http://www.babycenter.com/cost-of-raising-child-calculator

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/collegeandfamily/raisekids/p37245.asp

http://members.gicable.com/~jqgregg/Cost%20of%20raising%20children.pdf

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/family/kids/tlkidscost.asp

She probably has child support, and lives with her parents. It's very hard, and emotional a huge struggle. (Figuring out how to pay for everything)

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First of all, 3 kids, at 22, and you can only hold down a job at a burger king? Come on, its a vagina, not a slip-n-slide.

Second of all, why would you think babies are not expensive?

Clothing, food, diapers, bottles, etc...

Think of how much money you need to live off of, and that is a rough estimate of how much you will spend. Not living in your parents house, living on your own. Every bit of water you have to use to bath them, etc... Children are expensive.

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lol. slip'n'slide. :D

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I hope to hell that I'll never have to see your face again...

There are very few things that you actually need when it comes to a baby. Most of those lists are ridiculous and half the things you will never even remove from the packages, let alone use on any regular basis.

If you choose to formula feed, that adds up to $300 a month in expenses. Breastfeeding is free and better for both mother and baby.

If you choose to put your baby in a crib, a new crib, mattress and bedding can cost $500 or more. Cosleeping can be done safely for most people and is free. You can buy a crib second hand as well. I paid only $40 for a crib with a mattress. And only like $10 for second hand sheets.

If you choose to make up your nursery, that will cost hundreds in paint and supplies. It's not necessary and your baby certainly doesn't care what the room is 'done up' as.

Buying second hand and researching before you buy all helps limit blunder purchases.

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Holly.
Mama to Hunter Kai
Still missing you, LML. (1941-2007). ♥
"Nothing is worth more than this day."

The only thing I know for sure is not getting pregnant would be the easier option in most cases. Yes, there are "accidents", but if you can't afford the kid use protection (BC) correctly or don't have sex.

Post edited at 5:08 am on Sep. 16, 2008 by Glory

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"Put on your big girl panties, and get over it"

Second of all I'm sure she is getting child support from the government.

Third of all yes they are expensive. My friend who has a 18 month estimated that it costs just under $10,000. This of course is subject to change. Like i it was an educated estimation of the average cost.

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~I am a nobody, and nobody is perfect; therefore, I am perfect~

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I can understand buying a crib second hand, but second hand sheets?  Sheets aren't that expensive if you get them at a place like walmart, and they are even cheaper if you find them on clearance.   Cosleeping is typically not advised.  It is dangerous and sometimes a hard to break habit.  

The only thing I know for sure is not getting pregnant would be the easier option in most cases.  Yes, there are "accidents", but if you can't afford the kid use protection (BC) correctly or don't have sex.

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Yep. Why not? You wash em in hot water and they're fine. Baby bedding can be over $100 a set. Even things on their own are $20-$40/each. It's ridiculous. I'd rather pay $0.50 for a sheet.

Cosleeping works fine if you do it safely and is no more dangerous than cribsleeping, and actually less so. Thousands of babies die each year from SIDS which only happens in a crib. And probably another hundred or two die from crib mishaps (crib collapses, entanglement, etc). Only like 5-10 die from cosleeping and further research into that number shows that every single one of those parents was involved with CPS and did not cosleep safely/properly. It's no more a hard habit to break than any other, such as breastfeed, pacifier use, bottles or a favourite blanket or animal.

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Holly.
Mama to Hunter Kai
Still missing you, LML. (1941-2007). ♥
"Nothing is worth more than this day."

I wanted to add that we pay gas elect. water and $550 in rent. Our food expenses and care for our child who is spoiled beyond reason. And if you ever do get into a bind (which isn't limited to parents I mean god there are people who are single having a hard time right now) there are always places like goodwill you can go to and pick up clothes for cheap. And second hand things can be really nice. You just have to know where to look. And kids grow out of things so easily. I saw the person bashing dunebug for buying second hand sheets. The baby only sleeps in a crib until they're 1 and a half or two years old. New sheet sets last for five to ten years if you take good care of them. Why not buy used? Until a child starts school they don't stop growing into and out of things at an alarming rate. No need to get namebrand clothing for something that's just going to shit and puke all over it before growing out of it by the end of the week.

Post edited at 3:26 pm on Sep. 17, 2008 by Chava

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I couldn't think of anything else.

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I can understand buying a crib second hand, but second hand sheets? Sheets aren't that expensive if you get them at a place like walmart, and they are even cheaper if you find them on clearance. Cosleeping is typically not advised. It is dangerous and sometimes a hard to break habit.

The only thing I know for sure is not getting pregnant would be the easier option in most cases.  Yes, there are "accidents", but if you can't afford the kid use protection (BC) correctly or don't have sex.

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What if you wanted kids? I mean on a salary of $8 an hour you could easily support a child. Most people get that or more. Maybe they won't live in Beverly Hills and grow up with namebrand clothes and new Mercedes every year but kids don't generally care. As long as they are loved. How many kids on here complain that they grew up in a horrible neighborhood or didn't have much growing up as opposed to the kids going on about their parents not paying enough attention to them and their emotional needs. You could be dirt poor and be a great parent. Money isn't even half of taking care of a child and things aren't important. Hell we spent $30 on a toy when we got him a $2 ball that he plays with all of the time. The $30 light up toy? Bottom of his toy bin. Love is the most important thing and with all of these stupid responses you can tell none of you are ready to be parents. Dunebug has the right idea. I coslept with my son and he never once fell and he is alive and active at a year and two months today. Don't talk about something you just read about because whatever you idiots read was a half-assed report by someone with a political agenda who wants to tell us how to raise our children.

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I couldn't think of anything else.