https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 11:48:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-618021 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:54:46 +0000 mrskc 618021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dookie32: Oh yes forgot about that! i spent a lot in the first month or so. I had amazon orders showing up almost everyday. </p> <p>I would budget more the first couple of months. It's hard to be completely prepared and you may find some things work and some don't. Now the spending has leveled out. </p> <p>I just went back and looked thru my Amazon order history. Here are things I purchased within the first 2 months after he was born:<br /> -camelbak eddy (BFing makes you thirsty!)<br /> -newborn sized hats<br /> -nursing pillow<br /> -stroller organizer<br /> -aveeno baby lotion<br /> -earth mama bottom spray<br /> -burp cloths<br /> -babyganics alcohol free hand sanitizer<br /> -nursing pads<br /> -audio monitor<br /> -nursing cover<br /> -breast milk freezer bags<br /> -bottles<br /> -toys<br /> -baby bjorn babysitter balance</p> <p>Not to mention all the nursing tanks &amp; bras I bought and baby clothes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617977 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:43:44 +0000 Bookish 617977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: That's what we are doin! We went to once upon a child and got 15 outfits for 20$, and are plannin on hitting up the garage sales soon. I mayyy have clothes that go up to 24 months, but they were cheap! lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617970 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:42:36 +0000 blackbird 617970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could stock up in clothes early from those large garage sales that go on in the spring. They have quite a few around here at the high schools (Moms of Multiples is hosting a HUGE one right outside my subdivision 1 week before my due date, eep!) and they are massive and onesies are 50 cents apiece, bags of wash cloths are a buck or two, etc. It's a good way to save on clothes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617944 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:37:02 +0000 yoursilverlining 617944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twoofeverything: haha, I totally forgot about the additional health insurance premium!! (probably because I try not to think about how expensive it is, blerg). Our co-pays are only $20, but that adds up too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617939 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:36:21 +0000 DillonLion 617939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dookie32: Yeah I dropped a TON of money that first month when I was desperate to try anything to figure out what she liked in terms of bottles/swaddles/noise machines/diapers. </p> <p>Oh I also bought an insane amount of breastfeeding supplies because we had such a hard go of it at first and I kept trying different things (nipple shield, hands free bra, etc.)</p> <p>Since then the spending has cooled off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617932 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:34:30 +0000 Sprite 617932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is a really, really great post, since my husband and I were planning on updating our budget this weekend for the next year, and hoping to look at baby expenses since we're starting to TTC soon. I'm really glad it came up because I was thinking more like $300-350 a month sounded reasonable to budget for!</p> <p>Of course, I do love shopping and baby clothes are pricey, and I don't think I'll have a shower since I don't have many local girlfriends, so maybe budgeting more is safer. I always like to over budget and be happy I'm under than the other way around! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617899 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:24:24 +0000 twoofeverything 617899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yoursilverlining: Oh yeah...forgot about the medical stuff. We had to add them to our premiums, and then we had a lot of co-pays for the first couple of months. But they were preemies and had a lot of weight checks at first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617894 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:22:25 +0000 yoursilverlining 617894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do S&amp;S on Amazon for diapers, which are about $38/month for a big box that lasts almost all month. </p> <p>Formula (S&amp;S on Amazon) is about $125 a month.</p> <p>Wipes I buy at BJ’s as we need them, a big box is just under $20 and lasts for several months.</p> <p>I think $100/month if you bf is reasonable, double that if you formula feed.</p> <p>The biggest thing that popped up for us when LO was a newborn was that we bought and went through 3-4 different bouncy chairs/swings/etc because she was very picky about what would soothe her. Ditto with soothers, toys, etc.</p> <p>Now what pops up for us are medical stuff (I’d suggest buying ahead for children’s Tylenol and Motrin, teething stuff, etc.), food, and clothing. Even shopping at a consignment shop, clothing adds up because they go through sizes so quickly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617890 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:21:15 +0000 twoofeverything 617890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh geez there's a lot! It was a lot of small things...<br /> - I thought I would EBF but when that didn't work I bought two bottle warmers ($40ish). That also meant buying formula, which...um...holy crap (see below).<br /> - The Nosefrida Snotsucker ($15ish?) It grossed me out when I was pregnant but we seriously use it every day. It's still gross, but whatevs!<br /> - We bought two Rock 'n Plays, ($50 each) which is where they slept for their first 8 weeks. I had thought they would sleep fine in a Pack n Play, but that didn't work for us.<br /> - We bought an extra Halo Sleep Sack Swaddle for each baby ($25 each) It's impossible to wash the things when the babies are sleeping in them all day!<br /> - Dr. Browns bottles ($140ish for 15 bottles). We originally spent a fortune on buying the Medela bottles, which gave my kids gas.<br /> - Medela sterlizer bags and extra breast milk storage viles -- $20ish total, maybe? (I did still pump for several weeks and we needed more of those little vile thingies that attach to the pump).<br /> - Extra bases for our Chicco Keyfit30 car seats for DH's car. ($80 each). DH and I "trade off" kids a lot, so it's nice to be able to quickly transfer them between cars.<br /> - A bottle drying rack ($15). It's super ugly and clutters my counter, but it does the trick, so I got over it!<br /> - Pacifiers. I said I'd never do that when I was pregnant, but at 3am, after I had tried everything, it was nice to have some on hand. I've been on the "dark side" ever since.