lundi 22 février 2010

Just THINKING about it - for the long term, you know?

So I was just wondering what the Interwebs had to say about the cost of raising a child. Someone told me the other day that "it gets expensive"... but that's if you let yourself purchase all the "wants" out there. And IF you have the salary which ALLOWS you to purchase all these "extras".

I think for the basics, this is the type of cost we'd be looking at. (Based on this and other links.) Biggest costs are "set-up costs" (haha)... and then after that I think the biggest costs will be sports equipment for them, and lessons (music, sports, etc.).

From Conception to Birth ("set-up cost")
-maternity clothes $100
I think I can get away with wearing most of my regular clothes for a long while, since a lot of my pants are very "low-rise" and I already have some tops that would fit a belly. Maybe just a few tops for the very end - I'm thinking 7th or 8th month. I'm also hoping to find used clothes or get lots of clothes gifted to me from friends.
-co-sleeper $0
I already know I'm getting this one as a gift... it'll be good for the first few months.
-crib (one that converts to bed) $300
(OR just a pack-and-play! Saw this recommended on a frugal website. And the one I linked to looks tops!)
If we don't get one as a gift from one or both sets of parents, or a hand-me-down, might as well buy one that'll be good for a really long time. Dad might be able to build us one for cheap...
-blankets and sheets for crib $100
Sew my own! Or buy used.
-stroller (one that is good from birth to toddler-age) $800
The biggest purchase - I know MB wants one that he can jog with. Might as well buy one that'll last all through the years, and not just for a baby. That's if we don't get a hand-me-down, of course. Or decide to just use a sling-type baby carrier during the first year or so.
-car seat (one that is good from birth to toddler-age?) $300 x # of vehicles
-high chair $100
Depends what type we get, but I'd like to get one of those portable ones that hooks onto the table (like the "Phil & Ted's MeToo! Travel Highchair").
-vibrating chair $100
-washable breastfeeding pads $50?
-baby clothes/bibs/etc. $100
I'll probably want to buy some of these... but I'll try to buy used as much as possible, and we'll probably receive some as gifts.


Total: about $2000
Obviously it's possible to live without a lot of stuff on this list...

Year One
-diapers $80/month
-breastfeeding $0
-clothes $50/month?
-?

Total: $130/month

Year Two
-diapers $60/month
-breastfeeding $0
-clothes $50/month?
-childcare $?/month - Mom?
-?

Years Three-Four (or Five if we're in Quebec?) - until school starts
-food $50/month?
Baby should be able to eat the same thing we do, and it won't be all that much extra food... but just in case I'm adding 50 here.
-clothes $50/month?
-childcare $?/month - Mom?
-?

There is the Universal Child Care Benefit ($100/month/child) and the Canada Child Care Benefit (about $20/month/child, based on our salary) we would get.

So yeah, looks like some big up-front costs to save up for... although I know we'll get help from our parents and grand-parents. (Luckily!)

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