Comments on: 10 Ways Not to Break the Bank When Baby Comes http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/ The Way Home is Supposed to Be Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:01:39 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2635 Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:20:19 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2635 One word - garage sale and Freecycle! Okay, that's 2. :) But I've never had to pay huge amounts for anything regarding raising my kids. I figure they'll either outgrow or not like or what have you...so why waste money on something that doesn't last? Spend the money on things that will make an impact on them. Data points, Barbara One word – garage sale and Freecycle!

Okay, that’s 2. :) But I’ve never had to pay huge amounts for anything regarding raising my kids. I figure they’ll either outgrow or not like or what have you…so why waste money on something that doesn’t last? Spend the money on things that will make an impact on them.

Data points, Barbara

]]> By: Kristin Harad http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2634 Kristin Harad Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:28:41 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2634 Great money saving ideas here. I love the thoughts of PLANNING that are mentioned above - such as not purchasing things you won't actually need, or things that will only be used for a few months, or buying things way in advance (unless you're getting a killer deal) that you won't need for a long while yet. My two cents? - Consider waiting until you know more about your baby’s interests and personality and what your lifestyle will be like with baby. What you think you want pre-baby may change after you actually have your baby and see what the reality is. If you absolutely must have the $2,000 crib, consider getting a less expensive stroller. Most importantly, if you want the top of the line crib, plan for it and give yourself permission to spend the money and enjoy it. Know where the money is coming from to do all of the start-up stuff: is it from your income, on a credit card, or from your savings? I your situation, you could draw from your savings (emergency fund and./or extra cash in the checking) and just plan to replenish that account over the next 4-6 months. Great money saving ideas here. I love the thoughts of PLANNING that are mentioned above – such as not purchasing things you won’t actually need, or things that will only be used for a few months, or buying things way in advance (unless you’re getting a killer deal) that you won’t need for a long while yet. My two cents? – Consider waiting until you know more about your baby’s interests and personality and what your lifestyle will be like with baby. What you think you want pre-baby may change after you actually have your baby and see what the reality is. If you absolutely must have the $2,000 crib, consider getting a less expensive stroller. Most importantly, if you want the top of the line crib, plan for it and give yourself permission to spend the money and enjoy it. Know where the money is coming from to do all of the start-up stuff: is it from your income, on a credit card, or from your savings? I your situation, you could draw from your savings (emergency fund and./or extra cash in the checking) and just plan to replenish that account over the next 4-6 months.

]]> By: Home Ever After http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-/#comment-2633 Home Ever After Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:49:16 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2633 @Spritti: Great points. It's amazing how much stuff can fall into your lap when you just put out the word that you're interested! I love your tip about buying diapers through pregnancy- I did something very similar last time too. So glad you left a comment! Barbi @Spritti: Great points. It’s amazing how much stuff can fall into your lap when you just put out the word that you’re interested! I love your tip about buying diapers through pregnancy- I did something very similar last time too. So glad you left a comment!

Barbi

]]> By: sprittibee http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2632 sprittibee Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:52:16 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2632 Great article. I'm on my third kiddo and am not as picky as I used to be. We did hand-me-down clothes this time for some of the clothing, were not afraid to ask for size 1,2,3 and older aged clothing at the baby shower (a newborn only stays in that size for a fleeting moment), converted a dresser already in the room in to a changing table with a hand-me-down changing pad, and plan to breastfeed to skip the formula costs. Breastfeeding is a HUGE way to save money. We also put our name out at church for anyone donating baby items and they offered us a swing that they didn't need in the church nursery. A friend's aunt gave us a crib from her shed that she just "hadn't taken to Good-Will yet". Thankfully, family is pitching in for those big items (the stroller/carseat combo and the playpen/bassinet/changing table combo). I love the play yards with the bassinet feature up top. We used one for our kids and and kept using it until they were older for play time with toys. As for diapers, no matter how green and money-saving it may be to use cloth - it is more important that I not TURN GREEN than saving the planet. LOL That's one area I won't skimp. A good tip, though - start buying one pack of diapers every time you go to the grocery store from the moment you know you are pregnant. Especially if you are going to quit and not return to work. Money will be more scarce after mom starts staying home. Our first baby had a closet full of every size of diapers that lasted us nearly a year because we planned ahead. This time we're just hoping the baby shower leaves us with a huge stash! I registered for very few things and am hoping that diapers win the day! Great article. I’m on my third kiddo and am not as picky as I used to be.

We did hand-me-down clothes this time for some of the clothing, were not afraid to ask for size 1,2,3 and older aged clothing at the baby shower (a newborn only stays in that size for a fleeting moment), converted a dresser already in the room in to a changing table with a hand-me-down changing pad, and plan to breastfeed to skip the formula costs. Breastfeeding is a HUGE way to save money.

We also put our name out at church for anyone donating baby items and they offered us a swing that they didn’t need in the church nursery. A friend’s aunt gave us a crib from her shed that she just “hadn’t taken to Good-Will yet”. Thankfully, family is pitching in for those big items (the stroller/carseat combo and the playpen/bassinet/changing table combo). I love the play yards with the bassinet feature up top. We used one for our kids and and kept using it until they were older for play time with toys.

As for diapers, no matter how green and money-saving it may be to use cloth – it is more important that I not TURN GREEN than saving the planet. LOL That’s one area I won’t skimp. A good tip, though – start buying one pack of diapers every time you go to the grocery store from the moment you know you are pregnant. Especially if you are going to quit and not return to work. Money will be more scarce after mom starts staying home. Our first baby had a closet full of every size of diapers that lasted us nearly a year because we planned ahead.

This time we’re just hoping the baby shower leaves us with a huge stash! I registered for very few things and am hoping that diapers win the day!