<br /> I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember from those newborn "fog" days :-)</p> <p>So about the formula. We exclusively formula-feed. Our kids feed 6 times per day, and each baby eats around 3 1/2-4 1/2oz each time (14 weeks/10 weeks adjusted). We're using around 3 of the 'big' Similac containers each week, which comes to around $75/week ($300/month). But of course, that's for two, so you could probably budget for a quarter of that if you're just supplementing. If you're lucky, you'll still come out way ahead!<br /> GOOD LUCK! I would really just recommend to always budget for the worst-case scenario and use any savings to go on a date night when you're ready :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617861 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:14:39 +0000 Mrs. Pen 617861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: same... I would say more like $100. Clothes, food, diapers, wipes, shampoo, books/toys (not that I really buy him many),</p> <p>Babies go through clothes quickly, I'm buying him a new wardrobe every season. It's probably about $75-$100 for each new size, and that's me bargain shopping like crazy!! There is so much- onesies, socks, shoes once they're almost walking (or for winter), sweaters, tops, pants, hats Etc.. </p> <p>And we spend about $50/month in diapers and wipes alone.<br /> We need to buy new baby wash once a month. And this keep eats soooo much! He has added at least $50/month to our grocery bill. Plus baby snacks like yogurt melts and puffs. Not necessities but we keep them on hand for car trips and outings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617830 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:09:28 +0000 dookie32 617830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is on formula so our budget is a little higher (around $200/month) but I agree with what twoofeverything said- you should definitely plan on more for the first few months. The beginning is a lot of trial and error- ex. you may have gotten bottles for your shower, but your LO is gassy so you have to get a different kind. Or your LO really likes the Miracle Blanket and you need to buy another one for a backup- that sort of thing. I felt like I was at Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby every week for that sort of stuff. There are also certain months when clothes are more than others. I tend to buy a bunch at once when he goes to the next size or when the seasons change. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617766 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:53:36 +0000 cheert16 617766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@twoofeverything: If you dont mind me asking what are those things you forgot? Maybe i can try and get some of them now? Do you use formula- how much do you budget for that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617739 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:44:54 +0000 twoofeverything 617739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend about $100-150 per month on twins, not including formula, so $50-75 seems about right. </p> <p>My biggest tip is to budget more in general for the first couple of months. We ended up buying a LOT of random things during that period. It was all stuff that we either hadn't thought of, hadn't remembered, or didn't think we needed. We also over-bought some stuff, not knowing how much we needed of certain items. I swear the UPS guy was delivering a different Amazon package almost daily...I think we spent almost $700 that first month. Oops. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617727 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:42:00 +0000 mrskc 617727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About $50 for diapers and wipes. But there are also things like clothes, baby wash, lotion, toys, etc that come up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617726 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:41:48 +0000 Bookish 617726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: @cheert16: Yeah, I have more like 200$ budgeted, for miscellaneous &amp; diapers/wipes... if it's more like 50$, I'll be stoked! Could use that extra 150$!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617718 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:39:36 +0000 blackbird 617718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Damn, i was thinking $100....this way there's some roll over if/when something big comes up, like medicine or something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617707 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:37:29 +0000 cheert16 617707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Bookworm: I was thinking it was going to be way more than that- looking forwad to hearing more responses! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617684 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:33:10 +0000 Bookish 617684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Interesting... I'm wondering about this too, @cheert16:, and based on responses so far, I may have over budgeted. Gonna keep reading responses, though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617674 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:32:02 +0000 T.H.O.U. 617674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think $50/month is about right for diapers/wipes/misc. But there is also things like clothing, and random other expenses that come up in addition to that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617655 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:28:28 +0000 ninja 617655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We spend about $50 a month on our LO (diapers, wipes)..sometimes more if we need new clothes though. He is EBF for now, but planning on switching to formula in the next couple of months, so that figure will go up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617606 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:17:47 +0000 Bao 617606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, we don't budget for LO. Her expenses (diapers, wipes, pacifiers, clothes), we get as we need them. She is breastfed but just started solids. I thrift shop and buy on sale. We got a lot of diapers from our shower, in addition to collecting them while I was pregnant. We had a closet full before she even came, and it REALLY helped. LO is much cheaper than I imagined. We spend maybe $40 a month on her, if that. That is for necessities. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-to-budget-for-a-baby#post-617577 Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:10:05 +0000 cheert16 617577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How much is your monthly budget for your baby? (not including daycare)</p> <p>We are trying to re-vamp our budget and are not sure how much to budget for our little guy. We are planning on EBF- but I am going back to work after 4 weeks- so that might change and we might have to suppliment a bit (i am trying to keep all options open with EBF!) And our day care is already budgeted- but how much should we budget for everything else? </p>