How much do parents spend on their children? Raising a child from 0 to 17 in the US costs on average $233,610, according to the USDA. A lot of parents need to budget early for significant expenses, such as the cost of education or even the cost of their child’s first car.
However, what you may not realize is that expectant parents can incur costs even before the birth of their child. Indeed, some pregnancy costs can be wrongly labeled as child’s expenses or even everyday expenses.
Why does it matter? Ultimately, having and raising a child is not something to take lightly. While it is a remarkable and exciting adventure, it is also an expensive decision. You can’t afford to waste money, and that’s precisely where unnecessary pregnancy expenses can be avoided. Here’s a head-up: Saving money during pregnancy will not put your health or family at risk. Here’s why.
You’re Stressed or Tired
Pregnancy is no walk in the park. Your body goes through a lot. As the baby grows, you can find yourself struggling with fatigue and discomfort. While these are unavoidable, they can affect your ability to make decisions. You’re probably familiar with cravings that can occur when you’re stressed out and tired. These are not pregnancy cravings. They are driven by a reward-seeking behavior, which jumps into action when you’re feeling worn-out. We’re all familiar with the feel-good shopping spree approach. When you’re pregnant, tiredness can make you more vulnerable to impulsive purchases. It’s hard to manage your mental and emotional wellbeing. However, some online materials, such as Wellue Health Blog have a lot of tips on alleviating stress and fatigue during pregnancy. A massage gadget could keep impulsive shopping at bay!
You’re an Instinctive Hoarder
Expectant parents are keen to prepare for the arrival of their baby. Of course, you want them to have the best possible start in life. So, you make sure that you can create a complete baby registry. It’s hard to resist some of the cute baby products in-store. But some purchases are likely to be unnecessary. Mother RIsing Birth has a helpful guide of some of the items you don’t need to buy. Baby shoes, for instance, are a sweet addition to the nursery room. Besides, they make cute announcement photos. However, they are impractical. Babies do not need shoes and are more likely to lose them. The bottom line: Save yourself some money!
You Don’t Know How to Budget for Your Baby
Creating a budget for your future child can be challenging, as you basically need to create new expenses on a tight income. It’s not uncommon for one of the parents to stop working and look after the baby. During this time, you need to maximize each paycheck to handle all the necessary costs. Therefore, if you start planning now, you are more likely to develop a saving discipline during pregnancy. Why not create a savings account already so you start putting money aside?
Can we make pregnancy easier? Probably not! But there’s one thing you can do is make it less expensive. Pregnancy encourages parents to go off-budget and indulge in feel-good purchases. Whether you are responding to pregnancy fatigue or you’re worried about having everything ready for your baby, it can be helpful to create a pregnancy budget!
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