9 Financial Shocks for new parents

9 Financial Shocks for new parents

Damn,although I never thought that raising a kid wasn't costly.I never realized it was this costly

I wonder do all these people who say "Raising a kid's no big deal,if I got a woman pregnant I wouldn't sweat it" REALLY know what they're in for financially

Yet I know guys who have multiple kids*I'm talking 5+* while working for less then $16 per hour

One thing that article does not go into is grocery expenses once your kids get older, on average, my sons will go through a loaf of bread, 1 and 1/2 gallons of milk, and a 12 oz pack of turkey in a day.

A box of cereal or a jar of peanut butter lasts about two days.

This past Saturday we grilled out and I cooked 6 hamburgers, a pack of hot dogs and 6 sausages. It was gone by the end of the night.

We need 3 large pizzas to feed everyone.

I really don't know where they put it all, my kids are all what would be considered "skinny".

I make about $21 and hour and there are times I cut it close with my bills because of grocery expenses!

$100 bucks a month on wipes? Don't think so. I've got 4 kids, and had 2 of them in diapers at the same time, and I never spent even half that amount on wipes.

A quarter million dollars? The hell with kids. Birth control is way cheaper, and you get more sleep.

That article is batshit insane and borderline irrresponsible journalism. Things like this are what causes resentment towards people who choose to have more kids, because "surely they can't pay for it all on their own and our tax dollars have to go to support them." It doesn't cost THAT much to have children. $100 on wipes in a month is ridiculous. I have two children in diapers right now. We buy a $10 box of bulk wipes at Sam's Club, and it usually lasts us 3 to 4 months. That's approximately $3 a month on wipes...not $100 (or according to the article, $200, since there's two of them and it should theoretically be doubled).

The thing is that you CAN spend a lot on kids, but you don't HAVE to. Yes, another person in the household certainly does increase the financial burden. But the cost is too often blown way, way, way out of proportion.

Child care is the killer. We have an infant and it cost $1,200 per month or $14,400 per year. That doesn't include before and after school care for our kindergarten son.

We went from having plenty of money for leisusre activities to selling off a huge portion of my toy collection. Oh well, babies are better than toys (but just barely).

Sorry - double post.

I hate these kind of news stories, sure babies are expensive, but people should be able to have a baby with out worrying about being able to afford them, where are our priorities in life. I have two kids and granted they are under 5, but we make it work. Here is how

1. Medical expenses: We live in Canada, so the heath care is pretty much taken care of, but I do work for a company that covers medical, so we are ok. I don't know what it is like in the states, but I guess it could be expensive. (Universal health care, what a novel idea!)

2. Maternity leave: My wife took full mat leave, (one year in Canada) so we were lucky and Parents should be able to take at least a year. Even after a year was up, my wife didn't want to leave the kids (even for a four hour night shift) we made it work though.

3. Child care: To us it would have been more expensive to put the kids in day care and have my wife work, then not to. I can honestly say that unless you make incredible wages on your job or you have no other choice, do not put your kid in child care, it is not worth it.

4. Diapers and wipes: Yes they are pricey, but why?

5. Formula and/or breast-feeding expenses: Again formula is pricey, Brest feeding is a good way to properly nourish the baby without spending money.

6. Baby gear/ 7. Clothing and shoes: This is the stuff that pisses me off. Sure babies need stuff, the stuff is expensive, but there are so many used stores that stock all the current stuff, its just slightly used and supper cheap. Babies grow out of stuff so quickly that it doesn't have time to get damaged, plus babies don't care if they are wearing gap jeans...

8. Baby food: Again, yes very expensive.

9. Life insurance premiums and attorney fees: WTF, kind of off topic, but again sort of pricey.

Other ways to make it work, people have to make cuts to there personal life style. Drive a used car; stop smoking; stop buying drinks from star bucks, Clothes for you, or food for the baby. Collections need to be reduced (I stopped everything but Transformers). You have to be willing to change your life style considerably, but it is worth it.

I hate that a monetary value is put on the cost of raising a child, like owning a car. It is coming to the point where having a child will be only available to the rich. Is this what we really want?

Wow, I guess that is just for those odd parents that insist on buying the most expensive items huh. I have 3 kids and have never had to spend that much. I first cost a pretty penny for the first few months, but then we discovered yard sales and flea markets. $7 to $14 or more an outfit that they just outgrow in a couple of months is not worth it. $.25 to $2.00 at a yard sale for well taken care of clothes that you can resell when out grown is much better. And what the hell brand of wipes cost that much. Use the economy packs, they last about 2 weeks or longer. I thought all parents knew that.

Originally Posted by omega knight they promote you when ur in jail its a punishment not a trip to the candy store. Youve been in jail for what now 6 yrs and u have iternet howed can u do that..and how does jux know my mom

That article reads like a " Future Soccer moms Of America " Training Manual to me...