How to Afford a Baby on Minimum Wage
Babies are wonderful bundles of joy, but they are also expensive. If you don't have a larger income it can seem impossible to raise a child. Fear not, if you've been wondering how to afford a baby on minimum wage, there is a lot of help out there for you. You just need to know where to look.
How to Afford a Baby on Minimum Wage
There are government benefits available if you are living on minimum wage and have a baby.
There are also some things you can do in your daily life that will reduce the cost of raising a baby as well.
Ways You Can Save Money When You Have a Baby on a Low Income
Before we get to the government programs that might help you out, let's look at some of the things you can do to make your life a bit easier.
1. Take Advantage of a Local Food Bank
Chances are you live near a food bank of some kind. Most towns have one or more.
I know where I live there is one that is open one day a week, on Wednesdays, and they provide a sizable amount of food to each person that goes there.
Using this free service can be a real help in reducing food costs for you and your family. It can save you $100's of dollars each month.
You can expect to find canned goods and boxed items .
In some places, they might even have fresh vegetables.
I live in the middle of corn country, so when the sweet corn is ready they always have bushels of it available.
You can find your local food bank through Feeding America .
2. Buy Baby Clothes at Thrift Stores
You can find some great items at a thrift store. That includes baby clothes.
It really doesn't make sense to buy baby clothes at retail stores. They grow out of them so quickly.
That's true for kid's clothes as well.
You can find like-new or even new baby clothes as well. You'd be surprised what is there.
Also, you can pick up toys and stuffed animals too.
Just run the stuffed animals through the washing machine and you're good to go.
Most of the time they cost about $0.25 each.
You can't beat that.
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3. Have a Swap Party
There's a good chance you have friends or family members with babies or young children.
If so, they may have a lot of clothing and other items that their children have grown out of.
A great idea is to have a swap party.
Everyone brings all the things they are no longer using and swaps them for items they want and need.
It's a great way to get free items.
Not to mention, it can be a lot of fun.
Government Benefits for Low-Income Families
Besides ways you can save money in your daily life, there are a lot of government programs that can provide assistance.
1. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
Also known as WIC, this is a federal program that provides grants to states for nutrition education, supplemental foods, and health care referrals.
It is for women in low-income households that are breastfeeding, pregnant, or non-breastfeeding postpartum as well as babies and children up to five years of age.
You can learn more about WIC here.
2. Medicaid
You might qualify for Medicaid. If you do, you will receive free or low-cost health insurance. This is a state benefit.
In addition, you may also find health insurance assistance through CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program. This can be for you if you are expecting and for your children.
You can learn more about Medicaid here.
You can learn more about CHIP here .
3. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Also known as SNAP or food stamps, this program will provide money for food assistance if you make under 130 percent of the poverty level.
And if you're living on minimum wage, then there is a good chance you are living below or at the poverty level.
You will receive an electronic card that you can use to buy food at most grocery stores.
You can learn more about SNAP here .
4. Subsidized Housing
There are a number of government-subsidized housing programs available for lower-income families.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides certificates to approved rental properties. This subsidy allows renters to pay no more than thirty percent of their income for rent.
The Public Housing Agency also allows for the purchase of a modest home for some families.
You can learn more about subsidized housing here.
5. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
This program, also known as LIHEAP helps lower income-families with energy assistance.
This means they will offset the cost of your heat bills in the winter and possibly your air conditioning bills in the summer.
It adds up to a lot of savings and makes having a baby much more affordable even on minimum wage.
You can find out more about LIHEAP here.
6. Welfare
This benefit is offered through the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
It provides money to lower-income families and single moms while they work at becoming more self-sufficient.
There are additional benefits such as job training and child care which can make a big difference when you have a baby.
You can learn more about welfare here.
To Sum it All Up:
The truth is babies are expensive and if you make minimum wage it will be difficult to afford one. Even so, you may find yourself in the position of being pregnant, so you will have to find ways to make having a baby more affordable.
There are some good options for you from local food banks to a swap party as well as government assistance programs. Piecing them all together will make having a baby more affordable, so you can focus on the joy that comes with a new member of the family instead of the cost.
How to Afford a Baby on Minimum Wage
Source: https://www.themoneypixie.com/how-to-afford-a-baby-on-minimum-wage/
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