Guess How Much: The Cost of a Baby's First Year

February 5, 2009

Have you heard? Kids are expensive. The Wall Street Journal reports there's could be a shift in women starting to having kids younger than they've trended in the past, but I have a feeling the economy will play a big part in whether this shift sticks. Can you guess how much the average middle-income couple spends on babies in their first year?

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39 Comments

nv27 4 years 14 weeks

Wow. Thats definitley a chunk of change, but Im sure worth every penny.

sorrowja 4 years 14 weeks

I so over estimated it makes me feel a little better to know that they aren't that expensive. But $11K could payoff one of my many student loans so I'll pass on the baby for now.

cocoacrispie 4 years 14 weeks

Thank god I don't have a kid because that's a huge chunk of change.

Symphonee 4 years 14 weeks

I thought it was more! I saved more becuase I breast fed for at least three months and took donations. My kids had clothes given to them that still had tags on them for goodness sakes. They received more clothes than I have bought in the last 6 years.

msshellokitty 4 years 14 weeks

I believe it.I have four kids and they are very expensive.

AnnaLove 4 years 15 weeks

I agree with those who have said that it's about how much you want to (or are able) to spend. I'm 20 and a student, and have a 5 month old. We HAD to look for the most economical things for our son. I think we spent like $60 on Craigs list furniture and refinished it ourselves. For clothes, we buy clearance normally. Okay, my mom did buy me a Bugaboo stroller for my baby shower :) but the point is that if you CAN'T spend so much you will just have to look extra hard and buy second-hand. Oh, also for food and health we are on Medicaid but I feel okay about it given that my parents have no doubt contributed more to the system than I could have spent. Also I'm working on becoming an MD so I'm sure I'll pay it back myself in time. Just saying, don't freak out if you have an accident... Might have to cut back on the shopping trips some but you'll be okay. It's not the ideal but I feel like it's more about the things you give your child emotionally and educationally.

smart blonde 4 years 15 weeks

All I can think about is how many hours I have to work to make that $11K, and how $11K would take care of the bulk of my student loans, or would pay off my car three times over, or all of my credit card debt, or a down payment on a condo. Yikes. I've never wanted kids anyway, but this really cements it.

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Good question. No, it does not. Just basic first-year costs.Over the course of the next 18 years, we expect to be able to keep costs low, except for a few items. College is indeed the biggie. Due to the bailout and coming inflation of the dollar, we buy gold as our hedge against inflation and as our primary investment. So we only are doing a traditional savings fund as a way for little gifts from grandma and friends to be saved until enough is there to convert to gold, commodities, or less inflationary currencies. But of course, we are going to encourage scholarship applications and provide the best learning opportunities. We plan to do extensive home-schooling with additional tutoring from the best teachers, but if we don't, we will undoubtedly do private school or charters, which will be an expense as well.GlowingMoon makes a good point. If you are going to spend a lot on your kid, it's far better to make it an INVESTMENT (like college or an amazing educational trip or music or language lessons) that can serve them the rest of their life than to buy a brand-new stroller or a new outfit they'll wear 5 times. Especially, if you have to take a loan on a credit card to do so!

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Good question. No, it does not. Just basic first-year costs. Over the course of the next 18 years, we expect to be able to keep costs low, except for a few items. College is indeed the biggie. Due to the bailout and coming inflation of the dollar, we buy gold as our hedge against inflation and as our primary investment. So we only are doing a traditional savings fund as a way for little gifts from grandma and friends to be saved until enough is there to convert to gold, commodities, or less inflationary currencies. But of course, we are going to encourage scholarship applications and provide the best learning opportunities. We plan to do extensive home-schooling with additional tutoring from the best teachers, but if we don't, we will undoubtedly do private school or charters, which will be an expense as well. GlowingMoon makes a good point. If you are going to spend a lot on your kid, it's far better to make it an INVESTMENT (like college or an amazing educational trip or music or language lessons) that can serve them the rest of their life than to buy a brand-new stroller or a new outfit they'll wear 5 times. Especially, if you have to take a loan on a credit card to do so!

GlowingMoon 4 years 15 weeks

Hmmm, does this figure include starting a college fund for the baby?

