bit random, but how much does a baby actually cost a month?!?

[purple_kiwi]

I am no help here... As things are so different here cost wise and money wise lol...

Here a bag of diapers usually run close to 15-20$ for normal sizes
Formula is around $40.00 a case which you can go through one of them here in around a week or so.
Wipes around $5.00 a box etc... so different lol

Here the average cost of a baby aged 6months-12months runs around $350.00-$400.00 a month (figured it out with a friend of mine, trying to help her budget) That is also including formula, diapers, wipes, medicine(in case) baby food, small amount for clothing etc...

i think thats a bit much for a bag of diapers ? i looked at boxs of diapers and they dont seem to be that expensive like more then a bag but you get more then a bag dont you ? :/. i heard about the formula costing a lot from a lady at the hospital but she was also using special formula.

im kinda dreading going to the store around january and picking up the rest of those things that i will need lol

 

[lfernie]

Hey,

I've had my LO but i just seen this thread and it made me laugh as i was talking to hubby yday about how much LO didn't cost. Our LO is 8 weeks old and weve spent (for now anyway, I'd imagine it will be different when he starts eating etc) a grand total of about £100 since he's been born. I think the main thing is initial costs ie pram, carseat, cot etc also I'm BFing do we dont need to pay for formula x

what did you buy, if you dont mind me asking - just curious if it was essentials, or things that maybe i already have etc

I mean £100 on day to day expenses; so probably £7/8 a week on nappies and wipes, heating and electricity haven't gone up much (if any), a couple of packs of muslin squares, a bottle of johnsons baby bath. The majority is just nappies. Also you will probably find that you don't need to buy a lot of clothes as you will probably be inundated with them when you have LO ( i was getting things from people i had never even met, everyone loves a baby) and i got clothes for up until he's 2!! So for the first few months anyway they cost next to nothing... i think it's when they start asking for things we're in for a shock! x

 

[DueMarch2nd]

Well we have just downgraded a few months ago our tv package because we watch so much on our laptop and me and my husband hate kids shows of today and we will be making a lot of dvds of shows from the past. But aside from that we wont need to upgrade our tv package to include kids channels til they are like a year old AT LEAST. We have virgin and on the M package we get CBeebies and my SIL says that is her 2 kids (4 1/2 and 1 1/2) favourite channel anyway so she doesnt think we will need to upgrade for 2-3 years. So I would count that out if I were you.

Boots always have baby deals going and always give extra points for baby stuff so if you havent got a boots card, start collecting points now. I dont think I will ever have to buy nappies at full price again with boots on my side Also tesco clubcard helps A LOT. And yeah child tax credits and child benefit will help. The amount depends on your circumstances. I got a FSA disc from the hospital once and I popped it in my computer and it helped me work out how much we would get.

 

[Jan34]

DOn't forget you will be spending less on you as you'll be busy looking after baby! I'm counting on savings from not socialising, not getting to work etc etc to offset at least some of the additional cost.

 

[Ema]

Well buying jacob things dont cost much, £8 per week on nappys, £8 for milk, food bill increased a lil. Clothes £40-60 per month.

BUT

My heating is on all day otherwise jacob would be cold so its gone through the roof as we were never in before if we were never had it on.

Electric gone through the roof as well (same as above)

Water bill is massive as jacob has a bath every night, didnt make much diff when in a baby bath but now in the big bath!

Keeping him entertained costs me heaps. Swimming lessons (from 9months) cost £10 per week. Tumble tots (did used to go to gymbobie *sp*) Costs £4.80 per week(attends for 45mins), Kinder musik costs me £3.90 per week (attends for 45mins) Used to go to baby massage (from birth) cost me £8 per week (one session) used to go to Baby sensory (from birth) cost me £7.50 per week (one session) Baby group is £2 per morning (attends twice a week) and then snacks so another £2 per morning. So in total im paying at present £26.70 for swimming (1hr) on a thursday Kinder musik (45mins) on a monday tumble tots (45ming on a friday) and 2 baby groups (weds and tuesday morning from 10-11.30) and that only keeps him stimulated for 5.5hrs a week then i buy crafts each week and we make things which is a added £10 per week and of course we play loads BUT he is awake from 5am till 7am STRAIGHT has been since9months so need to find more things to do. Then theres play dates and i met other mum's and we lunch maybe once-twice a week or go for coffee but then thats a added £10-20 on top!

Anyway i thought because i wasnt going out at the weekend anymore i would be saving but infact im skint XxX

 

[chuck]

wow there dont get the kiddies tv channels yet...the poor babba really wont need it for a long time yet!

 

[TigerLady]

I haven't read all the posts, but I thought I would add what my experience is (which might be a bit different as I am in the US. All of these are per month

Health Insurance -- $335 (not a problem in the UK)
Dipes/Wipes -- ~$60
Daycare -- $700 ($170 per week)
Clothes -- ~$50-70
Breastfeeding supplies -- ~$20
Toys/Books/Teethers/etc -- ~$50 (sometimes more)
Doctor Visits -- ~$30
Meds/Vits/etc -- ~$40

Then there is the one time purchases -- crib, co-sleeper, swing, high chair, bouncer, car seat, booster seat, bumbo, play mat, ride/on walk toy, jumperoo, stroller, carriers for babywearing, etc etc etc. LO is 5 months old, we've spent ~$3000 on that stuff. And it seems he needs a new purchase of the sort about once per month for about $100-200.

Plus the medical bills from my c-section and his pyloric stenosis surgery -- about $8000. (Less of a problem in the UK with national healthcare.)

This child ain't cheap!