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  • Debt-free before your due date

    Clearing debt before baby

    There’s no better motivator than a baby on the way to get a financial fresh start. If you have credit card debt hanging over your head, make the moves, right now, to be debt-free before your due date.

  • Budgeting for baby

    Budgeting for baby- prepare and plan your finances

    Worried about how you’re going to afford a baby? If you’ve found yourself with a nine-month deadline to get your finances in order, here’s how to budget and plan for the new arrival.

  • Can you afford to stay at home?

    How much time can you take off from work?

    New mums are faced with one of the most difficult dilemmas during the most stressful times of their lives: do you stay at home to look after your child, or go back to work? And can you afford not to?

  • Baby Equipment – What do you really need?

    Baby equipment small

    Expecting a baby and gone into nesting mode? Not so fast – before you start stocking up on ‘must-haves’ for the nursery, consider what you’ll really need and what might just end up on eBay.

  • The pain-free family budget - and how to stick to it!

    family budget

    We all know we need one, but if you dread having to live by a budget, forget the idea that it’s all about what you can’t have. It’s a way of planning what you can have. Stick to some rules, give yourself space and you’ll see family finances aren’t that hard to handle.

  • Survive school holidays on a budget

    Surive school holidays

    Keeping the kids amused throughout school holidays is no mean feat – and it can clean out your wallet, too. But entertaining your children doesn’t have to be about forking out for endless tickets – the beach or a day at the park are always foolproof options, but with a little planning and some new ideas, you can avoid the dreaded ‘Mum… I’m bored’.

  • 5 Steps to a debt-free family holiday

    family holiday small

    Nothing kills a holiday glow like a holiday debt. And it’s not just the travel costs and accommodation that can be the culprit – eating every meal out, entry tickets to see the sights and souvenirs for the kids all take a chunk. Here’s how to keep that holiday buzz and avoid the blowout.

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Fun with vegies

As any parent knows, getting kids to eat their vegies can be a real battle of wills. But by injecting some fun into the vegetable experience, you might just get your little ones munching on their greens after all.

Morning sickness: the basics

Research indicates that up to 80 per cent of pregnant women get morning sickness in pregnancy. You might feel sick and vomit - and get a few other not-so-fun side effects of pregnancy, too. The good news is there are ways to help ease the nausea.

Win one of five $200 Endota Spa vouchers

We have five $200 Endota Spa vouchers to give away ... go on, you know you deserve a treat!

Jessica Marais gives birth to a baby girl

Jessica Marais and James Stewart have become parents with the birth of their first daughter.

Eat, play, love: Bali with littlies

A seasoned traveller, Sheriden Rhodes shares her knowledge of the best places to stay with kids of all ages in Bali.

Grand prize valued at $5000 to be won!

Tell us what it means to be a mum for your chance to win a grand prize valued at $5000, courtesy of Virgin Money.

BABYOLOGY RECOMMENDS

Babyology looks at the Bugaboo Neon

Perfect for fun-loving parents and their babies, the Cameleon Neon is a boldly accented pram with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of the ever-stylish Bugaboo.

How to prepare for an unexpected birth

Perhaps you’re at home and haven’t had contractions for very long, or you’re in the car on the way to the hospital; whatever the case, you're going to be giving birth then and there. Learn what to do if you find yourself in this unusual situation.

Free Neil Perry cookbook

Indulge the family with Neil Perry’s favourite breakfast recipes! The Sun-Herald and essentialkids.com.au are giving away Neil Perry’s The Food I Love: Breakfast for FREE from the iBookstore.

Dad-to-be: Bonding with baby

So you've been told you're going to be a dad. You might think there's nothing you can do just yet, but it's never too early to start bonding with your baby.

Essential Baby Directory

The Essential Baby Directory has all your needs covered, from birth photographers to baby and maternity clothes, and child care to kids' parties.

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‘Keep up the Pamper’ Hamper from Ozsale.com.au

Keep mum or yourself pampered all year round – not just Mother’s Day! Enter now to win!

Win one of five $200 Endota Spa vouchers

We have five $200 Endota Spa vouchers to give away ... go on, you know you deserve a treat!

Win a Goal and Reward Chart Pack for kids!

We are giving you the chance to win one of three Goal and Reward Chart Packs from Elfie Love.

Grand prize valued at $5000 to be won!

Tell us what it means to be a mum for your chance to win a grand prize valued at $5000, courtesy of Virgin Money.

Ripe Maternity OFFER

Ripe Maternity would like to offer our Essential Baby readers a $10 gift voucher + FREE shipping.

MIDA: boys clothing OFFER

MIDA is a boys’ fashion brand catering for 1-6 year old boys, and is offering EB members a FREE hat when you spend $50 or more!

EssentialBaby Offer Photographers Nappies Kids' clothes Search now!

SPECIAL OFFER from My Baby Bundle

My Baby Bundle is an on-line store where you can find everything you need for your little bundle and more!

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