From One Kid To Two: The Real Costs Of Growing A Family

We trace the real costs of welcoming a second child and how a strict budget turned worry into confidence. From rising doula fees to two daycare bills, we share what changed, what we reused, and how we planned leave, space, and school decisions without losing joy.

• daycare becoming the largest monthly expense
• getting serious about budgeting to pay off debt
• navigating higher medical and doula costs
• planning for feeding costs and inflation
• where thrifting works and where buying new wins
• reusing gear and avoiding first‑time parent traps
• housing trade‑offs and space planning for two kids
• preparing for two tuitions and kindergarten choices
• funding parental leave with PTO, STD and savings
• making room for meaningful splurges within the plan

Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Second Baby Reveal
• 2:45 Daycare Becomes The Biggest Line Item
• 5:20 Getting Serious About Budgeting And Debt
• 9:30 Cutting Costs Without Killing Joy
• 12:40 Price Shocks: Doulas And Medical Care
• 15:30 Formula Fears And Feeding Plans
• 17:20 Thrifting Wins And What To Buy New
• 20:30 Reusing Gear And Avoiding First-Time Traps
• 23:00 Tech, Care Choices, And Less Fuss
• 25:00 Planning For Two Tuitions And Daycare Overlap
• 28:00 Space Math: Staying, Expanding, Or Moving
• 31:00 Matching Outfits Vs. A Realistic Budget
• 33:10 Parental Leave, Short-Term Disability, Savings

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:02

Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that focuses on how to use the money you have, make the money you need, and save the money you want. Now, here is your host, Ms. Kim Chapman.

SPEAKER_01: 0:14

I'm your host, Kim Chapman. And guess what? Returning to the studio today, we have our very own Betty Majika Malama. If for our longtime listeners, way back when we started the podcast, Betty was one of our first guests because we were talking about the cost of having a baby. Everything from diapers to delivery to childcare. And now let's fast forward. And guess what? She is expecting baby number two. Welcome back, Betty. Thanks. Glad to be here. She is no stranger to this room, to this studio, and definitely not a stranger to the podcast. So how are you doing? Good, doing really well. Happy Friday. And Lenny is how old now? She's three and a half. Three and a half. So it's it's it's been quite a while. And I know that you've learned a lot about raising that first kid, uh, what the expenses were like, and we're gonna talk about how well you've managed them. And of course, now you're brave enough to go ahead and do it again. Again, I don't know what I'm thinking. So, any any clues? Do you want to tell our audience? Do we know where we're heading? We're having another girl.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21

Another yeah, another girl. So excited. And honestly, excited for the cost savings alone.

SPEAKER_01: 1:28

But you know what? With that said, that means you're gonna have to do a boy because we need to have a podcast where you compare raising a girl to a boy.

SPEAKER_02: 1:35

So you're gonna have to find somebody else, find another person. I'm done after this one.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41

So let's talk about how has it been? How has what has shocked you the most in terms of expenses? I know we talked a lot about, you know, the delivery and the diapers then, and you were just kind of in that very beginning stage.

SPEAKER_02: 1:58

Yeah, I mean, you know, I think it's been almost four years, which is crazy to say, of having, you know, a newborn, a toddler, and now just kind of a full-blown little kid. Um, and there's been a lot of interesting things um about kind of the the way the finances have changed over the last few years. Um, obviously, probably the biggest thing, and I don't know if she was in daycare when we last no. Yeah. Um was I did I have the baby or you had the baby. I had the baby, but maybe she was a new newborn. Um daycare girl. That's that's really, I think most parents uh kind of anticipate that being kind of their highest cost of having a child. Um, and daycare is definitely, you know, daycare and childcare is definitely has been kind of the highest cost. Obviously, now you're catching me at almost four years. So we've just it's now it's part of our budget and it's part of our routine. But I remember at first when she first started going to full-time daycare, because she started at a mother's morning out, which was a little less expensive, but when she started going to that full-day daycare, I was a little bit like, oh my god, that's a lot of money every month. Um, now we're used to it. And now as soon as we're used to it, we're gonna have two children in daycare. Um so that's what you'll be working for daycare. Yes, basically. Um, you know, so that's you know, that's the next big hurdle is like, okay, now I'm I'm not just paying for one child to go to daycare. I'm gonna be paying for two children to go to school slash daycare, you know, which can give you a little bit of heart palpitations.

