Question

Soo it appears we are going to be adding a little one to our family this year ‍♀️ Any budgeting tips / general mummy tips for a first timer please? I have my EF saved and 3 months expenses and still paying down 2 x CC’s, loan and mortgage. What did you do to prepare or wish you did? ♥️ Thankfully we don’t have to do much to our home and are being gifted a hand me down pram and nursery furniture! (I am soo greatful we live in the UK and have the National Health Service, some of your debts on here from the US healthcare are mind boggling♥️ I applaud you! ) Thanks in advance! Xxx

Answer 1

I’m uk - I’ve got 3 kids - biggest advice I would say is don’t get caught up in everything you think you need. My first and second I had everything for and my third I learnt to only get essentials. Things like nappy bins, expensive change bags (good old backpack is best), toys (charity shop! ). I wouldn’t worry about a big wardrobe, just a decent amount of vests and sleep suits is all you’ll need. I found Facebook marketplace amazing for getting the few bits we did need. Also cloth diapered for a while but ended up switching to Aldi nappies as I didn’t have time to wash them as often as I should have.  

Comments

@monosaccharide I'm from the US and have a terminology question. Is a charity shop the same idea as a thrift store?  

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@titbit yes that’s right  

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@monosaccharide love it

Answer 2

Congratulations! That's so exciting! My tip would be, if you can cloth diaper, do it! In the long run it'll save you so much!  

Answer 3

Congrats  I would definitely be prepared to try multiple diapers/wipes/bottles haha if there is one thing I could change it would be to not buy so much freaking stuff! You truly don’t need that much! Pick items you want, find what is best price vs quality wise and then decide based on that. It’s better to have less high quality items than tons of crappy quality! Start a wish list NOW haha and know that more products will come out, so it’s ok to change your mind  also, my LO had a tongue and lip tie that 3 doctors missed and I had to pay $1, 200 out of pocket for (not including the thousands in bodywork to fix the restricted muscles/joints) luckily I think UK providers are more readily trained, but join Tongue Tie Babies Support Group if you’re interested in learning more! They have local groups where you can find a GOOD provider in your area (quality always outweighs cost when it comes to health) ❤️

Answer 4

One thing you will need to sort once baby is born is your child benefit (depending on your earnings) you should still claim it to get NI contributions but just put it aside and then pay back the portion you need to pay back after your tax assessment. The other option is if only one of you is a higher rate tax payer then if possible you could increase your pensions contributions to take you under 50k and you can still claim child benefit without having to pay back.  

Answer 5

Cloth diapers have been a huge savings for us, I highly suggest!  

Answer 6

Congratulations x

Answer 7

Second hands everything, cloth diapers, breastfeeding, realizing that children don’t need that much.  

Answer 8

Claim universal credits if you are a low income couple as child tax credits is no more :(

Answer 9

Congratulations  

Answer 10

Hiya! Are baby showers a thing in the UK? If so and you are choosing the disposable route then may I suggest a diaper raffle? You let everyone who is attending know about said raffle and then have everyone who brings diapers and wipes gets an entry. Then you pick a name from a hat randomly and they win the prize. I did this and I didn't have to buy diapers until my daughter was 10 months old and I still haven't run out of wipes. It's been lovely. Kudos to the cloth diaper mamas though

Comments

I second this. diaper raffled saved us both times! ❤️

Answer 11

Cloth diaper and most clothes from consignment. Saves money and is better for the environment!  

Answer 12

Congrats! My biggest piece of advice is to not get caught up in all the junk that the world convinces you that you have to have lol Keep it simple. Maybe have money set aside for gadgets and gizmos that you discover would be handy after baby is born