and FB marketplace! I have a couple of friends who have given me clothing for 0-3 but almost everything else I have gotten from FB marketplace or Buy nothing- crib, changing table, tons of clothes and toys, pump, bottles, swaddles, diapers.... people are very generous (and rich) in this area! Even if you are not having a shower, make a registry and many places (target, amazon, buy buy baby) will give you 15% off as you get close to your due date to buy everything that is left. My main concern is daycare costs- but items for the kid for the first year will prob cost me $500 or less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy nothing group on FB and FB marketplace! I have a couple of friends who have given me clothing for 0-3 but almost everything else I have gotten from FB marketplace or Buy nothing- crib, changing table, tons of clothes and toys, pump, bottles, swaddles, diapers.... people are very generous (and rich) in this area! Even if you are not having a shower, make a registry and many places (target, amazon, buy buy baby) will give you 15% off as you get close to your due date to buy everything that is left. My main concern is daycare costs- but items for the kid for the first year will prob cost me $500 or less.

Also got a free stroller and glider from buy nothing!

[Anonymous]

Echo all these suggestions and neighborhood listserves etc. I can't put a $ figure on it but $5k is probably a closer estimate for our new stuff in the first few yrs.

Childcare is the biggest by far. $2700/month for our daycare.

[Anonymous]

Probably about $45-$65 thousand the first year. Although there are things to take into account in addition if you'll need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle, move to a bigger home or want everything you purchase to be top of the line.

[Anonymous]

Most important thing - a rocker/glider spend money on this and your new carseat/stroller system.
crib can be second hand. remember infants grow out of everything SO FAST. get a smattering of 0-3 and 3 month clothing good for the season your baby is being born in. add several velcro swaddles and size small sleep sacks. magic merlin saved my life, I would get a few of those on swap or fb marketplace.
things like doc-a-tots, swings, bouncy chairs are all great for like single digit weeks/months. get those second hand from neighbors or FB.
even toys/books are not needed for several months.

things that are non negotiable:
changing table covers/crib sheets (get a bunch so you don't need to do laundry every day)
wipes/diapers
A&D ointment
first aid kit (thermometer, baby tylenol, nose frieda)
WHITE NOISE machine (we had one in every room the baby would fall asleep in)
get a pump if insurance covers it
bottles (start early if you are going to do daycare)

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, what will you do for childcare? That is by far the biggest, most shocking expense for new parents. In my area (DC), even with some leave, people will spend between $30-70k easily for the first year.

I found that baby stuff itself is not as expensive as you think, particularly because people are dying to give it away. Use “buy nothing” groups or other neighborhood listservs. You can outfit one baby’s room a week based on all the stuff people are tying to give away on mine. Babies really don’t need all that much.

[Anonymous]

Also check your local buy nothing but really look at food for you house cleaning for you. Babies can be cheap keeping your mental health through newborn isn’t, therapy for you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably about $45-$65 thousand the first year. Although there are things to take into account in addition if you'll need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle, move to a bigger home or want everything you purchase to be top of the line.

umm...what? my child is 2 and I am pregnant with my second and we haven't spent close to that yet

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably about $45-$65 thousand the first year. Although there are things to take into account in addition if you'll need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle, move to a bigger home or want everything you purchase to be top of the line.

umm...what? my child is 2 and I am pregnant with my second and we haven't spent close to that yet

Assume PP is talking daycare/nanny cost (or loss of one parent’s salary if they decide to SAH) which dwarfs pretty much every other expense.

[Anonymous]

I’d say under 1k. I got everything from Facebook marketplace. You have to be active on there to see a baby Bjorn bouncer fo $20 or the restoration hardware crib for $100 but they do happen.

The big cost is daycare. Everything else is a drop in the bucket. Followed by formula and then diapers.