SPEAKER_01: 3:38

So of course, by the time the second baby comes, uh Lenny will make four. So they'll have a four-year gap. And of course, just like the first pregnancy, this was planned. You and Eric talked about it. I know that you always wanted to have a second one. So what influenced the timing?

SPEAKER_02: 3:52

You know, um, it's actually really this is this is a great um topic for us right now because in the last year, Eric and I got really, really serious about budgeting. Um, we had some debt that, you know, we were paying off really slowly and we weren't, we didn't have like a really, really solid plan. And I wasn't feeling super strongly about getting pregnant again because I didn't feel comfortable with taking on a second child and a second essentially financial commitment, right? Because it's like having Lenny, we got used to all of the expenses of one child, and so you work that in and we're able to handle that. But I knew that I wasn't gonna feel comfortable multiplying that times two in our current financial situation. So uh at the beginning of this year, no, at the beginning of 2024, um, we got really serious about uh budgeting and we kind of started doing the the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University thing um to really, really like start steamrolling our debt and really get our financial situation and picture super in frame. Um, and when we got really good with it, uh about six months into it, where I we I felt like we were really, really making a lot of headway and just really felt strongly like that we were on the same page. That's when I said, okay, I feel comfortable, let's pull the trigger. And baby, just as quickly as baby number one came, baby number two came just as fast. Um, probably, yeah, we're really lucky, honestly, but it only took us about three or four months of trying, and and there she was.

SPEAKER_01: 5:31

Well, I have to ask, you said that of course you decided that you wanted to get serious about it. And I do remember Betty walking around saying, Hey, can't do this, can't do that. She'd put the hands on the desk and say, Don't look at my nails because I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_02: 5:43

Girl, and look, and don't look at them now because we're on another cut with the nails because we're going to Disney.

SPEAKER_01: 5:48

So tell us how did you manage to do that? How did you manage to, you know, get serious about a budget in a time where everything is more expensive and it takes more money just to live?

SPEAKER_02: 5:59

I think that that was actually one of the big things, right? It was like just realizing how much things have gone up. Um, and just like even feeding your family can feel sometimes daunting. Um, egg, egg prices don't even get me started. I don't know. Um, you know, and I think that like kind of was a little bit of a wake-up call of just being like, okay, we actually have to really, really make every penny count. Um, and I also had a conversation with a good friend of mine who had done kind of the Dave Ramsey thing. And I had told him about actually my apprehension about having a second child. And it really was all a jumping off point of having the second child. I was like, I just don't feel financially comfortable to do that yet. And he was like, Well, you need to get serious then. And I was like, leave me alone. And then um, and then I told my husband, and we, you know, we just started jumping on a call with him and another one of our good friends who had also done it, and they were kind of like our mentors and our encouragers, you know, to just get clear and just to put it all out on the table. Cause I think sometimes it's scary. You don't want to look at like what all the debts are, and I know you know that because that's who you work with uh day in and day out. You just don't want to look at it because you're, you know, you're shameful, you're fearful, whatever. But it was like once we started looking at it, we were like, it's a lot, but it's not anything we can't handle. Um, and then that's when we had to start buckling down. And that honestly, in a way, it's kind of like a game when you get into it because it's like you really just have to like make strategic choices of what you're gonna do and stuff. And I, yeah, I stopped getting my nails done. That was like probably one of my biggest just like fun, nice thing expenses for myself. And I would get, you know, I always had my fun nail art. I was always like to the to the nines, you know, but that's over a hundred dollars a month just there for my nails. Um, and I I stopped getting my nails done for like seven to eight months. Um and that's but the sacrifice, I mean, I hate to say it because it sounds annoying, but it was worth it, you know. And then and then we were able to start working back into the budget a more reasonable nail budget, right? So then I was like, okay, well, like I can do a$70 nail set instead of a$125 nail set, you know, and and just looking at the budget and being like, okay, where can I we shift? Where can we move? Um, and it just gives you like guardrails. Control. And control, yeah, exactly. So you just feel a lot more confident. Even yesterday, my husband was like, I'm really glad we did what we did. Like, I'm really glad we buckled down and we got serious because it's just it's peace of mind and comfort knowing that we can take care of our family, take care of ourselves, and welcome like a new child without like being stressed.

