Expecting a 2018 baby? You must be excited!
You may already have the list of all the things you need to buy (you’ve probably bought some), your friends and family are planning the most amazing baby shower for you and you can’t wait to begin posting baby pics for the gram and oh, twinning with your ‘little bae’ as soon as possible.
Hey, that’s fine. But while you have all that going, remember that soon, there will be another mouth to feed and another human being to cater for maybe the next two decades. That is enough reason to tackle some financial issues now rather than later.
Before baby comes, think about making these 4 necessary money moves.
- Have a talk with your partner
You may not think this is a money move, but trust me, it is. The arrival of a baby is as real as anything can be and decisions will have to be made. Decisions like: Will you be taking the baby to a creche after the first three months or will you need to hire a nanny.
If you decide that your baby will go to a creche or have a nanny, understand that even that comes with additional financial responsibility. Planning towards it now takes the pressure off.
- Live within your means
With your baby due to arrive soon, it is very important that you live within your means.
You see the thought of getting expensive car seats, baby cots and ‘new everything’ just because baby must have the best? Rethink it. Buy what you need (the less expensive but durable, the better). Resist the temptation to use the arrival of the baby as an excuse to splurge on things you won’t be needing.
Tempted to buy a lot of ‘baby dresses in pink’ because you’re expecting a girl? Awesome, but remember that babies quickly outgrow their clothes and you may see yourself buying more in bigger sizes less than 2 months after the baby is born.
You can also reach out to close family members who have stopped having babies for their baby items that are still in good condition such as cots, prams, walkers, car seats and more. If you don’t mind doing this, you may be able to save some extra cash.
- Plan ahead
There is a lot of financial pressure to deal with now, think of how much bigger they can get as your child grows and the cost of caring for him/her grows too.
That is why you should think of a plan to not only save more in 2018 but the years after. Saving ahead means financial security for this new person in the picture plus the rest of your family while providing a safety net in case of an emergency. One way to save for your new baby is by putting aside some fund particularly for his/her education even before he/she starts school. Every tiny drop you save will form the much you can pull from when the rising cost of education threatens to empty your pockets in the future.
- Make more money
If you have various skills and can properly manage your ventures without sacrificing one for the other, then why not get an extra source of income. It doesn’t matter how small, let some other channel be open. It could be freelancing, small business, public speaking – name it! Explore other channels.
If you want to make more money but cannot manage multitasking at some other business, you can invest some portion of your income to make more money for you. In truth, as your family expands, so will financial responsibilities too – but if you plan for that before-hand, you will welcome and even celebrate the growth of your family.
Your baby’s arrival is a thing of joy – and planning for the future before the D-day comes will ensure the joy lasts a long time.
Do you know any pregnant friends? This might be useful to them. Why not share this.
