I am a Mom; a title that quite frankly I haven’t got used to yet. I waited till my 30s to start my child-rearing adventure and considering all that I have learned thus far about babies and how much they cost, I am very happy I waited. I don’t think the 20-year-old version of me could have handled the responsibility, stress, or financial burden. Not to mention, I didn’t find and marry the wonderful man I call husband and my son calls dad (or will when he learns to talk) until I was 26.
The Early Years
When I was in my early 20s I had a very rudimentary grasp of budgeting and no concept of credit. I was on my own for the first time with not much more than a bank account and a dependable, but low-paying job. Between medical bills, car repairs, and the cost of general living expenses, I soon found myself broke and having to depend on family and friends to help me get by.
Realizing how much I didn’t know regarding personal finance, I soon threw myself into learning all that I could. How credit works, how to develop a budget, how to shop with coupons, etc. I read everything I could, took classes offered by my local bank, and even quizzed some bankers and finance experts.
In only a few years’ time, I gained a good grasp of my finances, established excellent credit, and became slightly obsessed with finding the best deal. And I feel truly lucky to have had the support of those around me in those early years as I blundered my way into discovering personal finance.
Becoming a Mom
When I began my journey towards motherhood, I had a good foundation in place for managing the whole family’s finances. By this time, I was able to offer advice to friends and family who had finance or credit questions. I knew babies cost a lot of money with all of their gear and daily care and I wanted to make sure I was well prepared as I started out on this adventure.
So I turned to friends, family, and the internet to learn all that I could about the costs of having and raising a baby. As I scoured internet page after internet page, I realized just how difficult it was to find specific information regarding child-rearing costs. Finding the stats on how much the average baby costs is easy, but trying to find information on how the day-to-day finances look, was proving to be much harder.
How much should I be spending on diapers? When should I start a college fund? How can I save money on formula? Which items are not safe to get second-hand? The information was out there but finding it was a pain.
Starting This Blog
So, eight months into being a mom, once the crying-all-night newborn phase receded, I decided to start work on this blog. How much have I spent on baby so far? What ways have I found to save money on baby products? In what ways can you reuse baby items? I want to share it all.
My goal, as I launch this blog, is to provide new parents (and those expecting) a trusted and comprehensive resource on all costs related to baby. From finding the best deal on diapers to establishing a family budget, I aim to offer up the best budgeting strategies, savings tips, and thrifty ideas, I won’t shy away from the hard numbers either. It is important to share what myself and other moms out there are spending on their bundles of joy.
With all of the worries and stress that come with having children, I hope that what I write here will help you in your parenting journey and give you the confidence to expertly manage your family’s finances.