SPEAKER_01: 8:54

How are you gonna feed them? So let's let's exactly kind of back up and think about pregnancy number one and compare to the cost of pregnancy number two. What things in terms of prices have changed the most? Girl. You gotta wear it more maternity clothes for sure because you you barely showed Nick last time.

SPEAKER_02: 9:12

Yeah, I'm a little bigger this time. I'm a little bigger this time. But you know what? I've spent less money on maternity clothes this time, girl. I'm you know, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. This is like all stuff I got, hand-me-downs from friends and things like that. Um, yeah, I mean, like the honestly, the biggest cost jump is care, is like medical care. And I was kind of telling you the other day, I got a shock because, you know, as we discussed on my last podcast, uh I had a natural birth at the birth center, um, which is pretty cost effective, honestly, way to have a child if you're if you're willing to go without pain medication. But um, you know, usually you can also hire a doula as a, you know, as an addition to your uh care. And that's a person who's with you there while um, you know, while you're having the baby, while you're laboring. And they kind of, they're kind of like a point person for your partner and for you. They're not a medical person, they're more like a person that just like keep you mentally in the game and focused because it is a difficult process. Girl, my doula last time, she's great, loved her. She was like a thousand dollars, right? And that's an out-of-pocket cost. Like maybe this year Louisiana might start covering doula um care with insurance if if they submit and they're become part of the list of registered doulas, but not in time for baby number two. Maybe not, maybe not. So, you know, it's an out-of-pocket cost, and it was a thousand dollars, same doula four years later.$1,850. Wow. So it's almost double in in four years, and obviously that's reflective of all of the price hikes of the last, you know, four years and how expensive things have gotten, and also her demand. You know, Baton Rouge isn't like a huge market with like millions of doulas. Like if you're in Austin or like Los Angeles, you probably have your pick of doulas, but that's not necessarily the case in Baton Rouge because it's not the most popular option. So there's probably like five or six people you can choose from here in town, and she's the one with the most experience. So, you know, she's able to charge that much because she has the experience to back it up. But girl, stressing me out. 1850.

SPEAKER_01: 11:27

So, what are the things have you seen in terms of prices that have really changed? You know, I I should have looked at this before.

SPEAKER_02: 11:36

I didn't look at the price of formula yet because my daughter was breastfed, but also formula fed because I had some issues and I wasn't able to produce enough breast milk for her. And so we did have to use formula and we wanted to use like, you know, like cute, top of the line, like the best of the best. And it was expensive. It was like a can of formula, it was like 40 bucks.

unknown: 11:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_01: 11:59

And then I remember there being a shortage at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_02: 12:01

And there was a shortage at a time. And luckily for us, we did a subscription one that was online that was not available in stores, and it wasn't part of the like, I think it was a contamination that caused the shortage. Um, and we never experienced an issue with receiving our shipments. But I haven't looked at the price of formula, and you know, fingers crossed, I won't have the same issues as I had last time. Obviously, I know what was causing them, so I'm able to address it quicker. But I'm scared to look at the price of formula because I imagine, you know, along with food prices, we're gonna see a big hike in that as well. So if I do need to supplement with formula or use exclusively formula, there's a little bit of uh fear. But I haven't looked at the prices yet because I'm keeping it hopeful that I'll be able to feed her for free.

SPEAKER_01: 12:51

That always works great. So it's no secret, you love to thrift, you do it as a hobby, you do it to make a little extra change. Is there a market for thrifting for pregnant women, for newborn babies?

