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Health & Fitness

How to Afford Raising Kids in Hoboken, NJ

Kathy Zucker pools resources with other families to afford raising three kids in the pricey NYC area.

$78,291.

That’s how much it costs for a family of four to live in Jersey City, according to Washington DC think tank the Economic Policy Institute.

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Also? Those numbers are the “bare minimum needed to make ends meet in a given metro area.” Add in movies, eating out and transportation, and the numbers go much higher. As in, anyone earning less than six figures need not apply. Another item not included in that budget? College savings.

I was recently interviewed by CNN Money on how to afford raising a family of three in the pricey NYC area. How do we manage to feed, educate and house three kids ages 7, 5 and 1?

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Our big expenses are food and healthcare. With a larger family (in every way) and the rising cost of food, our weekly food bill – which includes eating out twice a month – has tripled from the $20 per day we spent four years ago. And the hospital bill for the birth of baby #3 was a doozy.

How do we keep costs down? Our housing costs have remained stable. We recently transferred our kids to public school, saving about $15k per year in tuition. The top two areas where we achieve big savings? Child care and activities. On average, I have 12 hours of child care each week (two days at six hours each), which works out to $180 per week for three kids ages 7, 5 and 1. Hoboken-based child care provider Learning Fun Hoboken provides a steady stream of of reliable, educated, reference-checked babysitters. The best part? I can pay by credit card and deduct the payments on my income taxes.

How do I save on activities? My kids fence, swim, play soccer, softball, gymnastics and tennis. I pool resources with two other local families to hire an instructor to give group lessons to all seven of our kids. They also participate in cooking camps at Bambino Chef and swing from the jungle gym at Wild at Play. When I see a sale on six-month playspace passes, I stock up. I also register for programs offered through the City of Hoboken – at $25 for 4-6 weeks of classes, that is the best deal on either side of the Hudson River. If your child attends school in Hoboken, they are eligible to participate, but you should register your family – which requires birthdate verification – well in advance since spots tend to fill up quickly.

When it comes to vacation time, I take my kids on day trips to museums and Coney Island and we take family naps. I also keep an eye out on Twitter for amazing low-cost activities like the Star Wars lego exhibit in Times Square that was announced only two days before it opened. At $20 per person, the kids got the flavor of a trip to Legoland at a fraction of the cost.

More – Affordable Indoor Fun Five Minutes From Hoboken

Times Square Lego Party – $20 and 20 minutes from Hoboken, NJ

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Kathy Zucker, CEO of Metro Moms Network, mother of three young children and winner of the New York Life Keep Good Going Shorty Award, writes about juggling career and family in an urban setting. Read her MomCondoLiving blog, follow her on Twitter (@KathyZucker), or friend her on Facebook.

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