Chasiti and Timothy Shepherd are in the final weeks of the eCO Savings Race.
The Shepherds recently brought their newest daughter Brailee home who was born two months early. They explained to CBS 42 that it has been tough bringing home a new baby while still balancing their finances.
“Just to have a baby in the NICU for seven weeks, not being at home, and just trying to balance life, it’s been a very trying situation for our family,” Chasiti said.
The Shepherds have been thrifty when buying for their baby. For instance, they found a pre-owned expensive baby swing for a fraction of the price in a Facebook trading group. They are also thankful that a friend provided a bundle of premature sized clothing for their baby girl.
“So what we are going to do is pay it forward to someone else. We’re going to give those clothes that were gifted to us back to the NICU so that another baby can reap the benefits of it,” Chasiti said.
After the birth of their daughter, Timothy was given the opportunity to work from home.
“I considered the financial benefits and I approached my management staff and thankfully they were very accommodating. [Working from home] saves on gas and that saves on clothing as far as constantly having to wash and things like that – not that I’m going to be always sitting around in my pajamas,” Timothy laughed.
eCO Takeaway Tip
The unexpected can definitely throw your finances for a loop. In the midst of hard circumstances, your goals can often shift, and your budget might need to do the same. Do not be afraid to change your budget and plan to work with your situation, and remember, if your emergency fund is in place, it’s there to help make emergencies more manageable.
Follow all the teams and learn from their financial journey at ecosavingsrace.org.