SPEAKER_02: 13:04

Yeah, I mean, I um I know a lot of people now, especially that are so open to like secondhand items for their children. Um, and there's a lot of places in here in town, there's a a store called Once Upon a Baby that's really great, especially when for those kind of special occasion things. Um, because you can go and spend$100,$120 on a three-month little cutie gown for Christmas um that they're gonna wear once. And maybe not even once. They might not even let you put it on them that one time. Um, and so yeah, I mean, once upon a child and just like any thrift store in town, if you're looking any fancy outfit I've ever used for photos, for family pictures, for whatever, I've almost always thrifted because it's like the last person only wore it once. Right. You know, like it's not, it's not that um they're the least used clothes. It's the least used clothes. I will say, as far I what I've kind of found now as far as just everyday clothes, those for me are actually harder to buy used for children. Um, because the day-to-day clothes, those things get beat up. I know everybody who has kids knows like the clothes your kids wear every day, their play clothes, their school clothes, those things get torn up. Um, so I haven't thrifted as much for her day-to-day clothing. I we actually do buy that new. Um, and let me say Walmart is doing the Lord's work when it comes to children's clothing because Target, still the pricing, a little high for me. Um, but Walmart has really cute stuff, really affordable. And Carter's, I always say Carter's is like great prices and clothes last. Um, so it's funny because as much as of a thrifter I am for myself, for her day-to-day stuff, we have to go new because it's like how in two weeks it gets so torn up, I don't understand. Um, so we kind of we start new, but we always try to, you know, go to the more affordable spot. So definitely Walmart and Carters are on speed dial for us.

SPEAKER_01: 15:08

And I'll tell you, even for those that aren't thrifting, I think something that's very common is that especially when a mom knows she's gonna have another baby and she may cross her fingers that it's the same sex or not, you know, were you able to save some of Lenny's, you know, maybe her bed, her bassinet, things of that nature. Girl, you know I saved it all.

SPEAKER_02: 15:26

Yeah, absolutely. So a lot of the stuff we got for Lenny the first time was, you know, a lot of gender neutral stuff. Like we, you know, we didn't get a pink crib or anything like that, you know. And I think most of the stuff today, it's like for those basic baby items, you know, it's really easy to get something that would work for a girl or a boy. Um, but yeah, we kept all of her stuff, all the stuff that worked. If it didn't work for her and for us, like there were certain baby carriers, was like 80 clips. It's like, I don't know how to put my kid in this thing. We got rid of that stuff. But the basics that worked for us, we kept all of that. So we'll be able to dust it off for baby number two, which is really, really exciting. And then same with the clothes. Um, you know, we we get rid of clothes quite frequently, stained and, you know, like I said, pretty worn-in clothing. But anything that wasn't went into a bunch of bins in my garage. They're all labeled. I even separated stuff that would work for a boy and stuff that would work for a girl. And when we found out it was a girl, the boy stuff immediately went out to other friends and things. So um, we really haven't had to buy too, too much for this baby yet. I feel kind of bad for her.

SPEAKER_01: 16:32

Well, you know, there's a Huggies commercial that I absolutely love. I don't even know if they still play that really kind of sums up parenting when you're having the second childhood T. And it talks about how that first child, you know, you you buy them everything, you hover over them, you spend the top of the line, this, that, and the other. By the time you get to kid number two, reality sets in. I think there's one where they do a pacifier, and you know, the first one they sterilize it when it falls on the floor. By the time it's the second kid, they just go, you know, here you go. So tell me something that maybe you went a little bit overboard with with Lenny, and now that you're having baby number two, you know you're gonna have to rein it in just a little bit. You're over it.

SPEAKER_02: 17:11

Um, I would say that was me at the beginning was thrifting like baby clothes, like vintage, cute, vintage little baby clothes with all these little buttons and embroidery. So cute. This child never wore not a single one of those items. Um, I still have them, but I don't even, it's like I don't even give it a second thought now, which I again I feel kind of bad for this child, because it's just like it's not the same at all. It is very much picking up the bobo and dusting it off and and you know, and whatever, just because it's like of everything I've learned in the last four years and like what's actually like important and useful and pragmatic. And it's like as much as I would love, you know, to have like the little fruit fruit girl stuff. It was just like that wasn't Lenny, and I can't, I don't know if it'll be this next girl, but um, I have a couple things, and really I love to wait. What I found like in parenting is I like to wait until they tell me what's up, and then I'll spend money on it, right? So it's like when they show interest, then to me it makes more sense to spend money instead of like pipe dreams that she's gonna want to wear this little fru-fru Dolly Parton dress that she's not gonna want to wear. Cause you know, you can lose a lot of money just like being excited and like pre-buying things that don't end up even being used in your house. So I kind of just try to wait until a signal or a sign that that something might be useful or fun for them and then kind of move in that direction.

