FROM £500 TO £15,000: 5 PARENTS ON HOW MUCH THEY SPENT PREPARING FOR BABY

Preparing for a baby is exciting — but it’s also one of the biggest financial shocks most families face. Research shows the average new parent in the UK spends around £6,000 before their little one even arrives. But the truth? Every family’s approach looks very different.

That’s why we’re running the Cubbi Survey. If you’ve had a baby in the last 18 months, or are currently expecting, we’d love you to take part. It takes just a few minutes, and by sharing your experience you’ll help us build a realistic picture of what parents are really spending. As a thank you, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 voucher to spend with any Cubbi brand. The survey closes in one week — so this is your last chance to add your voice.

To give you a flavour of how varied baby prep spending can be, we asked parents to share their stories. From savvy second-hand shoppers to families who splurged, here’s what they told us.

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"WE KEPT IT SIMPLE - £500"

For one couple, the focus was on making do with the basics. Every baby outfit was sourced second-hand through Vinted, with friends and family stepping in to gift bigger items like a cot and high chair. “We didn’t want to spend thousands when babies grow so quickly. Most of what we needed came from hand-me-downs, and honestly, it worked perfectly.”

"WE AIMED FOR £1,500 AND HIT IT"

This parent treated baby prep like a project. They created a spreadsheet of everything they needed, researched options for months, and snapped up deals wherever possible. “We leaned heavily on supermarket baby events and Black Friday discounts to stretch the budget. In the end, we came in right on £1,500, which felt like the perfect balance of saving money and feeling prepared.”

"WE THOUGHT £2,000...IT TURNED INTO £3,000"

Going in, the plan was to keep costs tight — but a love of baby clothes got in the way. “I wanted a ‘capsule wardrobe’ for the baby, but every time I saw something cute, I couldn’t resist. That alone blew the budget by a few hundred pounds. Add in a mid-range pram and nursery furniture, and suddenly we’d tipped over £3,000. If I did it again, I’d rein in the clothes — they grow out of them far too fast.”

"£6,000 ABOUT AVERAGE"

For this family, the spend lined up with what most UK parents report: around £6,000. “We decided to invest in things that would last beyond our first child — like a convertible car seat and a durable pram. But we balanced that by cutting back in other areas, like buying bundles of second-hand clothing. It felt like a big outlay, but we told ourselves these items would serve us well for baby number two as well.”

"£15,000 - NO HOLDS BARRED"

At the top end, one family decided to go all in. “We redecorated the entire nursery, upgraded to a bigger family car, and chose premium versions of everything from the pram to the cot. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for us, and we wanted to do it properly. The total came to around £15,000 — it was a huge spend, but we don’t regret it.”

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There’s no ‘right’ amount to spend. Some parents thrive on thrift, while others find reassurance in investing heavily. But what’s clear is that the numbers vary wildly — and the only way to understand the full picture is to hear from as many parents as possible.

If you’ve had a baby in the last 18 months or are currently expecting, please take the Cubbi Survey and help us uncover the truth about what families are really spending — and you might just win a £250 voucher to spend with one of our 100+ brands.