Raising a Newborn in Miami | Miami, FL Patch

Raising a Newborn in Miami | Miami, FL Patch


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Welcoming a baby into your household is expensive, generally speaking, but in some parts of the country the costs can be really eye-popping, according to the real estate brokerage Redfin.


You need not only a good pediatrician but also a good cushion of savings to fall back on. A newborn’s first year will cost anywhere from around $16,000 to more than double that, depending on


where you live, says Redfin, which compared 79 metro areas for baby-related expenses, including what it costs to upgrade to a bigger home with a bigger mortgage. See what parents in Miami


are likely to spend on the way to putting a birthday cake in front of a 1-year-old (with wet naps at the ready). BRINGING UP BABY IN MIAMI Some of the least expensive places to raise an


infant are Southern cities, while major cities in the Northeast and California metro areas are the priciest. Here’s what the study finds about baby’s first year in Miami: The total cost is


an average of $19,780 when the household moves up from a two-bedroom house to a three-bedroom, or $19,385 total when you go from a one-bedroom condominium to a condo with two bedrooms.


Surprised? Those totals include typical, local differences in mortgages for the larger homes, as well as average annual child care costs in each area, as estimated by ChildCare Aware of


America. THE HIGH COST OF KID CARE In Miami, child care costs an average $9,018 a year. Having someone there with the kid at all times is the biggest expense for an expanding family, Redfin


says. “If you decide to stay at home to take care of your baby, you may have to forgo income and pause your career progression,” says Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist. “If you


hire a nanny, you will need to pay them a competitive wage,” he adds. “And if you happen to find an affordable daycare provider, you may have to sit on a waiting list until a spot opens up


for your child.” Compared to child care, the extra room for a nursery is a relatively cheap expense, in any city. SPANK HIGH BABY COSTS Two other costs are part of the baby bottom line in


Miami. Redfin’s calculations for an infant’s first year include national average out-of-pocket health care costs of $1,297 for a newborn, and BabyCenter’s estimate that a U.S. household


spends $7,850 on baby things such as clothing, diapers and other supplies. But your bundle of joy doesn’t necessarily have to cost you a bundle. Here are a few tips on ways to hold down your


baby budget: * Always be on the lookout for coupons and free samples, even while you’re still at the hospital. Manufacturers are eager to turn new parents into loyal customers. * Load up on


giant-size packages of diapers from wholesale club stores. You’ll save about $170 per year, Parents magazine reports. * Use a credit card that offers regular discounts, such as Target’s


REDcard, or a cash-back credit card that rewards bonus cash for all of those trips you make to the supermarket to buy baby food and everything else. * Buy “convertible” baby furniture that


you’ll get more use out of, such as a crib that might easily be transformed into a toddler bed when the time comes. * Don’t buy fancier, special-occasion clothes new. Instead, save by


hitting a consignment shop for a teensy suit or dress that your little one might wear to an older cousin’s wedding or other family event -- and then never put on again.