Buying guide
What the first year with a baby costs
Where the money goes in the first year, which costs are one-off and which repeat monthly, plus five ways to spend less without giving up on safety.
In short
- The budget has two parts – the big purchases, made once, and the consumables, which repeat every month.
- The biggest sums are the pushchair, the car seat and the cot. Only the car seat, the mattress and anything that touches your baby’s mouth or milk must be new.
- Monthly, nappies are the surest expense. Formula, if it is needed, may be the second.
- Make the budget in three columns – what you buy new, what you take second-hand or are given, and what can wait.
“How much does a child cost?” is a question without a single answer. The same list can cost three times more or less, depending on what you buy new, what you are given and what you skip. This guide doesn’t give you a sum. It shows you where the money goes, what is paid once and what repeats, so you can make your own budget.
We don’t give prices: they change from one month to the next and from one shop to another. Take the list below and put the prices you find yourself next to it.
One-off expenses
| Category | Must be new? | Where you can save |
|---|---|---|
| Car seat | Yes (or from someone close, with a known history) | A good model, not the most expensive; see the guide |
| Pushchair | No | Second-hand, checked; one good pushchair instead of two |
| Cot | No | A classic wooden cot, used |
| Mattress | Yes | Firm and the right size, not necessarily expensive |
| Baby carrier | No | Borrowed or used, after you have tried it |
| Bath, changing table or changing mat | No | Used, or a chest of drawers you already have |
| High chair (at 6 months) | No | Used, or a simple plastic model |
| Monitor | No | May be left out; see whether you need one |
Recurring expenses
| Category | How often | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Nappies | Monthly, all year | 8–10 a day at first, 5–7 towards one year; see the nappies guide |
| Wipes, creams | Monthly | Fragrance-free; shop own brands are often just as good |
| Formula milk | Monthly, if needed | Chosen with the paediatrician; can be one of the biggest monthly expenses |
| Clothes | Every 2–3 months, at each size | You get a lot; buy what is missing |
| Food (after 6 months) | Monthly | Mostly what you cook for yourselves anyway |
| Medicines and pharmacy | Occasionally | On your doctor’s advice |
Sleeping bags and clothes change with each size. A child goes through four or five sizes in the first year.
Expenses you don’t think about
- Maternity fees at private hospitals or for a reserved room.
- Private consultations, if you choose a paediatrician outside the family doctor.
- Optional vaccines, which are not in the national programme.
- Documents: a passport, if you travel abroad.
- Things for the mother: nursing bras, postpartum pads, clothes for after the birth.
- Ready-made meals or deliveries in the first weeks, when nobody is cooking.
Financial support
In Romania there is the state child allowance and the child-raising allowance, and some town halls give a grant at birth. The conditions and amounts change: check them on the official websites of the National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection (ANPIS) and of your town hall, a few months before the birth.
Five ways to spend less
- Buy new only what you must: the car seat, the mattress and anything that touches your baby’s milk or mouth. The rest can be used. Details in what to buy second-hand.
- Put off the optional things until after the birth. Many will turn out not to be needed. See what not to buy.
- Don’t stock up on nappies and clothes. Your baby grows faster than you think.
- Make a gift list and give it to relatives, so you get useful things, not seven rattles. See the gift list.
- Buy in the right order. The shopping timeline spreads the costs over several months.
Our recommendation
Take the newborn checklist and split it into three columns: what you buy new, what you take second-hand or are given, and what can wait. Put prices only next to the first column. That is the budget from before the birth. For the months after, count nappies, care products and, if needed, formula, and leave room for a new clothes size every two to three months.
Frequently asked questions
What are the biggest expenses in the first year with a baby?
The biggest sums are spent once, on the car seat, pushchair and place to sleep. Monthly, the surest expenses are nappies and care products and, for formula-fed babies, formula milk. The rest depends a lot on the family’s choices.
How can I cut costs without compromising on safety?
Buy new only the car seat, the mattress and anything that touches your baby’s milk or mouth. The pushchair, the wooden cot, clothes, the bath, the high chair and toys can be taken second-hand or received from relatives. Put off everything optional until after the birth and don’t stock up on nappies or clothes.
What financial support exists in Romania for parents?
There is the state child allowance and the child-raising allowance, plus, in some localities, grants paid by the town hall at birth. The conditions and amounts change, so check the current information on the official websites of the National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection and of your town hall.
Think it could help someone else?
Send the guide to your partner or to a friend who is expecting a baby.