I've been swamped...the reason? We're expecting!
Now, that it's actually happened, DH and I buckled down into panic mode to make sure we can properly afford this. I think it all seemed like a distant pipe dream, and I seriously regret not doing it sooner, but we can only look forward.
Here's where we're at so far:
1) Paid off Mariner Finance personal loan...So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye!
2) Sent our tax return straight to savings - $3200 and counting
3) Used PTO payout to pay down some other debt. From my calculations, I should be pay able to pay several things down/off by June. (Baby is due shortly after that.) The payoffs add up to several hundred extra dollars a month.
4) Discussed maternity leave with work.
5) Began accumulating baby things - My dad and stepmom gifted us a crib with changing table, we bought a discount Ikea dressed for $120, and we have clothes covered for the first year due to a few resale lots and hand-me-downs from my friend's almost 1 yr old son. Friends have committed to loaning/giving us the following: infant seat/stroller, bassinet, swing, and probably more that I'm forgetting. These same wonderful people also provided my maternity wardrobe, so no costs there.
6) Furnished upstairs: we have a fireplace area that is currently unfurnished. Our fall to-do list includes getting the fireplace working, so we were debating furniture to be able to use the space. Luckily, DH's dad is a home contractor. One of his clients gave him a newer furniture set. They're keeping that one and asked if we'd like their current living room set. Voila! Living room furniture. It's old and outdated, but at this point, we'll take it!
7) We do need to some prep to get the nursery ready, but FIL will take care of that for us.
DH took on out of town work since it has more hours and per diem. He's also working any and all overtime. Any and all extra money is currently being split between savings and debt. Is this a good plan? Should it all be one place or another?
P.S. As I typed it all out, I realize how fortunate we are. Could we better off? Most definitely, but we have a good support system and were able to avoid most new-parent expenses.
P.P.S. We still miss our dog like crazy. Two days after we lost him, we saw our little boy for the first time.
News Upon News
February 22nd, 2018 at 08:54 pm
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February 23rd, 2018 at 07:51 pm 1519415515
This is a ways in the future, but as your kid starts eating things besides milk/formula, you can make your own baby food! We never bought the jarred stuff. I just cooked veggies and fruits, blended them up, and then froze them in ice cube trays (then dumped into baggies or tupperware). It's much cheaper, I think.
Someone loaned us a Baby Bjorn carrier, and that was amazing too. They're kind of expensive but SOO useful and very durable -- we handed it back to the person so they could loan it out again
February 24th, 2018 at 01:20 am 1519435236
February 25th, 2018 at 07:02 pm 1519585375