How're you coping financially?

[ShakeItBaby1]

Hey ladies, I've shown my face around here a couple times as I still consider myself a "young mom." I'm 22 & FOB/OH is 19. I just had a quick question. I figured this area would be a little more fitting as everyone in the third tri-mester has a career or their OH/FOB has one. I'm not saying that no one over here does, I'm just saying I know a lot of people are younger (16-18) and haven't made it through school yet.

Me & OH are currently both working full time, but they're both restaurant jobs, and don't pay very well. I make $9.75/hr, OH makes a little more than minimum wage. When I go on maternity leave, I know it's definitely going to be harder and when I go back to work as I'm cutting my hours down so I can spend time with DD. Don't get me wrong - we have enough to get by (we're not starving, our bills are paid, we have our own house, LO already has pretty much everything she needs) but at the end of the week, there's very little left over for much else (gas, necessities, etc.) So, I'm wondering how everyone is coping financially? I buy a LOT of LO's clothes at a second hand shop we have here - all the clothes are clean, and some are brand new. The only thing we have to buy brand new is obviously things like bottles, diapers, etc. It stresses me out, because I don't want my LO to be without anything she may need. So anyone else finding it it's a little hard financially right now?

 

[Desi's_lost]

If you're concerned about your financial situation have you considered cloth diapers and breast feeding? Both help cut down on costs by A LOT. Kawaii baby brand cloth diapers around about $8 each, you can also join co-ops to get them for cheaper so all in all you spend around $2-300 on diapers once and then all you have to worry about is detergent and electricity to wash and dry them lol.

Personally, I lived at home the first time so I didn't have to worry about much. This time around, even with OH making $15/hr plus benefits, we'll be going on govt assistance to make ends meet =/

I dont think it will be the end of the world for us or for you, but I would expect things to be tighter when LO arrives.

 

[MummyMana]

Have you got a little savings pot going on? I hardly get any money but I'm a beast at saving never underestimate my ability to not spend money (I actually have really expensive taste swell so that's a trick)

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

If you're concerned about your financial situation have you considered cloth diapers and breast feeding? Both help cut down on costs by A LOT. Kawaii baby brand cloth diapers around about $8 each, you can also join co-ops to get them for cheaper so all in all you spend around $2-300 on diapers once and then all you have to worry about is detergent and electricity to wash and dry them lol.

Personally, I lived at home the first time so I didn't have to worry about much. This time around, even with OH making $15/hr plus benefits, we'll be going on govt assistance to make ends meet =/

I dont think it will be the end of the world for us or for you, but I would expect things to be tighter when LO arrives.

We recieve food stamps and I recieve the medical card, however it's been hard as they cut my food stamps from $200.00 to $75.00/month. Not to mention, from what I heard we're getting cut another $20.00/month.

I'm definitely breast feeding, I didn't really consider cloth diapering. I've already started stock piling diapers. With every pay check, I buy a box of 96+ diapers for LO so that when I am on maternity leave, that won't be a problem. It's so hard to work so much and be so broke.

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

Have you got a little savings pot going on? I hardly get any money but I'm a beast at saving never underestimate my ability to not spend money (I actually have really expensive taste swell so that's a trick)

We try to start one, but it seems like as soon as we gain a noticeable amount - something happens and we end up using it as emergency money. Such as something with my car, or something of that sort. We barely buy any clothes or stuff for ourselves, as all our money goes to LO & bills. It's definitely a struggle!

 

[MummyMana]

Have you got a little savings pot going on? I hardly get any money but I'm a beast at saving never underestimate my ability to not spend money (I actually have really expensive taste swell so that's a trick)

We try to start one, but it seems like as soon as we gain a noticeable amount - something happens and we end up using it as emergency money. Such as something with my car, or something of that sort. We barely buy any clothes or stuff for ourselves, as all our money goes to LO & bills. It's definitely a struggle!

It doesn't matter if the stockpiled savings get spent on an emergency, because that's what they're there for as long as you keep adding to them

 

[Desi's_lost]

Which state are you in?

I know exactly what you mean. It makes me so angry that its so hard just to scrape by. All the more insulting that this country still pretends to be the land of opportunity when that's not true unless you're immigrating from a third world country -.-

What sizes are you stock piling? I would make sure to get a few newborn, 1, and 2s. Also, don't get too many. Maybe just put the money aside. Because LO may be sensitive to them. My LO couldn't handle pampers brand, we had to switch to luvs so be careful. Maybe just buy a couple second hand cloth diapers for cheap, that way you can try it out and if you don't love it, you won't have wasted a ton of money.

 

[x__amour]

When I was pregnant with DD, my OH was only making $3 with tips. We were able to manage though. I'm not sure what's the deal with WIC right now but that'll help enormously if you can't breast feed. It'll be hard but budget well and you'll get through.

