How to baby-proof your finances… kind of

Each week BusinessDesk and the NZ Herald’s Cooking the Books podcast tackles a different money problem. Today, it’s the costs you should consider before having a baby. Hosted by Frances Cook.

Kids are a delight, a gift… a big old expense.

Adding a new person to the world and your family comes with costs, and it’s a reality that can put people off kids.

It’s a trend around the world.

Japan is the most famous example, with a record low number of births in 2021. The US population is barely growing anymore. China’s had it first population decline in more than 60 years.

Here in New Zealand? The long term trend is fewer births.

What could be behind this, I wonder? When it’s so difficult to buy a house, wages don’t keep up with living costs, and childcare is so expensive, gosh, what on earth puts people off?

Anyway, having children and raising a family is something many people want. Just because there are certain financial realities doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

For the latest podcast I talked to Cat Emerson from Kernel.

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