Keeping A Good Budget with A Baby In Tow

The birth of children usually finds many parents unprepared for the financial obligations that follow. The list of bills to be paid and things to be bought only increases with time, and one day you wake up to a realization that things would be much better if you and your partner had planned well for the birth and raising of the baby. There are, however, steps that can be taken to ensure that you make a good budget with your baby in tow:

AT THE HOSPITAL

1. Avoid the add-ons. You don’t need a private room when you can save thousands of dollars in a two-person room. The charges in every hospital, however, vary significantly and there may not be much difference in costs in staying in a private room and sharing with someone else. Remember, however, that every penny counts.
2. Bring the toiletries home. It is only uncouth if you don’t not ask for permission. You will be surprised at how many baby goodies are available at your disposal, all the way from swaddling clothes to diapers and thermometers.
3. Don’t miss the coupons. Many medical and health manufacturers send a lot of freebies in the way of hospital wards, but the staff is every so often too busy to go around giving them out. If you ask the nurses, you may end up with a bagful of goodies that you won’t regret asking for.
4. The TV. The hospital will charge you a daily fee for the ‘luxury’ of having a TV in your room, but not if you don’t turn it on.

WHILE BREASTFEEDING

1. The breast pump. You don’t have to buy one. You can borrow a breast pump from someone you know or hire it, all you have to do is get a new set of plastic attachments.
2. Breastfeeding advice. You can find this for free in different places, online and in person. You don’t have to pay for expensive consultant services unless you need very particular advice.
3. Nursing your baby. Try as much as you can to nurse your baby, at least through the first year. It is advisable for many reasons including the significant amount of money you can save from it.
4. A breastfeeding wardrobe. You need to make a firm decision as to whether you will breastfeed your baby or feed them formula. This will not only be wise for the baby’s nutritional needs but also saves you a whole lot of money that would have been spent on breastfeeding clothes. Really, do some research and make a point to know where you can buy all the essentials - when you can complete the sentence "my baby warehouse is..." then you are on the right track. 

BEING GENERALLY COST-CONSCIOUS

1. Don’t buy your baby expensive clothes while you can get the same quality elsewhere at better prices.
2. Make a point of getting most of your baby’s clothes in white. You can easily bleach out stubborn stains instead of treating specific spots with expensive detergent.
3. Try getting unisex clothes, especially when you are expecting more children. Hand-me-downs can save you a whole shopping trip and second hand kids bags. 
4. Try to get double-duty baby furniture.