Day care and pre-school are the first expenses in that ever-looming education budget. Pre-schools usually begin when the child reaches 12 to 18 months, and costs will vary depending on the program chosen. Community care, like Hong Kong's PPA, is significantly less expensive than structured schooling, like Singapore's Montessori Centre. To make sure you're getting your money's worth, Fong recommends you look into the accreditation of those running the program, and make sure the equipment available is well-kept and wide-ranging.

Other sources of child care can be harder to come by, and the costs may be exorbitant. The price of dinner out for you and your spouse could easily double when the expense of the babysitter is added on. In parts of Asia where domestic help is inexpensive, a live-in babysitter may be a wise choice--even lessening the cost of clothing, since laundry can be done on a near-daily basis. But barring that luxury, and the help of grandparents and relatives, you may wind up paying extortionate rates by the day or the hour for good child care.

KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR CHILDREN'S FARES. Once the tykes are old enough to tote, choosing where to vacation becomes another challenge. Look for discounts, and ask your travel agent about family fares and specials. Most airlines offer children's discounts of 25% to 50% off adult fares, and sub-two-year-olds who don't occupy their own seat can generally travel for one-tenth the grown-up price. Resorts and hotels will often let young children stay for free with their parents, or eat for free in affiliated restaurants.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS FORESEE THE COSTS TO COME. Be ready for unexpected expenditures: the rolls of film you'll develop to capture every goofy face they make, the outside activities with which you'll fill their time, the extras you'll buy to spoil them. "I do something with Oscar every day," Kelly says of her two-year-old. "Tumble Tots, activities around Hong Kong, this costs a lot of money." Though most cinemas provide cut-rate movie tickets for kids, and many theaters will discount children's seats by as much as half, these extra costs add up.

Murhiz is realistic about the upcoming years with his son. "There's no doubt that bringing up a child can be mentally and emotionally distressing, and financially consuming," he says about two-month-old Aiman, "but both my wife and I are looking forward to having more."

Questions for would-be parents:

• Will you and your spouse both continue to work full-time? Can you manage on a single salary if one of you does not?
• Can your home and your car fit another--though significantly smaller--body?
• Will your medical insurance policies sufficiently cover your child?
• Are there discount baby stores near you? Do you have access to second-hand clothing and furniture?
• Are there good day-care centers near your home or workplace?

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