]]> By: Home Ever After http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-/#comment-2631 Home Ever After Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:40:20 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2631 @Phoebe: Love the idea of making your own detergent! Update: here is Phoebe's link to homemade detergent - http://gettingfreedom.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfmw.html While it's true in most cases that a diaper changing table is a luxury, mine was a necessity. With my son I had such a bad delivery that was destructive to my body that I couldn't crouch down for over a year after he was born. No bending, no crouching; everything I did had to be standing up. Having a changing table right at that perfect height enabled me to change him, dress him, give him bottles, all while standing and having no weight or pressure on my body. For some c-section moms or other moms with severe delivery injuries, this might also be the case for the first month or longer after delivery. Ours also came in handy since we had no nursery or storage space, we used the 2 shelves under the changing table to store almost all essentials (dipes, wipes, lotion, blankets, etc.). We found ours in the newspaper for only $25 and its value was definitely much more than that for me! Definitely agree that many times you can do without the changing table, but if you want one, try to find it 2nd hand from Craigslist, newspaper or even a consignment shop to get the best deal! Barbi @Phoebe: Love the idea of making your own detergent! Update: here is Phoebe’s link to homemade detergent – http://gettingfreedom.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfmw.html

While it’s true in most cases that a diaper changing table is a luxury, mine was a necessity. With my son I had such a bad delivery that was destructive to my body that I couldn’t crouch down for over a year after he was born. No bending, no crouching; everything I did had to be standing up. Having a changing table right at that perfect height enabled me to change him, dress him, give him bottles, all while standing and having no weight or pressure on my body. For some c-section moms or other moms with severe delivery injuries, this might also be the case for the first month or longer after delivery.

Ours also came in handy since we had no nursery or storage space, we used the 2 shelves under the changing table to store almost all essentials (dipes, wipes, lotion, blankets, etc.). We found ours in the newspaper for only $25 and its value was definitely much more than that for me! Definitely agree that many times you can do without the changing table, but if you want one, try to find it 2nd hand from Craigslist, newspaper or even a consignment shop to get the best deal!

Barbi

]]> By: Home Ever After http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-/#comment-2630 Home Ever After Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:31:27 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2630 @Michele: What a fantastic tip! I love all sorts of convertible items, because you end up buying a lot less products and getting more use out of what you own for less money. Thanks for writing in! Barbi @Michele: What a fantastic tip! I love all sorts of convertible items, because you end up buying a lot less products and getting more use out of what you own for less money. Thanks for writing in!

Barbi

]]> By: Phoebe @ Cents to Get Debt Free http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2629 Phoebe @ Cents to Get Debt Free Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:35:35 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2629 Great tips! I never used special laundry detergent with any of my 3 kiddos, thankfully they weren't/aren't sensitve people. Another tip in this area, would be to <a href="http://gettingfreedom.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfmw.html " rel="nofollow">make your own detergent</a>. It has far less chemicals in the first place, and it doesn't have any extra perfumes/dyes. Way cheaper than any of the store brands as well. And I definitely agree with the no diaper changing station! I never had one with my oldest 2, and the only reason I did with my last was because it was a gift. Even then, we rarely used it. Great tips!

I never used special laundry detergent with any of my 3 kiddos, thankfully they weren’t/aren’t sensitve people. Another tip in this area, would be to make your own detergent. It has far less chemicals in the first place, and it doesn’t have any extra perfumes/dyes. Way cheaper than any of the store brands as well.

And I definitely agree with the no diaper changing station! I never had one with my oldest 2, and the only reason I did with my last was because it was a gift. Even then, we rarely used it.

]]> By: Michele @ Frugal Granola http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2628 Michele @ Frugal Granola Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:29:43 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2628 One savings we found was buying a convertible car seat with a wide weight range. We never had to buy one of those bulky infant seats. You can find convertible car seats that work for little ones ranging from 5 lbs to 40 or even 65 lbs! :) Michele One savings we found was buying a convertible car seat with a wide weight range. We never had to buy one of those bulky infant seats. You can find convertible car seats that work for little ones ranging from 5 lbs to 40 or even 65 lbs! :)

Michele

]]> By: Home Ever After http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-/#comment-2627 Home Ever After Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:37:50 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2627 @Kaye: I think your strategy is one that a lot more moms are trying out these days. Many of the new high chairs even convert into toddler booster-type seat later on... looks like manufacturers are getting the point that parents don't want to keep buying all this <i>stuff</i> that loses its usefulness so quickly. Did you keep most of your baby stuff from your first? Barbi @Kaye: I think your strategy is one that a lot more moms are trying out these days. Many of the new high chairs even convert into toddler booster-type seat later on… looks like manufacturers are getting the point that parents don’t want to keep buying all this stuff that loses its usefulness so quickly.

Did you keep most of your baby stuff from your first?

Barbi

]]> By: Kaye http://www.homeeverafter.com/10-ways-break-bank-having-baby/comment-page-1/#comment-2626 Kaye Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:10:04 +0000 http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/10-ways-not-to-break-the-bank-when-baby-comes/#comment-2626 We never bought a high chair for our firstborn. Instead we bought an infant-to-toddler booster seat. You can find them in regular retail stores for about $25.00 and they last a LONG time....until the child can sit at the table for themselves! We didn't have any fabric to clean that way and he was used to sitting AT the table from the beginning. We are about to reuse his $25.00 seat when his little sister arrives in June! We never bought a high chair for our firstborn. Instead we bought an infant-to-toddler booster seat. You can find them in regular retail stores for about $25.00 and they last a LONG time….until the child can sit at the table for themselves! We didn’t have any fabric to clean that way and he was used to sitting AT the table from the beginning. We are about to reuse his $25.00 seat when his little sister arrives in June!

]]>