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How do you afford Baby in NYC Area?
Hi, I am new to this Local Board. So I just wanted to reach out and ask what I have been thinking about for awhile now...
How do you afford to have children in NYC?
My H and I live in Brooklyn and we do want children, but the cost of living is so high. I just don't see how we can do it. Are there secrets?
We both don't exactly rake it in either. We already are on a budget. I really do want to have children but I just don't know how on earth we can afford it. I mean we have modest jobs, but and make enough to support ourselves ..... but another?
I just keep thinking about cost, and yet I see a bunch of mom's with like 3 children around my neighborhood and I don't see how they do it? I'm at a loss.
Any New York Nesties out there that have children?
Re: How do you afford Baby in NYC Area?
I feel the exact same way!! But i guess it is all about budgeting and prioritizing. And saving up whatever you can for bigger things and emergencies.
But i guess it's do-able cuz i see kids and families all the time in Brooklyn/NYC!!
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Like anything in life, you manage. At least that's what I say now, before the kid is actually here lol. I'll definitely let you know once she is here.
But, just so you know, you're not alone. I work a part time job and DH, thankfully, has a good job, but we don't make millions here. Somehow we'll manage tho'.
I'm working a lot extra now and putting it in savings along with our tax rebate to cushion a new person in our household. We afforded our coop easily on one income. I figure as the kids get into school and we don't have to pay daycare, we may be able to buy a house.
Welcome!
I don't have kids either. I have often wondered the same question. Most of the people that I know in the city with children have family nearby who help out a lot. I don't have that luxury. If I were to have kids, we'd have to make it on H's salary alone for a bit. Although people think otherwise, public school teachers don't get a maternity benefit. I am sure that H and I could make due but it scares me to think about what we would have to do to make that happen.
i'm planning on moving out of the city by the time any of our kids would be school aged, but we are planning on having a baby while living in brooklyn. we have a 1 bedroom apartment and we'll be staying here.
the book "baby bargains" is really great when it comes to saving money on things like cribs, strollers, diapers etc. for example, i thought we were going to have to spend at least $400.00 for a decent crib, but thanks to information this book we're planning on getting a $100.00 crib from ikea that has a great safety rating.
We have one, but I'm not sure if we could afford another. People do it though, we live in a two bedroom with one baby, but the people before us had two kids here (they slept in the small bedroom and the kids shared the master). People make do. We don't have family in the area, which means no free child care, but on the plus side, never going out saves you a lot of money
I stayed home for a year and am now back at work, but truly with daycare costs I'm barely making more than we pay. It kind of sucks.
What a great "unspoken" question to ask because before I had my daughter (now almost 4-months) I would fret over the same thing.
Other than budgeting, where you shop for everything--and I mean everything is key! DH and I reside in a spacious one-bedroom in a private house that used to be an old beach house in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. Because we've been there for four years and have a great relationship with our landlord, our rent is near dirt cheap for what we have. So, we intend on staying there until we find a condo, or hopefully a house next year. Thus, we sacrifice not having a two-bedroom right now to save money on rent.
Back to the shopping--we purchase a majority of our groceries and all our baby girls' needs (diapers, wipes, etc.) at wholesale stores like BJs' and Costcos. We always buy in bulk and find that our money stretches really good. So, other than limiting dining out (which is a fav of mine in NYC and an important part of still dating my DH), I really think that being selective about where you shop, finding any coupons you can, signing up for discount newsletters for baby products is what I live by. It's really a matter of prioritizing because trust me--once you have your precious baby in your hands--everything you thought was a priority has completed rearranged itself and you work with it!