How much do you spend on formula?

I've been stressed lately about never having any extra money. So I decided to add up my expenses. I was shocked at how much we spend on baby stuff, formula mostly!

Formula- $425 a month( both boys are on Nutramigen and we go through 2 RTF cans in a 24hr period)

Baby Food- Cereal & Jar Food- $60

Diapers & Wipes- $100 a month

Prevacid- $44 a month(after ins)

DR Bills- $20 Co-Pay per child and I can't even begin to add up the medical bills right now with,Hospital Bedrest for me, NICU and Eli's surgery/testing etc I pay about $200 a month and thats on payment plans.

HOLY COW no wonder we have no money!!

 

I've been stressed lately about never having any extra money. So I decided to add up my expenses. I was shocked at how much we spend on baby stuff, formula mostly!

Formula- $425 a month( both boys are on Nutramigen and we go through 2 RTF cans in a 24hr period)

Baby Food- Cereal & Jar Food- $60

Diapers & Wipes- $100 a month

Prevacid- $44 a month(after ins)

DR Bills- $20 Co-Pay per child and I can't even begin to add up the medical bills right now with,Hospital Bedrest for me, NICU and Eli's surgery/testing etc I pay about $200 a month and thats on payment plans.

HOLY COW no wonder we have no money!!

 

Steph,

After reading what you spend, I feel like I am getting off pretty cheap!!

Formula - $125/month (we buy Kirkland/Costco brand - 1 can every 2.5 days)

Diapers/wipes - $70/month (again Costco/Kirkland brand)

Baby food - I'd say maybe $15-$20, I make most of their baby food or give them table food we are eating now

Doctor bills - $10 copay per child, we go for Synagis once a month. We have absolutely wonderful insurance and I did not pay a dime of my maternity care/hospital bedrest/delivery/NICU/etc.) I did pay out of pocket for breast pump rental and a car bed rental, but have since found out my insurance covers it the hospital just never submitted it. So I just need to submit that to get it back.

Nanny - here's what is killing us...$400/week.

 

Wow! I feel so blessed, my MIL works in our pediatricians office and we have been getting almost all of our formula for free (she gets it from the reps). I think we have actually only purchased 2 cans of formula. That stuff is so expensive!

 

Here are our monthly costs (rounding up):

Formula - (Nestle Good Start) 3 cans per week at $19 per can at Target = $230

Diapers - Case of size 4 and case of size 5 once per week at $18 each = $150

Wipes - $25 per month

Baby Food - I make it once or twice a month and it lasts in the freezer for 2 months, so only the cost of the veggies/fresh fruits - and the initial cost of a new food they are trying. Total = $20 per month average

Clothing - $200 - $300 every 2-3 months for each baby as they are outgrowing their clothes so fast. This is through the Osh Kosh and Carter's outlet stores right by our house. Monthly average: $100

Daycare (Grandma) - $1200 per month. She just wanted us to match her previous income as she quit her job to watch the babies fulltime.

Misc (toys, gear, etc) - $50 - $100 per month)

Grand Total: $1900 per month (or the equivelant to a mortgage )

Carina

 

I get WIC so most of the formula and cereal is covered by that. But I do buy 2 big cans of powdered goodstart which costs $24 a month and a bunch of baby food. They go through 2 1/2 jars or containers a day each. That's about $81 a month for that.

 

Oh Crap I forgot Daycare. We have a Nanny that comes to our house for 1/2 the day that I pay and my mom keeps them in the afternoons for free. So we pay the Nanny/Sitter avg- $800 a month

I have learned a couple things from your posts.

1- I may attempt to make their baby food- God help their little souls b/c I'm a horrible cook and screw everything up.

2- I may switch from Pampers to a cheaper brand diaper like Target brand.

 

Formula & Nursery Water~ $275.00 (we are on well water, so I have to buy).
Diapers & Wipes~ $100
Day Care~ $900.00
dr visits are $20 co pay each, but luckily we have only had to go once other than the well check visits.
If I didn't have to work for insurance and could stay at home that would really save on the daycare.
Stephanie~ I use the Pampers at night b/c these were the only ones that I found didn't leak & use Target brand during the day. I really helps!