SPEAKER_01: 18:48

So let's talk a little bit about technology and AI. I know that you said you're using a doula, but you know, I'm sure you still go to the office for visits. Have you noticed any changes, anything different that's available now that maybe wasn't available for the first pregnancy?

SPEAKER_02: 19:03

You know, not really. Everything for everything for my visits has been pretty normal, pretty straightforward, from like the same as the last time. Um, you know, I think last time there was more hype around like the 4D ultrasound thing, maybe four years ago. This time scary looking photos. I don't like them. I didn't get it the first time and I won't get it now. Um, but yeah, I mean, everything's just been pretty much the same. Honestly, if anything, I feel like I've like done less. I've seen the doctor or the midwives less. Like, again, I don't know if I'm just being like laxadaisical, but I'm just like, you just tell me when to come in and everything's normal. So like, let's just move forward as normal. Um, so yeah, like nothing like new cutting edge. Maybe if I was in the hospital, it would be different, but I'm just over at the birth center with the crunchy people.

SPEAKER_01: 19:57

So, of course, baby number two's not here yet. So I know that you've been cutting back, you've been working that budget, making sure the debt. What changes do you think you're gonna have to make after the baby arrives?

SPEAKER_02: 20:09

I'm scared. Um yeah, I mean, I think it's really gonna be taking on that secondary um, you know, cost of daycare and cost of school. We don't know where Lenny's gonna go to kindergarten. So that's also a big question mark for us. Um, she'll be going into kindergarten in fall of 2026. So they'll overlap in daycare, you know, probably for like six to eight months. Um, and then, you know, it'll be interesting to see like whether we choose to go to a private school or a school that has tuition versus a public school. Um, because obviously that'll that'll kind of dictate what we have to do as far as our budget goes, right? So, you know, I'm scared is all I can say. Um, because you know, having two children and and knowing that we're gonna be, you know, supporting their education for the next 18 years, both of them, um, is a little bit, a little bit daunting. Um so that's probably like the biggest thing is like we're just gonna have to really start focusing in on, you know, if we're gonna end up choosing for Lenny to go to a private school, we're gonna have to like really start saving and cutting back um to be prepared for fall of 26 when we're paying for two full, full uh school tuitions, um, which will be crazy. I know you did it. Good for you.

SPEAKER_01: 21:34

So let's talk about, you know, baby number two, definitely more food, more everything. You know, what other things have you had to make adjustments or will you have to make adjustments for simply because it's a second child? You know, some people are driving little cars and then they jump into the minivan. I don't see you as the minivan. I see you as the good time van, but not just I'm the good time van. Put the lights in the ceiling. But not necessarily the minivan. Are there other types of adjustments that you're having to make in order to make room for baby number two?

SPEAKER_02: 22:03

Yeah, so right now um we're still in the same house we were in as last time, which is a two-bedroom, two-bath. Um, and you know, and we've really come to accept that that's the house we're gonna have to kind of be in for a while. We have a good interest rate on it, our mortgage is low, you know, and it's in an area that we like to be in. We have a lot of friends in the area. So, you know, we've kind of accepted that. But with that means we've had to make adjustments to, you know, Lenny's room, which is now gonna be the girls' room. So we've kind of had to like make some modifications. Um, we we did get a bunk bed for them, which obviously the baby won't use, but we needed something to like save space in the room, but also still keep the amount of you know, sleep surfaces, because we do like to have people, you know, come from out of town and stay with us occasionally and things like that. So figuring out how to make that space work for two children and not just two children, but two children that are in very different developmental stages, right? So having an area where the baby can have all of their changing table and diapers and crib, but also having an area where Lenny can have all of her toys and everything like that. So we've had to do that, and actually just this week we've been kind of texting about my husband and I have been texting about, we live together. I don't know why I'm talking about we texting about it, but we weren't just texting about it. Um, about, you know, potentially having to expand our house. We love our house, and again, the interest rate is so low. We're an under 3% interest rate. So it's just like really hard to consider selling our house because no matter what six or seven percent. Right, exactly. Like, you know, just end up paying a lot more, our mortgage would be higher and the interest rate would be higher. So trying to figure out ways that we could make that house work for us for longer term. Obviously, in the, you know, in the first year, it's not as big of a deal. But as the girls get bigger, we're gonna kill each other. I think we might. So, you know, I think that's our biggest kind of future question. Um, more than cars or anything, is just like, what do we do about our living space? Um, you know, how do we how do we make it work for us? Do we add on to the house or do we just bite the bullet and you know, sell it and buy something at a higher interest rate? Or, you know, do we rent it out? Just all the different questions that you might have about we're gonna need more space at some point, and it's probably gonna come sooner than we want. So talking about like expanding and things like that, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 24:35

