How much does it cost to set up baby?

[dantri]

I mean what are the "set up" costs for a baby?

OH and I are planning to TTC in the next 12 months and if we have the luxury of planning pregnancy we figure we might as well use it and plan for a baby financially as well. But I don't know where to start.

I've drawn up a budget on just OH's wage. I'd like to have our car and credit card paid off (7k there) and if possible have 6 months "bills" money in savings just in case. I work out all of our bills (and things like gifts, hair, clothing, holiday slush fund etc) annually then divide it by payday and put aside that amount. I'd like to save enough for 6m just in case we find things a bit hard or some unexpected happenings occur. Plus have enough cash to buy all the baby stuff.

Aside from that, I have NO idea how much a baby actually costs! How much roughly does it cost to set up a baby for the first few months (like initial clothes, nappies, linen, furniture, toys, carriers... I'm sure there is plenty more!).

I know it varies according to quality and if you buy/source second hand stuff but just roughly how much? I estimated 5k but am I way under here?

[angelaartsstudent]

I can't give you an exact cost of our set up but I only earn $500 a week and we have managed by getting what we can second hand (but safe obviously). Pram is second hand but looks like new and has all the safety standard like wrist strap and etc ($100), portacot with bassinette is new but was on mega special ($100), we are renting so have no room set-up costs like painting or etc. Flat cloth nappies can be cheaper than disposables (although we went for MCNs which is a bit $$ up-front), clothes are mostly 2nd hand except for what my grandparent's have bought in various sizes. Car seat will be new. Most other little bits and pieces (linen, steriliser fluid, towel, washcloths, blankets etc) are brand new but bought from non-baby stores like Kmart (lol) so they are a bit cheaper.

So I can probably safely say that we havent spent $2000 yet.

Oh - slings and carriers. Hubby got himself a 2nd hand sling. I got myself one new WAHM made sling off ebay ($35) and one 2nd hand ABA easy-sling carrier thing off ebay too ($16).

[briggsy's girl]

this is a VERY objective question. everyone has different income levels, different ideals for what they feel they NEED for their baby. some people are comfortable using second hand furniture, others won't. some will go all out to decorate a "nursery" others won't. some will get by just with a cot and will co sleep, others won't

it's so hard to work out what is going to cost - people tend to "furnish" their needs based on their own income and budget - babies don't need a lot - a lot of it is more for mum and dad's benefit! having said that, some "convenience" products are things some people find a necessity, some would find that same item a waste of money.

i would sit down and work out what is important to YOU to have for your baby. will you breast feed or formula feed, cloth nappies or disposables etc. have a look around and get a rough idea - will you be happy to use second hand furniture etc - if so, scope out ebay for a rough idea on the "going" price for those items. if you can't bring yourself to use second hand, will you go kmart/target furniture or will you want higher end stuff (boori etc)

as i said, it's VERY subjective and will, in a lot of ways, depend on your own requirements. i'm the first to admit we've paid out more for furniture on our baby than we "needed" to - but we also spent a hell of a lot of time, money and emotion getting her, and we decided if we could spend thousands of dollars on treatment, we'd get furniture that worked with the rest of our house (antique/older looking stuff) - we could have used second hand or simple white furniture, but we went with what WE wanted - but it's not for everyone...

HTH's

BG

[angelaartsstudent]

this is a VERY objective question.
BG

Totally agreed.

Plus my post was biased becuase we are renting and have no choice but to NOT totally furnish a room for a nursery. Everything must be easy to transport.

[Jas]

As you said it can cost lots of differnt amounts depending on what u want to buy. i.e some cots are $1500+ then others you can get for $200 from big w, target etc you could buy a pram from the same kind of shops for $180-$250 others can be thousands! So it is very hard to say yes you could do it for $5000 and you could easily do it for less, I think most people would probably spend around $3000? but you could also spend a lot more. iykwim

I think the est way will be to have a look in different shops, look on the net and see what kind of products you would be looking to get and then you'll have a better idea!

