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Great idea, making your own baby food. Much tastier, too.
And the Tupperware lid, that and a big spoon and you've got yourself a drum ! ! Or a pot tipped upside down. Shower rings put together in a chain is fun, and so is a box. My daughter didn't cost me a penny when it came to toys. She played with anything I had in the house. I kept the box her highchair came in, tipped it on it's side and it became her favorite hiding place. I'd sit her inside a box and pull her around all over the house and she acted like I was her own private limo driver.
Home made baby food, homespun toys, cotton diapers....
Yep, babies are pretty cheap. AND SHE WAS SO HAPPY
You can get a basic umbrella stroller at target for about $10. People give you those things by the armful. We had to ask our friends to stop giving us stollers. $899 for a stroller? I had to laugh at that. Who would pay that much? It is a stroller. Now if it had a small electric motor so the baby could stroll themsleves around the neighborhood, it might be worth while. "Here you go honey, take a toru of the hood while I make dinner"
Seriously though we never bought any of the absurdly priced contraptions. A basic monitor is about $1 used. Bouncers, walkers, strollers all came free. Even without all the fancy contrapctions our children have come out exceptionally well. I cannot see how such things are necessary, let alone prudent. Take all that extra money and put it in a college fund.
I guess it could be important to buy that fancy stuff if you feel the need to show off to your firend and neighbors. "I am such a good parent I bought all the really expensive trendy stuff.
One thing that I can say saved me lots of money was making my own baby food. Yeah, you think it is a lot of work, but really it isn't. For example, if you cook a batch of sweet potato, a couple lbs maybe, then puree them, all you have to do is freeze them in ice cube trays, pop them out afterward, and store them in a zip loc bag. start off with one cube and as baby grows, use more. You can make baby food a few times a week and in a couple of weeks have a good selection to choose from. All you need is a food processor or blender (food processor is better) you can do meat and chicken this way too, just simmer till done, puree w/stock, and then serve it up with another cube of veggies. This also gives you control of the texture. (baby food was wierd, 1 and 2 seemed to be purees, then BAM, stage 3 had cubes of food in it that my son refused to eat)
Anyway this is a huge money saver. And yes, I am a SAHM, so I've had the time to do it, but when I got my cousin (who works) doing it, she was easily able to make her child's baby food at the same time she was cooking her dinner.
I also made our own baby food this way. And I was working full-time by the time my daughter was on solids (as I assume the OP will be too since she is asking about expenses for the 3 months she will be off). But when the time comes for solids (6 months or so), making baby food at home is a huge money saver. And it tastes better and you have totaly conrol over what goes in it and what ingredients you use. I would make a bunch on a Sunday, freeze in ice cube trays, and have enough to last a few weeks! Here's a good website that I used that gives some different tips, recipes, and the ages that different foods are okay to start. Make Homemade Baby Food Recipes, Homemade Baby Food Recipes, Solid Food Baby Tips, Baby Nutrition & more!
Another tip is that you can also freeze breast milk in the ice cube trays for convenient 1 oz aliquots. This is useful if mom isn't home and baby finished her bottle but wants a little more, but you don't want to use another whole bottle (trust me - the milk is precious - you don't want to use a 4 oz bottle if baby is only going to drink 1 oz!). Also, you can put the ice cube in one of the mesh feeders in the summer for a "momsickle". Just a tip!
After browsing this thread I have one question...why would ANYONE care how much Dabeez spends on ANYTHING??? Dabeez is the only one paying for the stroller, car seat, etc...I assume none of you are footing the bill for her lifestyle. Expense is relative.
If she thinks it was a good purchase, then her perception is her reality. I would think you all would have other things to get worked up about...
After browsing this thread I have one question...why would ANYONE care how much Dabeez spends on ANYTHING??? Dabeez is the only one paying for the stroller, car seat, etc...I assume none of you are footing the bill for her lifestyle. Expense is relative.
If she thinks it was a good purchase, then her perception is her reality. I would think you all would have other things to get worked up about...
Because the OP wants to know how much should she save for having a baby, and DaBeez says "Here are a few expenses that you should prepare for: ... $1,000 - for Bugaboo stroller (believe me, its worth it)" and then later goes on to list "Some things you can save on or dont need to buy", which puts the $1000 stroller in the must category, not the optional category. I think the rest of us are just reacting to the implication that the OP should expect to pay $1000 for a stroller, when the OP can in fact get a perfectly acceptable stroller for $100 or even $10.
Because the OP wants to know how much should she save for having a baby, and DaBeez says "Here are a few expenses that you should prepare for: ... $1,000 - for Bugaboo stroller (believe me, its worth it)" and then later goes on to list "Some things you can save on or dont need to buy", which puts the $1000 stroller in the must category, not the optional category. I think the rest of us are just reacting to the implication that the OP should expect to pay $1000 for a stroller, when the OP can in fact get a perfectly acceptable stroller for $100 or even $10.
Don't you think the reactions were a bit over the top? There was even name calling about a darn stroller...I guess I felt it was a bit extreme and unnecessary.
Don't you think the reactions were a bit over the top? There was even name calling about a darn stroller...I guess I felt it was a bit extreme and unnecessary.
A woman having her first child asked what to expect for expenses the first three months.
Someone posted how necessary it is to spend nearly $1000 on a stroller.
Don't you think THAT was a little over the top?
How can the OP come to a reasonable conclusion when someone makes a list like $1000 on one stroller, and $250 on an additional stroller for daycare, and all the other outrageous things on that list?
I think 'extreme and unnecessary' was more likely 'shock and awe'. Personally, I have never known a newborn to need anything expensive.
A woman having her first child asked what to expect for expenses the first three months.
Someone posted how necessary it is to spend nearly $1000 on a stroller.
Don't you think THAT was a little over the top?
How can the OP come to a reasonable conclusion when someone makes a list like $1000 on one stroller, and $250 on an additional stroller for daycare, and all the other outrageous things on that list?
I think 'extreme and unnecessary' was more likely 'shock and awe'. Personally, I have never known a newborn to need anything expensive.
I am not trying to get snarky, but I guess everyones reality is different. When my husband and I first got married and had our first child, I think we had $12 left over at the end of the month, but that was my reality. Not every first time mother is as poor as we were...thank goodness
I don't know. I guess I felt like she was putting her 2cents in and was quasi attacked for her statements...no big deal. She can spend the extra money and chooses to do so. Some people can spend it and don't. Some can't spend it...
It is just like anything else, her choices and she shared them.
I am not trying to get snarky, but I guess everyones reality is different. When my husband and I first got married and had our first child, I think we had $12 left over at the end of the month, but that was my reality. Not every first time mother is as poor as we were...thank goodness
I don't know. I guess I felt like she was putting her 2cents in and was quasi attacked for her statements...no big deal. She can spend the extra money and chooses to do so. Some people can spend it and don't. Some can't spend it...
It is just like anything else, her choices and she shared them.
Understood. I guess I was thinking that a more practical approach as an answer would have been called for. If the OP had unlimited funds, she wouldn't be worried about finances over the three months she will be off from work.
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