Now, having girls, of course, are always more expensive than boys. So, how do you think you're gonna handle it financially? You know, resist the urge to want to have them dressed alike and having to buy double of everything.

SPEAKER_02: 24:48

I can't resist that urge, actually. That's an urge I can't resist. Um, I that's probably gonna be my biggest challenge. I think you probably know that. Um, I want because I match with my daughter a lot. Like, we have all 10 pairs of matching pajamas. Like 10. I mean, girl, and it's like she'll be like, you need to wear your matchy, matchy pajamas tonight. And some nights she's like, I'm not doing matchy matchy. But now having two girls, that means I'm gonna need matching pajamas, and both of them are gonna need matching pajamas. Um, and yeah, I mean, there's definitely like the urge to just kit them out for the gods. I don't know. I don't know how I'm gonna handle that, Kim, actually. That's that's a good question because, like, you know, we're going to Disney and uh I'm on the internet all the time being like matching outfits for all of us, matching outfits for, you know, just the three of us. So the idea of adding a fourth person in the mix of of that and just like those special celebration, you know, t-shirts and things like that. But you know, I'm I I keep it thrifty and I can usually figure out ways to do it on a dime, do it on a budget. So make my own Disney t-shirts, like I don't need to order them from anybody else and you know, and all that type of good stuff. So, you know, I think we've done well enough though for ourselves that if I want to splurge, we can fit it into the budget.

SPEAKER_01: 26:14

Yeah, but I definitely think that's got to be one of the hardest challenges for moms with two little girls because it's just so irresistible to dress them alike and get all the cutesy little things for girls.

SPEAKER_02: 26:25

Well, and you know what's so funny? Um, our other coworker uh had a daughter a year ago. She just turned a year. Can you believe that? And he gave me a bunch of baby clothes that were hers. And in the bag, there was actually a dress, a zero to three month dress that is the zero to three month version of a dress that Lenny actually already had. And you have to believe I screamed. I was like, matching dresses, um, which was perfect. So uh, you know, God God does things, He works, uh, so you don't have to as hard. So I do have a couple of matching outfits for them already. And luckily I have nieces that are the same age gap, and so they have a lot of matching stuff that I'm sure will get mailed over to us whenever they're they're done with them.

SPEAKER_01: 27:12

So you've you've definitely testified how you've grown financially. What's the one thing or what's the one habit or skill that you've picked up now that you wish you knew for baby number one for Lenny?

SPEAKER_02: 27:26

Um, you know, I think my biggest regret or wish would have been to be on the budgeting journey sooner and be better at saving sooner. Um, because I was only able to take two months off with her and I plan to take more time off um for this baby. But yeah, I mean, this time I have, you know, my sick and vacation banked, which I do have to use all of that um on leave. But I also started paying into short-term disability like a year ago, so that'll be able to kick in. And then we've also started a savings fund for that additional time. Um, and so that'll mean I'll have more time with my baby at home before I have to come back to work, which um, you know, which I think is like uh probably the most important thing to me is just having more time together. Um, the first time around was challenging. Hopefully this time I know a little bit more, but I'm sure it'll have its own challenges. So just to have a little bit more dedicated time with the newborn um without having to worry about the money aspect and needing to rush back to work is probably the biggest thing. So I'm I'm really grateful that we we kind of went on the journey and now I can comfortably say I can take, you know, the full extent of my time that the law allows and I can pay for it.

