Managing the family budget

Having children is an expensive business. By the time you have bought the pram, cot, car seat, babygrows and nappies, you will start to get an idea of just how expensive!

If you decide to go back to work you will need to budget for childcare, and if you give up work you will have to find a way of living on much less. The Women's Unit at the Cabinet Office has estimated that the cost of lost lifetime earnings for a mother of two can be anywhere from £19,000 for a high-skilled woman, who is more likely to return to work, to £334,000 for a low-skilled woman, who is more likely to stay at home and look after her children.

Here are some tips on how to manage the family budget.

• Cutting the cost of your mortgage
• Making credit cards work for you
• Getting the best deal on insurance
• Saving money on shopping
• Changing your utility provider