 

We spend between $80-$100 on formula. We use Kirkland brand and I also pump and give them some ebm.

Not sure about diapers, I bought a bunch before they were born so we are still using them. When I have to start buying more, I think I will try an off brand.

Clothes haven't really been an issue. They are the first grandchildren on both sides so they are super spoiled.

We decided it would be best for me to be a sahm, so no daycare here.

 

Formula- 12 cans of walmart parents choice formula at $12/can ($120/month). We used to have to buy Nutrimigen too, but I decided to wean DD off of it because it was way too expensive. She actually does better on the walmart parents choice formula with DHA etc.

Baby Food- Not buying too much of this yet. Still mainly using cereal and oatmeal. I'm going to try and mash a lot of it myself to save money.

Diapers & Wipes- I did a diaper raffle gamea t my baby shower and so I have always kept a supply up. I usually buy about 8 bags of any size any brand to keep the supply - I have about 20 bags in their closet - so I spend about $50 to $60 per month.

DR Bills- $10 copay

No nannie or daycare. I do go to school, but my husband watches them on those days.

I don't spend as much as many of you per month, but it still is a strain on our budget!! I can't wait until they drink milk!

Joy

 

We are getting our formula covered by ins. but normally $400 a month.

Diapers, $40 (BJs brand)
Wipes $40 (2 months worth)

Luckily no daycare cost right now.

Baby food/juice - $20.00 a month (obviously this is going to go up in a month or so).

 

We are in baby expense shell-shock.

Nanny: $1,800/month

Formula: $375-425/month

Baby food: $30/month

Diapers and wipes: $125/month

Doctor co-pays: $40 every other month

Clothes: $100/month

Misc (toys, gear, etc): $50-100/month

Cost of running my washer and dishwasher at least one extra time a day: ??

All in all, I'd say the babies cost us anywhere from $2,500-3,000 a month!!!

 

Sarah- How are you getting your formula covered by your insurance?? You are the first person that I know of that has this kind of coverage- I have never even heard of it before! You are quite lucky. What kind of insurance do you have?


We save money by buying diapers ahead of time- with coupons. Register at places like Target and get Target coupons in the mail, and then use them with a manufacturer's coupon, then use them both when Target has the diapers on sale, and you can end up saving a lot of money that way. I let the diapers do their job, and I don't change them right away unless they are dirty. I also registered myself and my husband at the formula companies using different addresses..got twice the coupons. I am now going to register a couple of friends and get some more coupons. This has saved us a bundle. I also save money on baby products by using the grocery store coupon along with a manufacturer's coupon at the same time it is on sale at the grocery store.

 

quote:
Originally posted by LindyFrog:
Sarah- How are you getting your formula covered by your insurance?? You are the first person that I know of that has this kind of coverage- I have never even heard of it before! You are quite lucky. What kind of insurance do you have?


We have Blue Cross Blue Shield and its because we had our pedi fight for it through pharmacy prescriptions. Also we had it covered by our Medicaid when we had that (from my DH's unemployment months) and we will continue to now that my DH was laid off (again) two days ago. So I guess we are lucky with the cost of formula -- wish we would be lucky in the jobs he gets... this job we were assured would be a permanent one, but alas we are back in the same boat again we were last Feb. except its Christmas now.

 

If we didn't get wic we would spend:
$223.00 on formula 1 can every 2 days

$80 on diapers buying only Huggies for Sydney, and buying only Pampers for Manda bc if we don't they get severe diaper rash, and we always buy in boxes, on sale, with a coupon

$80 on baby food, again only on sale, in bulk with coupons in hand

$26 in clothes, only from Goodwill, only on half price day, only yo replace outgrown things, some months it's more, some less

All Small and Mighty free and clear about $20 a month just for their personal laundry

Other expenses include a minivan for $3000, an extra crib $20, extra crib matress $50, and medicines for teething, fevers ect. around $20

 

I also get WIC but if I did not, their formula is $25 a can (Alimentum) x16 cans a month which would be $400 a month. Right now I have about two weeks until their first year appt where they stop the formula so I am trying to get them off of it.