Bringing Up Baby (On A Budget) 5 ‘i (NAPSA)—Babies maybepriceless, but raising one these days can be costly. When you add up housing, food, transportation, clothes, medical expenses, child care and education, the average American family spends more than $10,000 a year to raise one child, according to a recent U.S. government survey. That adds up to over $170,000 by age 17—hbefore junior even headsoff to college. The prospect of all that spend- ing—especially in these challenging economic times—can be daunting to any parent of a newborn. Here’s some simple savings tips to get you through the formative years: Register. What works for weddings—online and in-store gift registries—also works for babies, and will steer friends and relatives to- ward items you really need. Resist the Clothes Horse Syndrome. Babies grow out of outfits and footwear fast, so stick Raising a child costs, on average, over $10,000 a year. sumer loyalty programs such as the Huggies brand Enjoy the Ride Rewards program (www.Enjoythe with a beginner wardrobe of a RideRewards.com), which allows you to earn points toward fantastic reward opportunities and enter to win a year’s supply of free diapers. Free samples of new Hug- can be shared amongsiblings of either gender. Save by Buying “Value”Size be requested at www.huggiespure andnatural.com. Rediscover Libraries. Read- training. That makes buying them early leg up, but they'll outgrow those store-bought baby books as fast as those cute “onesies.” dozen T-shirts and one-piece outfits. Also, choose sizes at least six months larger than an infant’s age to extend clothes’ lifespan, and consider neutral colors that Packages. Babies easily go through 5,000 diapers before potty —as well as baby wipes and formula—in bulk a no-brainer. But don’t skimp on quality. Bargain, or private-label, diaper brands might seem tempting, but branded diapers may offer more value for the money in terms of product performance. Watch for Diaper Coupons. They turn up in Sunday newspa- per inserts, online and often right in the store. You can also stretch your dollars by joining online con- gies Pure & Natural diapers can ing to your kids gives them an Instead, visit yourlocal library for a free supply of children’s classics. Use the Money You Save to Start a College Fund. Tuition at in-state public universities cur- rently runs about $20,000 annually, while the average private university education costs about $35,000 or more. With college expenses growing by 6 to 8 percent a year, even setting aside a few hundred dollars a year can add up.
