Hi am new on here and just wondered if any mums out there could give a rough estimate of how much a baby costs per week, we are looking to start trying back end of this year and I really want to have a baby by next year at the latest but h2b says we might not be able to afford it.

Our jobs arent safe and secure either have worked for a charity for 7 years and might be made redundant next month but I have started applying for other jobs. Hubby is self employed and is in and out of work at the moment and is doing ok but he doesnt make the money he used to and that worries me too!

I cant sleep at night, if am honest we have been married nearly 6 weeks and theres been nothing but stress and money talks I want to relax and think it will happen but I am a planner and want to plan having a baby. Hub has said we can start trying in 6-8 months and I have said 6! He has agreed but our situation is going to be no different then than it is now so why not just go for it now??

I will only get smp off my employer is it 6 weeks @ 90% of your wage then £117 per week but it goes up next year doesnt it? How much tax credits and child benefit would I get does anyone know.

H2b is self employed and so when hes out of work he has no money and at times we really struggle, we also have our mtgage, bills, a loan @ 300 per month over 5 years and also a credit card to pay off and I feel at this rate I will be going back full time and only be able to have a few months off with our baby.

Any advice would be greatly received and appreciated :-) x

Ps sorry for the rant but I knew as soon as we got married I would be like this I cant tell myself to feel something different to not want a baby etc and sometimes I wonder why I crave it so much but I have been broody for 3 years now and am pushing 30 not that age matters but I dont want to wait 5 years its just too long x

hi hun welcome to The Broody Bunch

not sure what advice to give but didnt want to R+R

i had similar worries a while ago (i'm also self-employed) - when i expressed these worries to my neighbour, who has 2 girls under 3, she said that yes it is hard at times but somehow you manage and find a way to muddle through

Thanks well I am also an avon rep and do that in my spare time which I get about 60 per order at xmas i do really well am supposed to be doing leadership and also canvassing new areas so that should bump up my free mun every month, its hard going into the unknown when we have things we could do without but then I find your always paying for something arent you! I mean I only got married 5 weeks ago and have been back and had weddings to go to, been to Take That concert and been on a hen weekend so its been a mad rush.

Am economising now tho because I know we have to we have also made an appt to join our accounts together this might ease things and means that when I eventually do get pg next year I will have hubbys money to live off too!

I just wish hubby could see that theres never a right time to start trying or have a baby and that yes somehow you do just manage loads of people have told me that and I think you get tax credits etc and its not like I wont be going back to work after maternity either.

Oh well hun, thanks for replying xx

Hello hun, welcome to the site. You're certainly not alone in worrying about money etc, we've all been there!

There is no right time to have a baby, and like MrsRaf said, you will find a way financially. Plus there's always that fact that things might not happen as quickly as you would like, lots of couples take anywhere up to 18 months to conceive!!

What i'm trying to say is go with your heart - you'll never be able to control everything!! xx

Hi and welcome to our forum. My oh worries about money too, just point out to your hubby that it can take time to conceive and even when you do there is still another 9 months before baby arrives. If you are looking to work out what benefits, tax credits etc you would be entitled to try entitledto.com. and fill out your details. It will tell you roughly how much you would get. Keep us updated xx

Hello hun,

Welcome to the forum! I have two little ones already- a son who's 3 and a half and a little girl who's almost 2. We currently planning to start ttc number 3 sometime before the end of the year.

In my experience (and some may disagree) the weekly cost of a baby isn't much. Babies are much like everything else- you can do it more expensively or more on a budget. The intial costs might be a bit more- when you have to buy all your equipement ie. buggy, cot etc. but you can als do this more cheaply if needs be. We didn't spend a fortune on our first but we still had nice stuff, it's about shopping around for the best deal. Once the baby comes along the weekly costs are really nappies, wipes, formula if you are not breast feeding, food once you start weaning...and that's kind of it for basics. Clothes from supermarkets are great because they're cute but cheap and they wash well. I found quite a lot of people I knew with babies gave me bags of clothes which is great and saves a fortune.

As for tax credits -its really hard to get estimates on these as they are based on specific costs and income details at the time. Although the site MFS gave you the link to is great for getting an idea. Tax credits can be great for helping with childcare costs. My kids go to nursery twice a week whilst I work part time and we wouln't be able to afford that without tax credit help. Child care costs are really hard...I think this is where it's difficult financially- not the general costs of the 'upkeep' of a baby. If you have family or a friend who can look after your baby if you do want to/need to go back to work then that's ideal cost wise and your laughing really.
Child benefit is a standard amount to everyone I think- mines £132 a month, but I have two kids so obviously it's more. I *think* for one child it's about £18 per week...but I might be wrong. You also get a govenmen grant now to help with baby equipement costs when your pg- think it's £190.

Hope that's helped a bit. Honestly, it's so true though- you just get by.

xxxxx

oh yeah my mum said that when my sister (her first child) was born she didnt have to buy anything coz friends and family gave or lent everything

you can also use material/washable nappies is you want to save money (although they take a lot of washing)
and try buying in bulk from ebay or costco or anywhere that has sales on

there are loads of money saving tips around this site as well

Thank you girls I am feeling so down and deflated at the moment, I guess I am being impatient do I wait and go with the flow, we have to both want to start trying hubby still says 6 months however I am off the pill now and he is letting me get it out of my system so I cant really complain can I.

Am sure 6 months will fly in right? oh well thank you for all your help and I will check out them websites xx

Hey,
Me and my fiance have had similar worries, still are but i know once im pregnant thats it, no more drinking or mad shopping sprees, everything will go into protecting, feeding, clothing etc my little baby. People manage, and i dont know about your individual circumstances but theres always family and friends around willing to help.
Thanks for all the advice everyone!! Best website i have ever been on...

Good luck all

x x x