The rising cost of everything from fuel to a loaf of bread has hit our family pretty hard. We're still doing OK, but we've had to make some adjustments due to the high costs of everyday items. A gallon of milk costs nearly $4 and our 14-month-old son downs two gallons a week. We recently found out we're expecting our fourth child -- who is due in October :) -- and we're already planning and trying to save for the costs associated with a new baby.
Things are so much different now that we're making our own money and we finally got off public assistance. I appreciated any help we received over the years, and even though we get in a money crunch every now and then, nothing beats the fact that we're providing for our family and we're doing it on our own.
Besides saving for things like a car seat and a crib and stockpiling diapers ($10.50 for 40 diapers/two times a week!), we're also shopping for a new car. We've been comfortable in our five-seat Honda Accord for a year and a half now, but now that we're about to become a family of six we're going to have to upgrade to a midsize SUV to accomodate our growing family. And I've even mentioned the idea of a (gasp!) minivan, but Jake adamantly refuses. He's said a minivan screams 'soccer mom' and even though some are made stylish and sleek nowadays, he can't get comfortable with the idea.
Another exciting (?) thing to look forward to are the tax rebates we'll be receiving in May as part of the federal economic stimulus package. What a great opportunity to save for the baby and take our current three little ones on a mini-vacation before the baby arrives. I'm still undecided on whether the rebates will help the economy, since most people will buy plasma tv's (foreign-made), go on vacations by flying or driving cross-country (adding to the foreign oil fortune by using all that fuel) or pay debts or bills instead of going out and blowing the money the way the government would like us to. However it turns out, I'm looking forward to a few days in the sun, somewhere AWAY from Oklahoma's rains, unpredictable weather and flooding.