I feel blessed to say that when I was growing up I never really thought about money. If I wanted to go to a horseback riding camp for the summer or take violin lessons after school, I didn't worry about the financial implications. Granted, I'm sure there definitely were financial implications - I don't want it to seem like my family was abounding in excessive wealth. But my parents didn't let me in on any stress they may have felt as they provided a comfortable life for me.
I'm sure I'll never know what sacrifices they made to keep me oblivious in my younger years. And yet, as I got older, my mother and father gave me the opportunity to become more financially aware as certain finances become my own responsibility. So, by the time I graduated college, I was completely financially independent from my parents.
This was a huge blessing for me as I began my adult life! And then, when Chris and I were married, I realized this financial responsibility was a bigger blessing than I ever thought it was. We were able to have adult conversations about our finances and were comfortable in our situation as Chris was going through school, we bought a home, we moved across country, and the list goes on.
But now that we are parents, I'm realizing just how much effort my parents really must have made to give me a comfortable upbringing in which I was oblivious to financial matters. Because, goodness, children are expensive. The birthing process alone cost us more than I ever imagined. And Chris and I pride ourselves on the fact that we aren't excessive in our purchasing of baby items but our basic necessities - car seat and stroller, diapers, day care - took and continue to take a huge toll on our finances.
Thankfully, we've been able to use a few strategies to keep our heads above water while still providing all things that are needful for our child. First and foremost, we research and compare costs on just about everything under the sun. And truth be told, cheaper isn't always better - we look at costs versus longevity of the item, the quality of the product, and so forth - BUT sometimes it is. I have no problem saying that many of the things we have for our baby (especially clothing) is second hand. Then, we plan far in advance so we can prepare ourselves for any big expenses and adjust accordingly. After purchases are made, we keep track of our receipts and keep a spreadsheet with all of our expenses so we can see exactly where our money is going.
All of this takes work, it takes effort. Sometimes it is stressful; usually, it is time consuming. But it is worth it. Why? Because I'm optimistic that if we hold true to those strategies Brielle will be able to grow up knowing that the world is her oyster without having the worry of being a financial burden. I want her to know that Chris and I will provide great opportunities and give freely and open doors for her and I don't want her to stress over just exactly how we do that. And then, when the time is right, we can introduce her to financial responsibility so she can do the same for her children.
Matters of money shouldn't be on a child's mind. In order to make that happen, a parent's mind should definitely be focused on matters of money.
Do you have children? How do you plan to provide a comfortable life style for them? If you don't yet have kids, have you thought about how you will pay for their needs (and their wants!)? Do you think this tactic we have in place is a good one? I've heard some parents argue that children should work for everything they get so they are responsible and aren't spoiled; I can understand that perspective but I personally think kids only get to be kids for a few short sweet years, they have the rest of their lives to work! Am I silly to think that? I'd love to hear how you save money with kids or plan to save money when you have them!
With love,
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