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

And by the way, my kid is dressed well and often in wool or organics. All natural fibers. All from thrift stores, but no one would ever know.Really, this is such a silly article. Poor parents, Fischer Price and Enfamil have them convinced their babies need a lot of stuff. They don't! Kids just need their parents, breast milk, and healthy food!

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

And by the way, my kid is dressed well and often in wool or organics. All natural fibers. All from thrift stores, but no one would ever know. Really, this is such a silly article. Poor parents, Fischer Price and Enfamil have them convinced their babies need a lot of stuff. They don't! Kids just need their parents, breast milk, and healthy food!

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Just for the record, that $500 in the last 20 months includes:Any clothing we purchased for himAny diapers, cloth or disposable we boughtAny additional food we would not have otherwise have bought, once he started eating solidsAny books on children and pregnancyAny toys and room decorations Any babysitting costsOh, and we did purchase a lovely bedroom set for him to use someday off of Craig's List for an additional $250. It's a collected set and we can probably re-sell it for more than we bought it for, but include that too if you want.There is absolutely no reason to spend thousands - unless you want to.

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Just for the record, that $500 in the last 20 months includes: Any clothing we purchased for him Any diapers, cloth or disposable we bought Any additional food we would not have otherwise have bought, once he started eating solids Any books on children and pregnancy Any toys and room decorations Any babysitting costs Oh, and we did purchase a lovely bedroom set for him to use someday off of Craig's List for an additional $250. It's a collected set and we can probably re-sell it for more than we bought it for, but include that too if you want. There is absolutely no reason to spend thousands - unless you want to.

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Bottom Line: Kids can be as expensive or as cheap as you want. #1 $$$$$ saver: BREAST-FEED! Beyond that, get used clothes from friends, join yahoo trade groups, check used clothing stores, get anything else from Craig's List and eBay, cloth diaper, and make your own baby food. Also, working does not necessarily save a mother more money than staying home with the baby. Finally, consider home birth if you are comfortable with that option and the pregnancy is progressing well. We are almost nearing my son's first year! Just FIVE more days! I'd estimate that since my pregnancy, in the last 20 months, we have probably spent an additional $500 on him. Absolute max! For real.

pour qua 4 years 15 weeks

Bottom Line: Kids can be as expensive or as cheap as you want.#1 $$$$$ saver: BREAST-FEED!Beyond that, get used clothes from friends, join yahoo trade groups, check used clothing stores, get anything else from Craig's List and eBay, cloth diaper, and make your own baby food. Also, working does not necessarily save a mother more money than staying home with the baby. Finally, consider home birth if you are comfortable with that option and the pregnancy is progressing well.We are almost nearing my son's first year! Just FIVE more days!I'd estimate that since my pregnancy, in the last 20 months, we have probably spent an additional $500 on him. Absolute max! For real.

bbrimacombe 4 years 15 weeks

The only comparison is cost wise, nothing else. I made that very clear both times. And the person who made the comparison has 3 children (and a dog and a cat). I'm pretty sure (or at least I hope :P) that she wouldn't compare her children with her pets in any way that truly matters. I'll add that your question earlier about health care may make a difference in my mother's comparison. We live in Canada so if the calculation does include the cost of health care, then a baby would be more expensive than a dog in the US.

bbrimacombe 4 years 15 weeks

lickety split 4 years 15 weeks

it doesn't mean they didn't read it, it means they aren't accepting it as gospel. and frankly i think most people are uncomfortable comparing their children to animals.

bbrimacombe 4 years 15 weeks

Apparently no one reads the earlier comments.... basically according to my mother babies = dogs at least in terms of how expensive they are.

Spectra 4 years 15 weeks

This is why I'm not having kids. They are EXPENSIVE!! Sometimes I complain about my dog's vet bills or food costs, but then I remember that they are WAY less than having a kid.

Brooke L 4 years 15 weeks

I never had enough time to keep a budget for baby stuff in his first year :))) Now I can start to think about it again ;) Probably that is why I totally over estimated that cost this time...

lickety split 4 years 15 weeks

wonder what "middle income" means? hard to believe that we spent $33k in 3 years on just our new babies :ponder: does that factor in health care and a percentage of the housing cost?

GlowingMoon 4 years 15 weeks

Glad we decided to be child-free. :)

momma tikita 4 years 15 weeks

They really are Steph! I got it right though It seemed like we were pending much more! Wasn't it $10,000 a few years ago?

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