The cost of kids:

[EEG]

I have seen a few topics on the forum on kids but could not find anything relating to the cost of starting a family. (Sorry if a missed a previous related topic)

Well are planning to go over in April – June 2008 (to Brisbane on a 136 visa) and as we are almost 30 we would like to start a family once in AUS. The problem is that we have no idea what would be the cost of having kids in AUS.

My research on the form indicated that it almost cost $50 per day to have a kid in daycare / crèche. I.e. it will cost $2000pm to have to kids going to daycare. It also appears that this cost goes down as kid’s starts going to primary and secondary school.

I am correct or could anybody give me a bit more detail on how to budget for having kids.

[The Parsons Family]

Hi

We are also looking at starting a family soon, so this was something I did a bit of research on....

This is an article written last year, titled How much do kids cost?

Go to Raising children which is a parenting website, it gives you a few ideas on child care costs.

Also the government has a few articles on the subject: Costs of children

At the end of the day, I don't think there are too many people who are completely financially ready for the expense of children.... but it is best to know what you're in for.

Hope this helps!

Gaille

PS I have more articles somewhere, will have a look and get back to you.

Edited August 27, 2007 by The Parsons Family

[Guest Lara]

Thanks Gaille, that raising children website is great. Full of lots of useful information.

Lara

Hi

We are also looking at starting a family soon, so this was something I did a bit of research on....

This is an article written last year, titled How much do kids cost?

Go to Raising children which is a parenting website, it gives you a few ideas on child care costs.

Also the government has a few articles on the subject: Costs of children

At the end of the day, I don't think there are too many people who are completely financially ready for the expense of children.... but it is best to know what you're in for.

Hope this helps!

Gaille

PS I have more articles somewhere, will have a look and get back to you.

[EEG]

Thanks. It will be of great help

[Dedrei]

Nog een wat al oor en oor al beplanning al try doen het vir dit.

Main ding is om vir die groot goed al te begin spaar voor hy daar is. Soos die cot, die pram, en al daai groot expenses.

Dan nog 'n kopseer is die mediese uitgawes. Hang nou af of jy privaat gaan, wat jy jou eie OBGYN het en of jy publiek gaan wat jy 'n GP en/of Midwife sien.

Hierso is my ander thread oor dieselfde topic http://www.saaustralia.org/index.php?showtopic=1433

So wanneer dink julle dames om te begin try?

Ons kyk dalk na Sep volgende jaar as alles goed verloop.

O ja en great sites is die volgende

http://www.essentialbaby.com.au

http://www.bubhub.com.au

Elkeen het 'n forum ook wat vreeslik aktief is.

Groete

D

[EEG]

Thanks;

Die is Etienne (die mand) wat die topic geraise het. Jy sien hoe die lewe werk is die vrou laat weet jou wanneer sy kinders wil het en die man doen die budget aangesien van die uitgawes gesny sal word :-). Dit is skokend dat n dag moeder $50 per dag kos.

Die plan is seker maar ook laat 2007. Wil eers voete vinf

[The Parsons Family]

We are planning on starting the baby factory once we get PR so.... hopefully the middle of next year

[clarebear]

Hi there

I don't think anyone's ever financially prepared for kids, but we all get by somehow and I'm sure you'll be just fine! There is so much help from the state - you are given a baby bonus of $5,000 when your child is born - MORE than enough to cover all the 'startup' costs of cots, car seats, clothing etc etc. Then there is family tax benefit and all sorts of other state help - some of which is income-tested, but not all of it. Childcare is pricey, but I've recently discovered that you can get rebates on childcare fees, depending on your family income - if its under $115,000 I think you're eligible.

In terms of having the baby, if you're happy to go with the public system you'll pay very little if anything for your maternity care and the birth. If you choose to go private it sounds like you'll be between $2,000 and $3,000 out of pocket (depending on the hospital excess on your health fund, and your consultants fees). I've had 3 friends have babies in Brisbane in the last 3 months, 1 private, 1 at the Royal, and 1 at the Mater. The private one got fantastic food and her own room, but the medical care was very similar! And if you're concerned about having a natural delivery, you can still elect to have a caesarian section on the public system in QLD (I think these have been stopped in NSW?).

When it comes to schools, state schools seem to charge very little, and the catholic private schools are very affordable (the ones I've looked at are under $2,000 a year, you don't have to be catholic to get in). Other private schools are a lot more expensive.

If money is tight remember there are all sorts of ways to get creative about saving - you can buy maternity and baby clothes on ebay or at nearly-new sales, hand-me-down toys will be just as well-loved as new ones etc.

