What is typically the monthly expenses of a baby?

Question

When having a baby there are things that you have to buy upfront and there are things that you have to buy monthly. What was your typical upfront expense and is your monthly expenses?

Answer

Nowhere near $500 for us.

$50 for diapers

$10 for wipes

Her health insurance is covered by the military

She eats what we eat we just mash it up.

$40 for her savings account.

We have WIC which covers her formula

And I spend about $50 a month on clothes

Answer

A lot of that depends on if you'll use daycare. If not, I'd say only around $300.

Answer

I think it depends hugely on your lifestyle and parenting choices.  I'll be staying home (with maternity pay) for the first year so won't have childcare costs. I plan to exclusively breastfeed so no formula costs. I will be using disposable nappies and wipes so that's one ongoing cost, and there'll also be costs for clothing,  toys/entertainment and things like play groups and I plan to do infant swimming lessons (which are expensive).  After six months we'll do baby led weaning so won't be buying jars of food etc, baby will eat home cooked meals pretty much the same as us. I don't think the 'running costs' will be huge because of those choices - it'll  probably be less than what I spend going to work (commuting costs, lunches out, professional clothes etc). It could easily go the opposite direction and cost fortunes if you have daycare costs, formula, buy all designer clothes and accessories and expensive processed baby food.

Answer

Depends on your choices. Cloth diapers, formula, breastfeeding? You can make homemade baby food and shop consignment for clothes. But you are going to need means to travel for doctor check ups and a car seat. There's just a lof of reasons someone might choose to spend more or less money because of what works best for them.

Answer

Upfront costs are one thing but once we had all the gear, my baby didn't cost much per month. Where I live we don't have to pay for healthcare so that's not a factor. We are also frugal people. Even though we don't struggle financially so we buy most clothes and toys used and use cloth diapers instead of disposables. All together is guess in a month we spend about $15 on disposable diapers for overnight, maybe $50 on new clothes and toys max if there's a season change, $25 on creams and bath products and maybe another $50 on misc and spontaneous purchases? So $150 or less per month on baby while they're little. Costs go up as they get bigger and need more things.

Answer

Yes, to all the things other people are saying. Also health insurance cost. That's another $225 a month.

Answer

My upfront cost was about $1,500. Then each month is about $500.

Answer

About $200 per month. My baby didn't and still doesn't need much. When she was born my family and her dad's family brought her enough clothes to last her until she's at least 2 or 3 yrs old. We already had a crib that was like brand new from when I was a baby. My husband had one too from his son's birth. Wic pays for baby food and milk the 1st yr of the child. The only thing I worry about now is basic stuff like baby wash/shampoo, diapers, wipes, and paying someone to babysit. My baby is old enough to eat what I eat now (table food) so all in all I spend about $150-$200 per month on her. I think the only ppl who should be spending $500 or more on their babies is the ones with no family support to help buy things, or ppl who are paying for daycare or have multiple kids b/c that price is ridiculous and for the most part a crib isn't even necessary to buy nor is baby furniture. None of my kids slept in their cribs and would cry whenever we put them in it. So its a waste of money. The only successful thing brought, that they actually used, was a baby rocker and stroller/car seat. And they slept in the bed with us..

Answer

We are actually not spending that much at all..considering we had a diaper/wipe shower (stock pile)  and I'll get his milk on WIC if I can'T breastfeed we have tons of clothes

So all the things that's a need is taken care of for at least 5months :)

We are paying for circumcision so that's about it

Answer

We are spending something like $2,000 before the baby gets here. That's everything I want including stroller and furniture and most of it will bought for the baby shower.

Then estimate that weekly baby will cost about $50, wipes, diapers and formula.

So $200 a month or so.

Plus maternity clothes for me, and inbetween clothes as I lose weight after baby. $500

We will likely pay for newborn pics $500