​​​​​​​Parenthood: How Children Change Your Financial Picture

虽然这一切一开始似乎有点势不可挡, 用战略方法, you and your family can prepare for the exciting days ahead. Here’s a look at some of the best ways to financially approach a new bundle of joy.

看看大局

Kids can give us a new perspective and really ground us in what’s most important,阿什利·范斯坦·格斯特利说, 妈妈。, 《沙巴买球》杂志首席执行官，著有 新沙巴体育网成人. “这真的可以 帮助调整我们的财务状况 我们的价值观.”

第一个, keep in mind that your costs in the first few years of your new baby’s life will vary greatly depending on where you live, Gerstley说. 一名婴儿托儿服务, 例如, can be many thousands of dollars per month in New York City, 而在生活成本较低的城市，则是800美元左右. 你还需要对其他固定成本进行预算, 包括尿布, 公式, 共同支付看病费用, 服装, 还有包括婴儿玩具在内的其他物品, 一个推车, 换桌子, 一个婴儿车上, 还有所有其他婴儿必需品. (We’ve had a lot of soon-to-be parents enroll in Jean Chatzky’s FinanceFixx 钱当然. It helps to get your money straight before the big delivery.)

Once you take a look at all your expected costs in the first year, you may want to open a separate account at your credit union so you can start making contributions to your “baby fund” early on. (如果朋友和家人不知道该给你买什么, you can always point them in the direction of making a contribution to this account!) And note: Even if you’re only able to save a small amount, 总比没有强, and making a list of all your expected expenses will help you incorporate these new costs into your budget before your bundle of joy arrives.

一旦你熬过了宝宝的一岁, it can be a good time to start preparing for larger irregular expenses. 有了孩子，就有了新的消费理由，比如生日, 假期, 学校的学费, 营地, 保姆, 课外活动和额外的旅行费用. You may find it easier to open up several savings accounts at your credit union and start socking money away each month for each individual 目标 so you’re not suddenly caught off guard by all the extras. (Behavioral finance experts teach us that having a specially labeled account for each 目标 will make it easier for you to succeed when saving for them.)

重新审视你的应急计划 & 保护

接下来，检查你的应急基金. Losing a job or experiencing another financial crisis has new significance when you’re a parent. The amount you’ll need to have saved to feel comfortable may be significantly more with a baby on board. 例如, if you already have three months worth of living expenses saved in a separate account, start adding to your stash so you can get closer to four or five months of expenses. (Think basic necessities such as rent, food and utilities.)

You’ll also want to get quotes for term life insurance and disability coverage, 以防你还没有. If anyone in your household depends on your income, you need both. And if something happens to you, you’ll want to make sure your family is covered.

Speaking of protection, now is also a great time to update or create your will. All too often, we think of estate planning as something only for the wealthy — but it’s not. Every parent should have a will so they can share their plans for who will look after their child should the worst happen.

教育孩子金钱的价值

Finally, as your kids get older, don’t hesitate to talk to them about money. “It’s important for kids to learn the value of money in terms of how hard we work for it,Kerry Gaertner说, 她是versacrum美术咨询公司的母亲和负责人. “但也很不公平. 努力工作并不总是等于更富有. 这是一个神话. It’s been important for my child to see financial diversity in school, and see his parents work for our money and be grateful for what it affords us.”

There’s nothing like earning money to make children appreciate how much work it takes to afford the things and experiences they want, 加特纳说. “这也给了他们一种能动性和自我价值感. I tell all my kids that financial independence is key and that they should never plan to depend on anyone else to take care of them.”

Money lessons with your children can start small, even when they’re young. 例如, a quick trip to the grocery store can turn into a conversation about budgeting. You can point out how the name brand cereal costs $2 more than the store brand, and go into a broader discussion of what it means to be a smart shopper. 同样的, 当你说要去上班的时候, you can engage your child in conversation about being paid for the job that you do, and how the money you earn is how your family affords to buy the things you want and need. 换句话说, starting with the most simplistic concepts is great — they can be eye-opening to a child who is brand new to understanding how money works.