Bit of a brain dump, hope its uselful in some way. Good luck with the trying, its exciting times ahead!

Clare

[Dedrei]

Thanks Clare & Gaille for all the info and the links.

My baby bonus would be used as income for the period that I am on maternity leave, seeing as you don't really get paid maternity leave in Aus. It will be for all the costs that would have normally been paid by my salary, like the rent & the car etc. Wish I could use the $5000 for startup things.

So basically we will be saving for 12 months to cover these huge expense plus the cost of having our own OBGYN. I am not comfortable just going to the GP or midwife. So I'll be going private on this matter and having the delivery I want and not what the state wants me to have. That's a whole topic on it's own.

Then I have been chatting to some other ladies that have babies and apparently the cost of the day to day expenses like the food & nappies, etc are easily managed in your budget as these aren't too expensive.

I see that we might have a new baby club this time next year!

Cheers

Dedrei

[EEG]

Once again thank you for all the info. Dedrei, you mentioned that you don't really get paid maternity leave. Is it true and how does it work?

[wendy]

Kry jy die $5,000 eers as jy PR het?

Ek het opgelees oor die homebirth en dit klink vir my nie sleg nie. Dit sal dalk makliker wees as die hospitaal. Ek bedoel nou dat alles bekend sal wees en die stress vir die ma minder en dan obviously op die kleinding ook.

Wendy

[Dedrei]

you mentioned that you don't really get paid maternity leave. Is it true and how does it work?

Hi Elsa

Ja mens kry nie sommer paid maternity leave nie. Dis glad nie so algemeen soos in Sa nie. Ek weet van die staats departemente offer paid maternity leave, maar hulle is regtig in die minority. Wat van die mense doen is hulle wil hê jy moet eers 3 jaar vir hulle gewerk het voor hulle jou 'n maand se paid maternity leave gee en dan moet jy nog vir 2 jaar daarna by hulle bly. Dis freakin' ridiculous as jy my vra. Hulle het 'n petisie in die local baby mag hierso gehad oor die storie, maar nou ja dink nie daar gaan veel van dit kom nie.

So dis die sad reality daarvan.

En die $5000 kry jy net as jy PR het ja.

Groete

D

[Suidwes]

Hi Julle,

Net gou ietsie... mens kry nie $5000 nie maar wel $4133 vir die Baby Bonus. Sorry..

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Internet/FA...rnity_payment#2

Jy kan darem die Maternity Immunization Allowance ook claim as jy PR het, dis $230.

http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Internet/FA...ow_much_mia.htm

My keisersnee is vir die 30ste Oct geboek ( ook private) want ek wil kies wie die snywerk doen ens want daar was bietjie komplikasies met my eerste dogtertjie. As dit nie vir dit was nie sou ek met 'n smile publiek gedoen het.

Sw

Edited August 29, 2007 by Suidwes

[Dedrei]

Die $5000 is van 01/07/2008 af. So dis vir al ons wat nog beplan om kiddies te hê.

Groete

[wendy]

Ek weet nie of ek so lank kan wag nie!!!!

[Heather]

If I am not mistaken - I think the amount has been reduced to $4000 per baby...

Feel free to check it out...

Heather

[RoMar]

Hi all

This is a really interesting topic. Thanks for the wonderful links. I already have 2 children (aged 5 and 2) but I have found this thread rather informative - possible we may have another one once we have settled. But first of all, can you tell me whether Epidurals are done over in Oz? I know they're first world rather than third world but you never know - the options available in SA may not be available in Oz? I am just not into the caesarian thing (nor the pain thing for that matter)! Ja - ek is baie pieperig vir die pein!

Thanks a stack!

RoMar

[Heather]

Hi all

This is a really interesting topic. Thanks for the wonderful links. I already have 2 children (aged 5 and 2) but I have found this thread rather informative - possible we may have another one once we have settled. But first of all, can you tell me whether Epidurals are done over in Oz? I know they're first world rather than third world but you never know - the options available in SA may not be available in Oz? I am just not into the caesarian thing (nor the pain thing for that matter)! Ja - ek is baie pieperig vir die pein!

Thanks a stack!

RoMar

Yes of course you can have an epidural You big whoosie!!

[Alexander]

Also a very important topic when moving anywhere in the world. We got a pleasant surprise when we moved to Austria as here women get 2 years paid maternity leave, or if the mom is the bread winner, the dad can go on Paternity leave instead. Our biggest adjustment, when we move to Oz, will be the school / University fees.

