The Price of Parenthood In Our Society

We all have different goals in life. Some of us want to be doctors or lawyers, while others want to explore distant lands. But no matter what we want to do or be, many of us have one goal in common: we want to raise a family.

When considering starting a family, it's important to know the financial impact it will have on you and your significant other. Being prepared for the costs of parenthood will allow you to enjoy it more fully, without constantly worrying about how you're going to pay the bills and buy the things your children need.

Not only do kids increase the expenses we already have, they also create new ones. Here are some of the things you can expect to spend money on:

* Diapers - One of the first surprises most new parents face is the cost of disposable diapers. By the time your child is potty trained, you can expect to have spent a couple of thousand dollars on diapers alone. You can, however, save a significant amount by using cloth diapers if you don't mind laundering them.

* Clothing - In the first few years, children grow very quickly. It seems that no sooner than they break a new piece of clothing in, they've outgrown it. Even if you buy second-hand, clothing costs can take a big bite out of the budget.

* Childcare - Somebody has to take care of the kids at all times until they are old enough to stay home alone. If you do it yourself, that may mean quitting work or working fewer hours. If you pay someone else, it could run to several hundred dollars a month.

* Healthcare - Every child gets sick or injured at some point. Even if your child were in perfect health, he would still need immunizations and checkups. If you have insurance this won't impact your budget too much, but the insurance itself isn't cheap. When you switch from a couples' plan to a family plan, your health insurance premiums could as much as double.

* Food - Feeding kids can get very expensive. Breastfeeding can reduce costs during the first year or so of life, but once your child begins to eat solids, the grocery bill seems to grow exponentially. Growing kids need a surprising amount of food for their size. And parents often resort to serving convenience foods to save time when their children get older, which can be even harder on the wallet.

* School and extracurricular activities - When our children start school, we incur a whole new set of expenses. They need backpacks and school supplies. They need money for field trips. There are sports, band and other expensive extracurricular activities. And let's not forget about college!

These basic expenses are only the beginning. Kids also need books and educational toys to help their minds develop. Their rooms need furniture and DÈCOR. As they get older, they start asking for video games, cell phones and other gadgets. The list goes on and on.

Parenting is very rewarding, but it's also expensive. Unfortunately, many parents do not consider this until they are struggling financially. If we start saving long before we plan to have a child, we can greatly reduce the impact on our finances.