NEED HELP

[hey_idiot]

ATTENTION THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE KIDS!!!

i am taking a poll.
if you knew you were going to have a kid within the next 2 years (give or take) and you could do anything, what would you do?
 what would you have done differently before you had your kid(s)? Travel? School????
any and all imput is greatly appreciated.

Comments

[hey_idiot]

i really loved everything you said. this helps a lot.
when you say expensive, whats expensive.

diapers, wipes, formula, clothes, toys, baby food...

like. what is a break down that you guys spend (average) a month on your son? damon and i have decided to start putting away money now before we have a child. in a perfect world we'd have $5000 (minimum) by the day the little one is born for anything needed. i feel if we have that reserve it will help for anything that we need. but we will both continue to work and save and have other money too.

i'd like to take maybe 6 weeks off after i have it, and then maybe work part time, or just barely full time enough to keep my full health benefits for the family. but my husbands mom is literally our next door neighbor. registered nurse. not currently working. loves kids. so i would love if i could use that to my advantage. i assume damon will continue working (only take a few days off in the beginning) but he works noon to 8 5 days a week. not too bad. i know he will be traveling a lot but with his mom next door, it should be quite some help.
i'm just worried about daycare. i dont know of many places here in town. and its just so hard to trust people with your kids these days.
and im a germophobe. lol

[uberturds]

Well for the first 6 months they recommend breast feeding (either from the source or pre-pumped) which helped with saving cash. Diapers and wipes are also a huge cash sinks. Clothing is a pain in the ass. Within the first year the kid will out grow a lot of whatever clothing you have for it. Also the hospital bill alone was around $1500 - $2000, military covered it thankfully. But then there's other medical things you'll have to be ready for (shots and what not). Frankly, we didn't really create a budget before he was born, hell a few months before he was born we drove down from Alaska to Georgia (4500 miles with a pregnant woman...) If you're planning $5000, that should be a good start.

Oh, for time off after the fact, Dee (wife) got 6 weeks of maternity leave. Which, uh... Is definitely needed to let some... wounds heal...