As parents, I am sure we are very excited about our new bundle of joy and will be looking forward to prepare ourselves to receive him / her. There are things to buy, preparations to make, baby rooms to decorate and much, much more. We, as new parent usually ask our elders and friends on the essential items to buy. Preparing for a baby can be a real head-ache and can also really be expensive if you do not know what you really need. If you are not careful you may be over spending on items which you don't need. You could probably end up blowing your budget because of buying stuff that you don't need or spending on things which you can actually get for free. Knowing where and how to get these items will help you keep your budget under control and save you from finding a second job just because of your newborn. Trust me, the author has been there and have done that.
According to a survey done by Babycenter.com on 3,000 women around the world,
| 70% | - Are worried about MONEY, after becoming moms - Focus on saving MONEY |
| 69% | - Think they should be doing more to prepare for their "New born" |
| 42% | - Expect to spend more than $10,000 on their baby in the first year |
| 62% | - Need more money to feel secure about their child future |
NOW, you could be one of the above.
Knowing what need to be done by asking your friends or family members, may only be a fraction of what can be done here. When I first knew that my wife is expecting, we asked many of our friends, family and relatives for budgeting advice but we found out that we need to further investigate because:
o Your family members like your mom or dad may have out-dated information which may not be useful today
o Your friends and family may have had their first born but they may not be budget minded. Advice given to you may end up causing you to spend more than you should.
o They might have missed out something. They may know where and what to buy but they don't know what other tips which can help you save money. Why spend more when you can save?
In this book we have outlined a guided brainstorming session to be done with your spouse. You will need to take some time and work with your spouse on this budgeting exercise. We will also guide you on how to prepare a budget list. There is also a list of items which we have identified as important for you and your baby. We also provide guides for you to research to look out for cheap and quality items for your baby and you. Furthermore, this book will help you in your long term planning guide as well.
When my wife and I were expecting our first child, we did so much preparation and research on budgeting. As the result we managed to spend more time with our family (for not having to do a second job off course!) and we manage to get some of the baby items for free or Loan.
Based on the experience and research we have done, we decided to come up with this book to share our knowledge to the budget minded consumer. We hope to lighten your load so that you may enjoy and experience life with a newborn without financial stress and concerns.
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