[Indadhanu]

It depends on how much you can/want to spend! It could cost you less than $1000, or it could cost you over $5000. We decided what was important for us. We spent $200 on a cot + mattress. We didn't go expensive as we planned on co-sleeping. We spent $200 ($150 + $50) on a baby carrier and a sling. We saw that as a really important purchase. So it just depends on what you value as a mum-to-be. A cot to us wasn't essential, so we didn't want something expensive to just sit unused. Our carrier and sling we really important and we spent more because we knew we'd use it more. As it is i think we have, we use it pretty much every time we go out, and I use the cot rarely. We co-sleep and the cot is next to the bed but she ends up with us anyway LOL

[bon]

When I was pregnant for the first time, DH and I got a few things second hand and a few things new. We did not want to spend a lot of money (we didn't have much to spend), so we basically avoided specialist baby stores and looked at the department stores like Kmart, Target and Big W, and bought things when sales were on. But ultimately it comes down what you consider important, and what you don't. Some things I hadn't even thought of that I might find useful ended up being invaluable, like the rocker and steriliser my mum bought us, and the ton of body suits and bibs that DHs mum bought us. Other things, like decorating the room and buying a ton of toys were things we did not see as that important. It is really a personal thing - you can get everything your baby needs without spending a lot of money, or you can spend a fortune.

[paradise lost]

DD was a surprise baby. During the PG and after birth XP was in and out of work. I earned a lowish wage and paid a lot of the household expenses out of it. We didn't save money, we bought items. We bought her wrap, her nappies (cloth, second hand off eBay) and a few basic clothes (vests, babygro's) and wool for me to knit a few things (shawls, cardigans). We were given bottles, a steriliser, a breast pump, a feeding pillow, a cot and mattress, a pram and car seat, masses of clothes... Basically we spent very little but she had everything she needed. So there is no "set-up" cost for a baby, in the old days nappies were torn up towels and babies slept in the bed where they were conceived. Spend what you want to spend.

Bx

[dantri]

Thanks guys! So 5k will most definitely cut it, I'd hope to be well under and the rest can go into savings. I'm not wanting to have state of the art stuff and actually like the thought of preloved furniture - stories they could tell . My friends recently had twins and they were overwhelmed with how many things they got given or sold at a ridiculous price, in particular friends of friends of friends who had multiples. All they bought new was the cots. But I didn't know if they were just lucky! LOL.

I'm a bit of a control freak and I'm just stressing that because we're still renting, have mass savings etc etc that we won't be able to afford a baby. I know lots of people have very little (material things) and are fine.

You all just reassured me that we'll be fine and that there is never a "best" time to have a baby Sometimes I think it would be so much easier if I accidentally fell pregnant. Then decisions would be made for us he he.

Thanks again..

[DoubleK]

the thing to remember as well is that while it costs to 'set up' for baby.. they continue to cost you money!

one thing i did when i was pg with DD was buy clothes up to size 1... and then once she was born even bigger sizes! it was really handy to have bigger things already on hand! they grow out of things so quickly! (esp the 000-00-0-1 phase) i tend to do a 'seasonal' layby, where ill layby clothes for the upcoming season, but i tend to already have a few bits and pieces in er wardrobe. at the moment she has 3 dressig gowns hanging in there, that are wayyy too bug, but will one day fit!

i think if you're a saver.. you're lucky! start a baby savings account that you can dip into when you need it!

[nelly]

I'm a bit of a control freak and I'm just stressing that because we're still renting, have mass savings etc etc that we won't be able to afford a baby. I know lots of people have very little (material things) and are fine.

That was me before our first pg - kind of planned but not - which we lost. It then made me really start to freak that we couldn't possibly "afford" a baby then one of my best down to earth friends told me that you can never "afford" a baby you just work it into your life just like all your other expenses. We are still renting, are pg with #2 and since we fell pg with DS1 we have saved more than ever in our lives plus have cleared up more than $30K in debt. Don't stress you will be able to do it - in our experience having kids has turned out to be the best thing ever and has made us so much more financially responsible.

Plus, like a lot of the others have said, you can can get soooo much near new stuff for a fraction of the original cost so you don't have to go into debt to have children.

[BeautifulMadness]

Its never ending, who keeps count?

[Pandorash]

Good luck Dantri!

[mitzy81]

I have also started to buy items and layby.. a little early considering I am not preg as of yet, but I figure what the heck.. I work long shi**y hours and as it is, I spend wkends relaxing and doing stuff around the house because work does wear me out, and I don't want to be pregnant and tired and out baby shopping IYKWIM. I bought a cot off ebay, brand new in the box for $100 (incl delivery) $400 new from the shops.. bargain. I have a pram, $120 was $300 and bought a car seat from a friend, perfect safe condition only 2yrs old for $100. I would rather get the big items now and when I am preg, save and get plenty of R&R!