new babies expensive?

[Goldy1]

Oh our friends have 2 teen boys and I was thinking how that is like feeding 2 extra "adult" mouths. actually more than that as they eat a lot!

[wnlbutterfly]

It goes back to the "want" and "need" question again. There are a lot of things new parents WANT for their baby, but they aren't needs. We had 12 yrs between the oldest and the youngest. When we got pg with the youngest (who is now 12), I only had the crib left. But we knew this would be the last and I refused to buy everything brand new again. Consignment shops, yard sales, diapers ON sale...you name it. He was a bargain basement baby. Of course already having had two babies I knew what I really needed. And yes, brand new car seats (btw, our hospital gave us a new car seat).

Anyway, as they get older it can get more expensive, but still a lot of things again are "wants". I would like to save $ so he can go on a school trip to Washington DC. But I know that is a "want". DD is in college and while we are paying the bill (no student loans). I know she could work more hours and pay a little more. While I believe college is a "need", my parents didn't help me through college, so it is a "want" for us to be able to help her out like this.

Does that make sense? No matter what, you can't put a price tag on a child though. They are a blessing.

[asmom]

Kids are expensive. They do not have to be as expensive as some people make it; you don't need brand new and name brand everything but they do have needs and you have to provide for them. Diapers, I don't care if you buy off-brand or Huggies are expensive. So are baby wipes. And formula. And bottles. The crib has to have bed linens. The diaper bag needs to be supplied. My kids broke out in rashes when I used a certain detergent on their clothes and cloth diapers so I had to use a special detergent for them. There were all sorts of little things like that which added up. And yes, you will receive gifts at the shower and such, but you cannot and should not count on that to provide for your child.


And you want to provide for their healthcare, don't you? What about their education? You don't have to go broke having children but let's not be unrealistic about the cost to provide for them either.