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NGuest ·
Hi, first of all, thanks for taking the time and effort.
I’m unexpectedly pregnant with my first little one.
Due to circumstances, I’m not doing well financially and I’m living on €30 per week plus food bank support.
Does anyone have any tips on how to make things better for my little one?
I want to give 100% to my baby and provide a good future.
So I mean tips on how to save money.
Also, I can’t breastfeed, is that possible with the money I have?
Thanks and greetings!

Replies

  1. fleur Guest #2

    Congratulations!!
    For your question about food, they have enough with infant formula for the first 6 months. We don't have a very wide range ourselves either, and we use Bonbebe food, which costs €5.99 per pack. I've also heard great things about the Kruidvat house brand, but it's not really available near us.
    You can also save a lot by buying baby clothes on Marktplaats. Babies only wear them for a very short time, so we do the same, and there are some really nice things among them.
    Hope this helps you.
    Enjoy your pregnancy!

    Greetings, Fleur

  2. melis1606 #3

    Hey girls!

    Keep an eye out for deals everywhere! Wibra and Zeeman also have cute clothes! Marktplaats has nice nursery items that you might just need to tweak a bit yourself, and diapers that aren't Pampers are also totally fine!! If you map out your budget and plan how and what you're going to spend, it's totally doable! Also make a gift list with things you'd really like to use so the gifts are actually practical! And don't buy everything at once!

    As for food, I can't help you there; I'm planning to breastfeed and honestly have no idea what baby formula costs! But if you plan and budget well, it'll definitely work out! Good luck!

    Love, Melissa

  3. N started this #4

    Thanks for your replies!
    @ Fleur Thanks! That formula is really expensive though, hope it works out. I mainly look for clothes at flea markets, I've been lucky with quite a bit already! I even got an extra bag from a wonderful woman! Marktplaats is up there a lot but I prefer to pick it up and see it myself. Sometimes it's cheap but shipping costs are 7,- for a parcel and then you still have to see if it arrives. I think buying individual pieces is a waste, you pay at least 2.50 for 1 pair of pants at the flea market where I get 3 sets for that.

    @ melis1606 Thanks for your reply! Wibra and Zeeman are actually too expensive! 1 set is quickly 5/6/7 euros there, I'd rather spend that money on a big bag of second-hand stuff. Unfortunately, I can't buy a nursery. I have a HAT unit so no separate bedroom for the little one. Luckily, I did find a crib for free on Marktplaats, not the prettiest but definitely still good. Indeed, diapers are terribly expensive, I think I'll try the Lidl or Aldi ones or a store brand somewhere. What do you think of diapers that you only have to buy once? Unfortunately, I had to leave my parents' house + friends, so I don't know anyone nearby anymore and have a secret address for now. (for family/friends) So unfortunately, I can't make a wishlist. Very good tip though!
    For clarity, by the way, it's not very clear in my first post.
    30,- per week is EVERYTHING I have, so from food to toothpaste, from clothes to drinks.

    Thanks and greetings!

  4. sc #5

    Oh, that's a tough situation.
    Ask for advice and help from your social worker. Maybe you qualify for special assistance? Also, keeping a ledger is a good tool to keep costs under control and make better choices. Maybe consider cloth diapers? That means a lot of washing (by hand to cut costs), but it's much cheaper than diapers. I assume you don't work, given that you only have 30 euros per week. Plenty of time then ;-) The less money you have, the more creative a positive person becomes! And that gives you a lot of self-confidence.
    Don't let yourself be tempted into playing the victim, with all the sighs and "oh, I'm so pathetic."

  5. sc #6

    My sister and I just used cloth diapers with an extra plastic-like cover to prevent the immediate surroundings from getting wet. We were allergic to diapers.
    Cloth diapers are extra work: after use, you don't throw them away, but you have to clean them.

    All that moisture-absorbing chemical material in a diaper... it also absorbs a baby's skin, since the skin also "breathes". Is a diaper healthy in that respect? I don't know.

    I myself am unsure about whether or not to use cloth diapers for our daughter. Not so much from a financial point of view, but because I don't really trust the chemical absorbent material in a diaper. On the other hand, urine against a baby's skin can also be unhealthy.

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