Money Lessons Your First Baby Can Teach You

Babies are beautiful little bundles of joy, and the prospect of having your own can be incredibly exciting. The little shoes, the tiny outfits, the choices between pink or blue or green or yellow paint for the nursery… But what about the cost of raising a child?

Kashifa and Faseeg Luh found out they were pregnant soon after they were married and had to face the reality of preparing for their first child. Now baby number two is on the way, and Kashifa’s food cravings are the least of their concerns!

Luckily this couple has it all figured out, and the first two years with their son have taught them quite a few valuable lessons when it comes to babies.

Here are some of Kashifa and Faseeg’s biggest baby money lessons to get you off the worry path, and back on the path to excitement.

1. Start building an emergency fund. Start as soon as you can, and put in as much as you can. This fund will be there if something goes wrong, or if you find you have expenses you hadn’t considered before.
2. Don’t get carried away with the pre-baby shopping. Those tiny socks and ‘useful’ gadgets are incredibly hard to resist, but chances are you won’t use most of them.
3. Don’t underestimate how much money you’ll save by hosting a baby shower or nappy braai. Friends and family are likely to be just as excited as you are, and most would love to contribute nappies and clothes to help you save some cash.
4. You don’t need to buy everything brand new. Items like strollers, baby swings, high chairs, etc. may be much cheaper second hand, and once your baby outgrows them in a few months, you can sell them again.

The costs of raising a child can seem overwhelming, but try not to let this fear keep you from enjoying the wonder of bringing another person into the world. Things like saving for their schools and university will come, and if you plan your finances well this will seem less daunting. Keep your emergency fund there for when you need it, and live in the moment as much as you can.

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