SPEAKER_01: 28:45

Definitely sounds like everything you did was well worth it. So, what's the one thing that you're looking forward to the most right now? Going to Disney, girl.

SPEAKER_02: 28:54

You know, going to Disney. Um, yeah, we that was even something part of the um part of the budgeting question, you know, and I had I had to do some soul searching about it, but I just felt really um after kind of all the sacrificing that we had done, I just felt really strongly that I wanted to bring, you know, our firstborn there to have the full Disney experience. And that includes the Bibity Bobbity Boutique, the crown level package,$200. And you know what is even so sweet? Like all my friends and like our family know we have been on this journey. And I actually had two different friends who, like, you know, out of nowhere, basically, when I was kind of like talking about whether I felt like we could afford it or not to go to Disney, they they both gave us$100 to cover the cost of the bibbity bobbity boutique, you know. And and I think that that's there's also something to say about that. I think sometimes when you're on a budgeting journey, you can feel like ashamed, like that you have to say no to things or that you have to like be like, no, like I don't know if I can do this because of the money. But it actually felt really freeing for me to be honest with everybody and be like, yeah, I. Just like I that's not in the budget.

SPEAKER_01: 30:02

Love it when we always talk about budget. I told Chad that one of these days we're gonna get a little highlighted sign, and every time my guest mentions the word budget, because I don't even have to say it. All my guests know it. Yeah, you know, we're gonna flash the little budget sign and go.

SPEAKER_02: 30:16

Yeah, but it's like you also find that like people who care about you and see that you're working really hard towards your goals and like towards expanding your family or whatever your goal is, you know, to to they they want to support you and they want to see you thrive and ooh, girl, make me cry actually. But yeah, it's because I was like, I don't know if we can go. It's just like it's like we can, but it's like, is it a wise choice? And then, you know, spoke with a bunch of friends and they're like, you've worked so hard, like you deserve it. And then just to have other people just like recognize that and and also want the same thing for my daughter that I want, which is just have this magical like princess experience, you know, before her little sister is born. It, you know, it makes you feel like it's all just like worth it, and you know, and I joke, but like, you know, that God is really has a plan and you know, but you have to work with him. You can't work against him, you know. And I think that, yeah, I think I used to hate the word budget, and I actually love it now. Yeah, we talk about budget all the time. I know. It's actually like I love it. I love just going into the budget and being like, can I buy something? And like being like, Yep, I can. We have the money for it, and not having to like have that fear, you know, of like whether I I want something or not, and knowing if I can do it or not. It's like the answer is always clear.

SPEAKER_01: 31:31

So, you know, right now Betty still has the young kids and they're not as expensive. No, girl, I'm scared. So, of course, you know, we're gonna continue to have you come back on this journey, you know, when you have the two of them in daycare, and as they grow older, and when you have to buy two cars, you know, we'll just follow it through and see how much she smiles about those budgets. But I'm so happy for you and Eric. I am so glad that it's working out exactly the way you want to. And so I guess maybe this will be it for you until after baby number two comes along. But we'll definitely have you back.

SPEAKER_02: 32:04

Look, the next one will be my mommy makeover. That'll be the next mommy makeover. Mommy makeover, that's the next big budgeting item.

unknown: 32:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 32:13

All right. Well, that's it for today's episode.

SPEAKER_00: 32:19

It's time for blueprint building blocks. Small changes that lead to big financial wins. Let's stack up for success.

SPEAKER_01: 32:28

Adjust your budget early. Plan ahead for increased costs, whether it's diapers, child care, or medical expenses. Reuse and repurpose. Don't assume you need to buy everything new. Check out what can be reused from baby number one because it may be really helpful for baby number two. Plan for inflation. Keep an eye on rising costs and look for bulk deals and discounts or essentials. And then update your financial plan. A second child means revisiting your emergency fund, insurance policies, and savings goals.

SPEAKER_00: 33:01

That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building Blocks. Stay on track with your financial journey. Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org slash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future.