When you find out you’re expecting a baby many emotions are felt, possibly the fear of affording a new baby is one of them. Many people have visions of grandeur when thinking about what the infant stage will look like. It is possible though, to have a baby and stay on a minimal budget! Here are five tips for saving when welcoming baby.
Hand-Me-Down Clothes
You can find this to be helpful with maternity clothing. Brand new maternity clothing can be very pricey. A great option is to check out local buy/sell pages or MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups to see who is selling their maternity wardrobe. When they are done having children, many moms will even give their collection away to a mom in need of clothing. This could save you hundreds of dollars!
Continue these great options when looking for your baby’s attire. Newborn babies flourish from having lots of skin to skin time with mommy and daddy. You could save some cash on newborn clothes if you’re planning to optimize that time together. In addition to the above suggestions, you can also buy new clothing on 80% plus sales at department stores. Many of them sell off season clothing very discounted, even cheaper than used!
Cloth Diapering
This option seems scary to many parent’s, but it can save you lots of money in the average two to three years you will diaper one child. You can also continue to use these diapers with other babies. Some brands can be designer and very expensive. A very cheap option is to do pre-fold diapers with covers for leak protection. This option requires only a few of the waterproof covers, the most expensive portion of the diaper, and twenty pre-fold cloth diapers.
A mid-level price option is do one size diapers. This option will grow with your baby. One size diapers will fit most children from birth to potty training. They also have larger one size diapers available for children beyond thirty-five pounds. There are lots of cute patterns and seasonal selections you can choose from. Many parents choose to cloth diapers to also help diminish their waste footprint on the earth.
Minimal Equipment
Many parents are tempted to buy all the neat things they find at the store for their baby. However, many seasoned parents will tell you, you don’t need most of what you see. Take advice from those friends and start out with the least amount of equipment you need.
This might include a bassinet, diapers, wipes, clothes, and food. Think, what is necessary for sustaining a little life? Don’t worry, you can always buy other items when you realize it would be nice to have. It will keep you from having to sell all the new items you never used. Again, look on buy/sell pages and secondhand stores to find used items that will still be in good conditions.
Breastfeeding
This option doesn’t pan out for every mom, but this option is a money saving option! Formula is very expensive and if your baby cannot consume dairy or has other sensitivities, the cost goes up. Breastfeeding is helpful for mother and baby and gives the baby many essential nutrients. Even if you must supplement, breastfeeding still lowers the cost and gives your baby your nutrients. If you’re struggling to nurse or are worried about not being successful at breastfeeding, reach out to a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for tips and support through your breastfeeding journey.
Homemade Baby Food
Last but certainly not least, making your baby food will save you loads of cash when feeding your older infant and beyond. In addition to saving you money, homemade food will be void of any additional ingredients and will certainly be fresher.
You will only NEED equipment you most likely already have such as: pots, blender, and storage containers. While you can spend extra on the fancy refillable pouches and baby food containers, you don’t HAVE to. Use what you have and again, buy something if you feel it is needed later.
With these five tips in mind, I hope you look forward to your new addition knowing it doesn’t have to break the bank to prepare, and you can save that extra cash for emergencies or extras you find you want later down the road.
What have you found to be helpful when preparing for baby while on a budget?
Amazing and very useful blog. I will share this blog with my cousin sister she will expecting a baby soon,
wow i wish i know this before i had my first baby
Some great tips there. We are expecting in December so I will be sharing this blog with my partner as well as she would also benefit from knowing these money saving tips!
hi, great post it helps me alot.i am newly married and hope it help me in my future. Thanks a lot.
Cloth diapers are really great and can save a lot of money. Tried and tested for me. But the down side is that you have to do the effort of washing cloth diapers. But it really helps if you are on a budget.
My brother’s wife just had thier baby yesterday this is really good blog so i could foward this link to them. thank you so much!
Congratulations on your new nephew or niece.
Amazing article. I just had my first baby 6 weeks ago and the shock at how much it cost to raise a baby made me realize what regular parents go through. I found some tips here very useful. Thank you.
Great article. These tips are definetly going to save many women’s money like me.