The Real Cost of Having a Baby

So… as I have now publicly revealed, my husband and I are having a baby in May 2008 – our first.

Of course, we are excited and panicked at the same time… what do we do when it won’t stop crying?  How will we survive without ever getting a full night’s sleep again?  How much does taking care of a baby really cost?

In her wisdom, knowing that I was a cheapskate, err… skinflint, umm… *THRIFTY PARENT*… my cousin gave me a book for Christmas focusing on getting bargains in the baby buying department.  This book contains estimates that it will cost upwards of $6,000 to outfit your household for the arrival of a newborn.  This includes baby furniture, clothes, maternity wear, and so forth.

So far, I know I’m well under the allotted amount for maternity clothes thanks to Christmas gifts, consignment stores, and generous friends who’ve already had children.  Also, since I work at home (in my comfy sweats many days!) I’m spared from having to invest in a professional level maternity wardrobe.  I’ll be wearing these sweats to the hospital on Delivery Day if I have my way.

Nevertheless, I have been surfing online trying to find more estimates of the "real" cost of having a baby and getting him dressed and fed.  Most of the information I have found relates to the study revealing the cost of raising a child through age 18.  Frankly, I’ll worry about that later, I’m just concerned with my expected cash outlay before the baby comes.

In the interest of educating the world of parents-in-waiting, I will attempt to archive here my monthly expenditures on baby stuff, to give us all a real sense for how it’s working out!

Stay tuned and please feel free to share your experiences and bargain-hunting finds!

Emily

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