The good news is that there are ways to effectively budget and save that can greatly reduce these costs. You will find with smart shopping and good planning, you can still provide everything that your child needs while saving a great deal of money in the process. Here are some cost-saving tips that are sure to take some of the strain off of your bank account:
Dont feel that you need to buy everything at once. Your baby will not need to much more than an infant car seat, a safe place to sleep, diapers, and a few changes of clothing for the first few weeks.
Consider breastfeeding. You can save considerably if you dont have to buy formula and bottles.
Buy nappies on sale and in bulk, or better yet, buy a few dozen reusable cloth nappies that can be worn and washed over and over.
Dont be embarrassed to accept hand me downs from friends and family or shop in resale stores. You might be surprised to find that much of the clothing and toys have hardly been used at all.
Dont always assume that the more expensive items are better quality. Ask a trusted family member or friend who has small children what brands they like and use.
Shop the end-of-season sales for baby clothing and stock up on sizes that youll need for next season.
Water Balloons
This is a great activity for children, teenagers and even parents to do together. Buy a bag of water balloons and fill as many as you can. Place in plastic buckets or washing up bowls. Small children will need help. After everyone has an equal amount of wobbly, jiggly balloons, go into the garden and let the water fight begin! Hosepipes and water guns are not allowed. Wearing funny goggles, bathing caps, snorkels and NOT changing into bathing costumes makes it even more fun. The more spontaneous the better. Simple safety rules should be laid down first i.e., no running in the house, balloons must not be aimed at chest or head etc., Everyone will be laughing and having a great time, especially if grownups get involved. Afterwards, the children can go on a treasure hunt to see who can collect the most pieces of broken balloons in the garden - we don't want birds, dogs or cats to choke on any bits of rubber left in the garden.
If you have internet access log on to large coach company websites to find special deals: on one its possible to pre-book to any destination for ?1 each way per person. You have to be specific about times outward/return etc. This is a cheap way of introducing your children to different cities and having fun. Do your homework on your chosen destination and find out free venues and events. Pack a lunch and get discovering!!
Save up your vouchers from supermarket point systems and exchange them for days out tokens. This is a cheap way of affording expensive days out at theme parks as the vouchers are often worth more than their money equivalent.
Evaluate how much youll be spending for childcare if you are returning to work. You may just find that its less expensive to stay at home with your child.
Explore options to work from home to eliminate childcare costs.
Begin a higher education savings plan early on and contribute to it on a regular basis.
While it has been well proven that breast milk offers many health advantages to both you and your baby, infant formula is an acceptable and nutritious alternative for those who cant or dont want to breastfeed. It is important to weigh the pros and cons to both breast and bottle feeding and choose the right option for you and your baby.
The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages women to breastfeed for at least one year because breast milk provides optimal nourishment and protection against infections. The major ingredients of breast milk are lactose (sugar), proteins (whey and casein), and fat (digestible fatty acids). The balance of these nutrients is perfectly suited for your baby and protects against conditions such as ear infections, allergies, diarrhea, vomiting, bronchiolitis, and meningitis. There are also numerous minerals, vitamins, and enzymes found in breast milk that help the digestive and absorption process. Infant formulas try to approximate the same combination of nutrients but dont provide the many beneficial enzymes and antibodies.
Beyond the nutritional benefits, there are many practical reasons to breastfeed your baby. The cost of breastfeeding is far less than feeding your baby infant formula. Generally speaking, the costs associated with breastfeeding are only about half of what you will spend on formula. Breast milk also requires no preparation and is instantly available at any time. And, breastfeeding mothers will find it much easier to return to the pre-pregnancy shape by using up about 500 extra calories per day and helping the uterus tighten up and contract back to its normal size. Further, there is growing evidence that breastfeeding is helpful in the prevention of breast cancer.
The psychological benefits of breastfeeding are also quite compelling for both the mother and the child. Nursing provides skin-to-skin contact, promotes bonding, and enables mothers to feel more confident about their own abilities to nurture, protect, and care for their babies.
When breastfeeding is successful, there are simply no disadvantages to a baby. However, certain medical circumstances make it inadvisable for some mothers. For example, if a mother is extremely ill, she may not have the energy or strength to breastfeed without it causing harm to her own recovery. Certain medications are known to pass into breast milk and could be dangerous to an infant. And, mothers will be advised to not breastfeed their babies if they have particular transmissible conditions such as H.I.V. infection
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