Financial Stress

I'm lucky in that I have a reasonably well paying job, but I also got stuck with an absolutely massive mortgage when my husband and I split so I understand what you mean by financial stress. I just try as much as I can to not get sucked in to the materialistic side of things, I am a person who likes to buy stuff so its not easy. I have become the queen of planning ahead and bargin hunting. I buy toys and clothes for DD at second hand stores and when stuff is on special. For example I brought DD's christmas and birthday presents in the last school holidays when all the toys were on special which means I only have the food to worry about at Christmas. I also buy and put away one Christmas present a month for other people. If I am buying new clothes for DD I buy a season ahead so I brought her stuff for next winter at the end of this winter when it was all half price. I put $30 a week into an account for DD's and my clothes and shoes, which means there is money there when we need something. I plan meals and write a menu a week ahead and then take my list and a calculator to the supermaket so I mostly only buy what's needed. I used cloth nappies for DD because even though the outlay was a lot higher I sold them all when she was TT and got most of the money back (you can also get secondhand ones on TM). I think the trick is to be mindful of whether you really need to be spending money. Toy libraries and book libraries are great for that sort of thing - borrow toys and books instead of buying them.

I'm not sure if any of that was any help to you but I guess what I'm trying to say is try not to get too stressed about it. The baby won't care whether it has second hand stuff or less stuff than some other babies. Some of the best things you can do together are free (beach, park, library).

Thanks so much Shelt.Your sooo good at giving advice you should become a councellor :-) P.s Organization seems to be the theme here

hey are you guys talking about the re usable nappies or just the good old cloth nappies ?? thanks :-)

Hannahemily wrote: Thanks so much Shelt.Your sooo good at giving advice you should become a councellor :-) P.s Organization seems to be the theme here

Thanks It almost couldn't be further from what I actually do as a job though (I'm an accountant!).

Definitely organisation for me is key. I'm a working single parent, it helps to be organised otherwise you can feel a bit like you are drowning!

Don't feel stink Bec, I buy Budget/Pams/Homebrand regularly - it's what I supply to daycare, and they have Huggies only for over night. It's saved me a FORTUNE because I could easily go through $30-40 a week just in nappies.

I buy bulk lots off TradeMe, especially for daycare (they get paint covered and stained) and buy "nice" clothes only on special - TnT often has 50-60% off, and if I'm feeling flush at the time I look at the Farmers 50% off sales. I have bought very very little PP clothing - their clothes are the same price as mine, and mine have far more fabric!!! Plus when you multiply the cost by 2......yeah, not going to happen. I have a couple of outfits for special occasions (which I need to sell now anyway cos kids grow so darned fast) but that's about it. I don't usually buy clothes from the Warehouse, more so because I find them a not so good fit for the girls. But the majority of their clothes are second hand but tidy. No one ever knows!!!

I have always used sposies - but the sheer logistics of washing the cloth nappies involved with 2 children frightened me LOL

Cots - we got for $20 from the local hospice, and new mattresses. Pram we did spend some money on, but that is because I used it a LOT (and still do now). Carseats - again, spent a bit of money getting the best we could afford at the time. You can hire them from Plunket, for a pretty low sum, if you need to though. I would suggest hiring a capsule, and then buying a carseat later on down the track. My highchairs were $40 each (brand new) from an online baby shop. They're not the flashest, but they work.

wow thanks guys so much !! hey Bec that's so nice of you to offer me the fluffy little bear suit and anything else you may have :-) that really nice .. Im lucky at the moment and count my blessings because my mum has brought me alot of stuff for baby which is great but I do feel bad about it, and Its fine being at home and not having to pay rent which is awesome..but when I have to move out I know that things will be really tight ! so its great that you guys have given me fantastic tips etc..I don't feel so overwhelmed now, and yes toy library is definatley the go!.I used to nanny a little boy and his mum constantly hired things from the local toy library and it was great stuff, also even if I had the money I don't think I could justify paying some of those prices for toys etc... because kids only get over them and the novelty wears off so quickly !!!!!!

I practically furnished my whole little flat from hospice and salvation army, I got breastpump, bouncer etc from there, my cot was off trademe and mattress, mum brought me a bassinette from farmers sale, i had a friend who dropped off a huge bag of second hand clothes from prem to 1 year from her friend, I also brought a whole lot of clearance clothes like farmers red dot and I have a wonderful friend who was the boyswear buyer for the warehouse and she gave me all the samples for free. I never felt the need to compete, and the thing is they grow so fast, its not worth having that outfit or those shoes as you will find you probably wont want to or have the energy to get out and about anyway. The 3 wheeler pram i got from babycity on special for $200 and it was crap anyway, it was the mountain buggy i scored off the side of the road and got the tyres all fixed for $30 that has been the most awesome pram, and still use it now on those extra long walks. trademe, greenbaby "browns bay" and clearance sales at the warehouse, farmers and kmart also salvation army, hospice, second hand stores have been my saving grace even now ;)

Thank you for sharing.