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Babies Are Cute, But Not Cheap

Babies can be bundles of joy: but rumor has it those wiggly little creatures come with a few added costs.

You’re Having a Baby! But How Do You Prepare Financially?

You’re excited, nervous, and trying to figure out what to expect. You’ve learned a few new swaddling methods, painted the nursery, and picked out names.

It’s always in the back of your mind: between delivery costs, baby gear, childcare, and potentially reduced income, you know there are costs involved. While you know it’ll all work out (it will), it would be nice to feel a little more in control of the money side of parenthood.

We Started Our Budget While at the Hospital Having a Baby

Jessica and Ryan are both teachers raising a family. They made enough money to get by, but didn’t have a lot leftover. They started using YNAB while Jessica was delivering their third child, and since that fateful day they’ve been able to pay off debt, renovate their house in cash, and make date nights out a regular part of their schedule.

  • Now We Have Enough for Date Nights!

    It was so freeing to know that the money was there just for date night and I didn’t need to worry that it should be going for diapers or groceries. Our budget actually gave us permission to go out and have fun!”

    -Jessica Fisher

Our Top Articles on Budgeting for a Baby

  • How to Budget for a Baby

    How to Budget for a Baby

    It seems like life’s to-do list grows exponentially once you find out your own little bundle of joy is on the way, and feeling like a bundle of cash is necessary to finance this having-a-person project only adds to that anxiety. First of all, breathe. You’ll make it work.
  • Prepare for income change

    How to Prepare for an Income Change

    When you found out you were pregnant, perhaps your mind went straight to planning mode: how would you handle childcare? Did you need full-time care? Would someone stay home? See how to handle a reduction in family income.
  • How to Set Up a Baby Budget in YNAB

    Here’s how to financially prepare for baby costs so you can feel a little more in control during this time. We’ll walk through different category setups and expenses you might want to consider in your planning during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

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    How much does it cost to have a baby? When my husband and I were first floating the idea of expanding our family, it wasn’t easy to find answers to this question. Every Google search led me down a rabbit trail of delivery costs by state and the cost to raise a child from birth …

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  • Broke…and Having a Baby

    When Mercedes Montgomery, 31, of Portland, OR, found out she was pregnant in 2011, it was emotional. It went something like shock and celebration, quickly followed by, “How the heck will we feed a child?” “At the time, my husband and I were so broke that we had to borrow money from my parents every …

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  • How to Financially Prepare for Adoption

    Wondering how to financially prepare for adoption? We’ll cover everything you need to know. Saving money is hard. And saving money for an adoption can be even more difficult given how emotionally charged the process is (and how expensive it can be!). The cost of adoption averages $50,000-$60,000 in the United States through a private …

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Get Financial Clarity for Your Next Chapter

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