[sa2auz]

Hi there

Thanks for all the great info. Wow seems like there will definately be a baby club happening in the near future. Have been begging my hubby for what seems like forever but the costs are freaking him out. The big costs are definately daycare and one really needs to have a plan in place where you could work two or three mornings a week and have a group of friends who do the same but on different days and then you look after each others kids etc. The problem is once you start staying at home and enjoying all the moms get togethers and parks etc you will never want to work again.

Another thing I have to agree that everyone wants the perfect nursery but you can get some amazing stuff on ebay and from friends etc. I think people also go totally overboard on all the gadgets, bottle warmers, diaper dispensers etc. I would rather have 4 more kids than a techno baby.

Well guys if all falls into place and everyone has a baby I say we send in a container from SA full of nappies.

Good luck everyone.

s

[Antoinette]

I am sorry if I offended the working mum's out there. It was not my intention. I do however feel that the Australian government seem to value children and the family structure by encouraging-forcing mothers to stay home with their children. I have seen people buy the most expensive car they can buy and yet tell you how affordable their child's daycare is. Shouldn't cars be affordable and daycare expensive? It makes more sense to me. I have hope for, and whant to be part of a society, that realises the importance of the formative years of a child. When I looked for a playgroup for my son, I was aghast at what I saw. Many of them had, what I felt, was safety risks. (Overhanging shelves threatening to collapse, fences threatening to fall over, children tugging at motor gates, walls underneath junglegyms). I felt that we were treating our children cheaply.

Antoinette

[SA Aussie]

Hi Ladies,

Just a quick word from a man's perspective on the baby and techno baby thing.

Kom ek praat afrikaans! Moenie die probeer vir 'n baba te lank los nie - onhou dis ideaal vir 'n vrou om haar kinders voor 30 te vir alerhande gesondheids redes - my punt is dat moenie noodwendig dink jy gaan more probeer em oor more 'n baba he nie?! Dit mag dalk so gebeur maar deesdae is daar al hoe meer paartjies wat probleme het om swanger te raak. Ons kan van ondervinding praat - ons het 6 jaar gesukkel om die eerste enetjie te he! Toe besluit ons aangesien ons nou die resep het werk ons sommer gou nog ene in 18 maande later! Nou is ons die trotse ouers van 2 pragtige seuns!

Tweedens van 'n "techno" oogpunt is daar twee goed wat goud werd is en definitief nie net "techno" gadgets nie. Een is die genoemde bootle warmer - try 2uur in die oggend met trappe af strompel om 'n bottel in die mikrogolf op te warm dan praat ons weer.. Tweedens vir bors voedende ma's is 'n elektriese bors pomp! Dit werk soos 'n charm - pomp die melk uit , gooi in 'n bottel en gee vir baba - groot voordeel is die "convenience" en jy weet presies hoeveel baba gedrink het sonder om te moet RAAI!! (Pappas geniet dit ook om sy "koeitjie" te monitor om te sien hoe haar "produksie" opgaan! Dit maak jou sommer baie trots op jou vroutjie!!!)

Van 'n betrokke Pappa!

[Bob]

I had to lodge our annual tax return yesterday (31st October) and in the Aust'n Tax Office, I noticed a wall poster saying

"30% Rebate on Child Care"

I almost took a flyer telling me all about it so I could pass the info on, but I assume you get the 30% off your child care payments or get it back from Medicare which not only handle medical expenses but other things for the Aust'n gov't such as payments for people who have paid cash for their child care already.

[clarebear]

I had to lodge our annual tax return yesterday (31st October) and in the Aust'n Tax Office, I noticed a wall poster saying

"30% Rebate on Child Care"

I almost took a flyer telling me all about it so I could pass the info on, but I assume you get the 30% off your child care payments or get it back from Medicare which not only handle medical expenses but other things for the Aust'n gov't such as payments for people who have paid cash for their child care already.

Yes, depending on your family's annual income you can get a nice big chunk of childcare fees back. Some daycare centres (ABCs for one) will liase with Centrelink beforehand and you just pay the difference between their fees and your rebates, with others you pay then lodge a rebate application. Also, if you're not into nurseries you can still get the rebate from any state registered child-carer - e.g. family child daycare or a nanny. Great to know that all child carers need police clearance etc here.

[Chantelle D]

Hi too all I have two kids one almost 4 and the other turns a year in Desember. Anyway for all you ladies planning on starting a family you must keep in mind that you can take a few months to actually fall pregnant with both my children it took 7months. However my one friend stoped the pill and got pregnant the month after that.

It is actually better to wait 3 months after stopping what ever method of birth control that you are using... Good luck to all it will change your lifes forever...