New Baby Budget Checklist & Planning Worksheet
This is a planning worksheet, not a required shopping list. Use it to mark what you already have, identify what you expect to buy, note items you may receive or borrow, flag costs that need a price or quote, and build first-year category totals for the First-Year Baby Cost Calculator.
For help converting recurring and one-time expenses into the correct totals, follow the step-by-step first-year budget guide.
How to use this worksheet
- Mark what you already have.
- Identify what you still expect to buy.
- Note what you reasonably expect to receive or borrow.
- Flag expenses that need a real price, provider quote, or more research.
- Estimate the first-year total for each category.
- Transfer the eight totals into the First-Year Baby Cost Calculator.
Not every item applies to every household, and an example is not automatically a required purchase. Use actual prices or quotes where available, count each expense once, and enter first-year totals—not monthly values—into the calculator.
1. Diapers and wipes
- Disposable diapers
- Wipes
- Diaper cream / changing supplies
- Training pants if personally relevant
- Other diapering cost
□ Already have □ Need to buy □ Expect to receive / borrow □ Need price □ Not applicable
The Disposable Diaper Cost Calculator can estimate disposable-diaper cost using an actual package price and count with your own planning amounts. It does not prescribe diaper-change frequency.
Estimated first-year Diapers and wipes total:
Enter this category's complete first-year total on the homepage.
2. Feeding
- Formula if applicable
- Bottles / nipples
- Pumping or feeding supplies
- Food / feeding accessories later in the first year if applicable
- Other feeding expense
□ Already have □ Need to buy □ Expect to receive / borrow □ Need price □ Not applicable
If formula is part of your plan, the Formula Cost Calculator can estimate cost using the actual product price, prepared yield, and amounts you enter. It does not prescribe formula intake or a feeding method.
Estimated first-year Feeding total:
Enter this category's complete first-year total on the homepage.
3. Childcare
- Provider tuition / caregiver cost
- Registration or enrollment fee
- Deposit
- Recurring extra fees
- Transportation / supplies if applicable
- Other childcare cost
□ Already arranged □ Need provider quote □ Known assistance □ Need more research □ Not applicable
The Childcare Cost Calculator uses your actual provider quote, fees, paid weeks, and known assistance.
Estimated first-year Childcare total:
Enter the first-year amount you plan to count after known assistance, without subtracting the same assistance twice.
4. Healthcare/medical out-of-pocket
- Known copays
- Known deductible-related costs
- Prescriptions if applicable
- Provider estimates
- Other known baby-related out-of-pocket healthcare costs
□ Need to review insurance information □ Need provider / insurer estimate □ Known amount □ Not applicable
Use your own plan documents, insurer information, and provider estimates. This worksheet does not predict coverage, supply a healthcare default, or recommend medical care. See the first-year budget guide for the category workflow.
Estimated first-year Healthcare/medical out-of-pocket total:
Enter only the baby-related out-of-pocket amount you personally choose to include.
5. Gear and nursery
These are budgeting examples, not a required shopping list.
- Sleep space / nursery setup
- Car seat
- Stroller
- Carrier
- Furniture / storage
- Monitor
- Other personally planned gear
□ Already have □ Need to buy □ Expect to receive / borrow □ Need price / research □ Not applicable
Estimated first-year Gear and nursery total:
Enter the first-year total for the gear and nursery purchases you personally plan to include.
6. Baby clothing
- Clothing
- Sleepwear
- Outerwear if applicable
- Other wearable items
□ Already have □ Need to buy □ Expect to receive / borrow □ Need price □ Not applicable
Estimated first-year Baby clothing total:
Enter the first-year total for clothing you expect to purchase; no suggested quantity is assumed.
7. Other baby supplies
- Bathing / grooming supplies
- Household baby supplies
- Feeding accessories not already counted
- Changing supplies not already counted
- Other recurring supplies
□ Already have □ Need to buy □ Expect to receive / borrow □ Need price □ Not applicable
Do not enter an item here if it has already been counted in another category.
Estimated first-year Other baby supplies total:
Enter the first-year total for remaining baby supplies you choose to count.
8. Other first-year costs
- Known family-specific baby expenses
- Known travel / transportation expenses if personally relevant
- Other costs you choose to include
□ Already planned □ Need to budget □ Expect help / contribution □ Need price / research □ Not applicable
Estimated Other first-year costs total:
Use this category for a family-specific first-year cost that does not fit elsewhere.
First-year total summary
| Category | First-year total |
|---|---|
| Diapers and wipes | |
| Feeding | |
| Childcare | |
| Healthcare/medical out-of-pocket | |
| Gear and nursery | |
| Baby clothing | |
| Other baby supplies | |
| Other first-year costs |
Estimated first-year total:
Transfer these eight totals to the First-Year Baby Cost Calculator.
Before you total everything
- □ I counted each planned expense once.
- □ I removed items I already own and do not expect to replace.
- □ I accounted for known gifts or hand-me-downs only when reasonably certain.
- □ I did not subtract the same assistance twice.
- □ I used a detailed calculator result only once.
- □ My homepage entries will be first-year totals, not monthly values.
See the step-by-step budget guide for the fuller workflow.
Need / want / wait worksheet
Use this blank table to prioritize items for your household. It is a household planning tool, not a safety classification. You decide how to categorize purchases, while current official safety guidance should be used where relevant.
| Item | Need before/early | Can wait | Optional for our household | Need price/research | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| □ | □ | □ | □ | ||
| □ | □ | □ | □ | ||
| □ | □ | □ | □ | ||
| □ | □ | □ | □ | ||
| □ | □ | □ | □ |
What this checklist does not do
This checklist does not determine what every baby needs, what a family should spend, medical needs, product safety, insurance coverage, tax benefits, government-benefit eligibility, childcare market prices, or whether a particular purchase is necessary. See the Disclaimer.
Related tools
Use How to Save Money on Baby Essentials while identifying, researching, and pricing purchases, the Diaper & Formula Budgeting Guide to compare unit prices, or the Baby Savings Calculator to divide a savings target across a timeline you choose.
Sources and review
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Safe Sleep
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Car Seats and Booster Seats
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Recalls & Product Safety Warnings
Read About Baby Cost Calculator for the site's sourcing and review approach.
Last reviewed: August 10, 2026