Facing an unexpected pregnancy during college can feel overwhelming, both emotionally and financially. How do you afford a baby in college, especially when your pregnancy is unexpected? How do you juggle the costs of textbooks, tuition, and dorms with the costs of prenatal care, maternity clothes, and diapers? What do you do if you’re pregnant and simply can’t provide for a child? Let’s look at some of your financial options when going through an unplanned pregnancy on a budget. While it may seem daunting, there are resources and strategies that can help.
Start where you are! Get a clear picture of your current finances. How much do you have saved? What is your monthly income? What are your regular expenses? Do you have any debt? These are all questions you could easily answer when putting together a budget. If you don’t have a budget already - don’t worry, it’s simpler to make one than you think. If you’re new to budgeting, consider downloading our free budget template for expectant students to get started. To get started, follow these steps:
Factor in an unplanned pregnancy with a pregnancy budget. Next, factor pregnancy into your budget. It might be intimidating, but this is an important next step! Breaking pregnancy costs down into categories can help make this process more manageable, and help you feel more in control. Here are a few categories to consider when forecasting pregnancy costs:
Consider whether to ask parents or family for financial support. Your parents might be much more accepting and encouraging in this difficult time than you would expect. After all, they love you and want what’s best for you. On the other hand, you may not have parents you feel comfortable being this vulnerable with. It takes a leap of faith to ask your parents for financial help when you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy. You might not want to face their judgement or anger. That’s alright, you still have options. If you’re not sure whether to ask your parents for help or not, here are a few situations where asking your parents for help might not be the best first step to financial security:
Get help from charitable and government organizations. There are many charitable organizations that will help pregnant students take care of themselves, their babies, and their educational goals. The Avi Project helps students afford medical care, tuition, and housing. Food, clothing, care packages, and other material resources are available as well. Financial assistance is a key part of our proven program designed just for expectant college students. Call or text 720-386-6009 to learn more (it’s confidential and commitment-free). For a detailed list of government programs, scholarships, and other financial aid opportunities, check out our other blog post on Scholarships, Tuition Assistance & Financial Aid for Pregnant Students. Live frugally and stretch your dollar. There’s a lot of great advice out there about how to live frugally and make the most of every dollar, but here are a few tips to get you started:
It can take time to adopt a frugal mindset and build new habits, so focus on making one new lifestyle change each week if it feels overwhelming. Celebrate small wins along the way. Even small changes can have a big impact on your savings, and every adjustment is a step in the right direction. While you work through this process, don’t be scared to ask for help! Financial support may be top of mind, but emotional support can be just as valuable when navigating a challenge like this. We are available 24/7 to talk through your situation, identify your options, and help you make a plan (720-386-6009). No matter what your support system looks like, you shouldn’t have to go through this alone.
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