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

Which state are you in?

I know exactly what you mean. It makes me so angry that its so hard just to scrape by. All the more insulting that this country still pretends to be the land of opportunity when that's not true unless you're immigrating from a third world country -.-

What sizes are you stock piling? I would make sure to get a few newborn, 1, and 2s. Also, don't get too many. Maybe just put the money aside. Because LO may be sensitive to them. My LO couldn't handle pampers brand, we had to switch to luvs so be careful. Maybe just buy a couple second hand cloth diapers for cheap, that way you can try it out and if you don't love it, you won't have wasted a ton of money.

I'm in Illinois.


I won't say I agree with your first statement, as I try to remove myself from any debate about things like that.

However, I'm stock piling all sizes. I have one case of NB (they're REALLY small, and from what I've read, LO won't be in them long) definitely sizes 1 & 2. I have a few different brands to try out, so hopefully LO isn't going to be sensetive to a certain brand. I'll definitely check out the cloth diapering! I've heard of it, but I've never seriously inquired about it. It's definitely worth a shot though!

 

[ShakeItBaby1]

When I was pregnant with DD, my OH was only making $3 with tips. We were able to manage though. I'm not sure what's the deal with WIC right now but that'll help enormously if you can't breast feed. It'll be hard but budget well and you'll get through.

I'm definitely glad to hear that! It gives me some peace of mind to know that even if it's hard, you CAN manage!

I have no idea with what's going on with WIC. As far as I know, with the whole government shut down - there isn't much funding left. However, where I'm at - I haven't heard too much about them discontinuing it. I have an appointment coming up, so I guess I'll just have to go in & ask - it seems every time I try to call no one answers!

 

[Desi's_lost]

They reopened the govt a few days ago. WIC was only shut down for a few days if I'm correct. A scare tactic and nothing more.

Well..working class people are meant to stay out of politics. But my views are quite cynical so I'll leave out anymore elaboration.

 

[AirForceWife7]

When we first started out, my husband had just joined the Air Force at 18, I was pregnant at 17. While he was an E-1, even with a family, we didn't make much! By carefully budgeting, we have managed to get by since then even with me being a stay at home mom

It could be your area as well .. Here where we live, the cost of living isn't all that high. We save a lot of money by living in on-base military housing.

All I can really tell you for sure is hang in there, it will get better Almost everyone has been in this position before, and you're certainly not the last. Now, Jon is an E-4, I still stay-at-home, and we are doing great! Just keep hanging on to hope, and you will make it through one way or another .. I promise! Don't be afraid to ask/search for help if you need it!

Check out all your resources. WIC, other government assistance if you need it, I buy a lot of nice clothes, toys, and other items in good condition for my daughter at our Airman's Attic (it's a thrift store) for much cheaper than retail. try couponing - we save a lot by doing that with our groceries! You may try looking into cloth diapering if that's what you'd like to do - it saves a lot of money in the long run. There are churches that will also help those in need as well. Do you have support from your family? I hope things get easier for you guys soon.

 

[jesssika]

At the moment, my OH and I are pretty much living pay-to-pay, as his job pays him by the month so it's quite difficult to manage. And I am on a student allowance because I'm studying at university. My payment recently got cut for the amount of money he earns (which honestly is not enough to support the both of us). We led a very comfortable lifestyle until my payment got cut. Just means we have to be stricter about budgeting we've been living together since we were 16 though, were both now 18, 19 next year, and we've always managed despite numerous financial blows

 

[Leopard]

Finances suck at the moment lol. Oh I mean we have enough to stay comfortable, but we are just a lot shorter since we have to pay off the credit cards.

I'm doing a bit of casual work for 'pocket money' which is $19.20 an hour (I'll be leaving the moment I'm 34-36wks). My partner makes on average about $43-$45 an hour on flat rate, $93 on Fridays since it is overtime.

I'm 19, he is 25.

 

[krys]

My husband and I are both 22 (he's almost 23). He works as an EMT for a private ambulance company, but they are really underpaid. I'm a SAHM, and it really does get hard at times. Breastfeeding is seriously the best thing you can do, heath-wise and money-wise. Other than that, just buy the necessities and try not to buy stuff that you don't need. There are a lot of things that you can go without (changing table, diaper genie, 4 million outfits that they will outgrow in three months, etc). I think it's really good that you're stocking up on diapers now, make sure you're getting lots of wipes too. I would recommend having a baby shower! I actually didn't buy diapers or wipes until my daughter was more than six months old, and even then I had more diapers left, but she had grown out of them. I didn't buy clothes for a really long time either. Look into couponing and pricematching, you can save so much money! Another way to earn some extra money would be picking up some babysitting jobs at night. You can find them on websites like Sittercity or care.com. It might not seem like a lot, but babysitting for one date night could buy another pack of diapers.