4 Ways for New Parents to Save Money on Baby Expenses
I remember it like it was
yesterday. Our first son was coming in about three months and we
were frantically trying to get our hands on what felt like a
hundred different baby items, all while trying to not break the
bank. Bottles, cribs, diapers, oh the diapers. You name it, we
needed it.
My
wife and I did what many soon-to-be parents did, we asked friends,
checked online and talked to our parents about what we were going
to need and started writing a list. While writing said list, we
realized it was going to be pretty expensive to bring a new baby
into this world.
The good news is that through trial
and error we figured out tricks to save money on much of what you
need for a new bundle of joy. Below I will share with you what we
have come up with for keeping a little more green in the bank.
Buy baby supplies in bulk
I cannot stress
this enough when it comes to baby consumables like diapers, wipes,
baby formula, etc. Anything that you use on a regular basis and
always need to refill, buy it in bulk.
You have to
price shop on a per unit basis. For example, find
out what it costs per diaper, rather than per box. Each type of
store will carry a different box size, so you need to divide the
cost by the number of diapers in order to find out how much each
one costs. Do this for everything that are consumables and
purchased on a regular basis.
We ended up checking out
the local grocery stores, Target, Costco, and Sams Club. In our
area, diapers, wipes and formula were the cheapest at Costco. We
would go once a month and buy loads of each. It hurt on that day,
but we spent less on a monthly basis than running to the local
grocery store.
Second hand Stores and Hand Me Downs are Your
Friend
While some people enjoy finding clothes
at the Salvation Army or Goodwill, other adults stay away. The
rules are different when it comes to kid's second hand stores
because everything is practically new!
Once you see how
quick your first child goes from zero to one, you will understand
what everyone means when they say your kids grow up fast. So they
do not fit into anything for very long. My wife and I frequently
bought our son clothes at a local kid's second hand store for a
fraction of retail. We often found practically new Polo brand
button up shirts for $3, as an example.
Second hand
stores are a great place for things like Baby Bjorn's and high
chairs as well. Most anything you buy will be 50-80% less than
buying it brand new.
Facebook Marketplace and Garage Sales- Your New Past
Time
My wife and I were training for a half
marathon, and we wanted to run on the weekend together so we
started investigating running strollers. Anyone who has looked into
those knows they can run you a pretty penny.
We tried
the second hand stores, but they said those are always gone in
about 10 minutes. We tried looking at less expensiveones at Target,
but they didn't seem very good. Finally, we started poking around
on Faceb.
ook Marketplace B.O.B. Ironman Jogging Stroller -
$75
It was practically brand new! This is a $500
stroller and you couldn't tell the difference between it and one
that just came out of the box. The best part is, we could sell it
for the same price we bought it for when we are done with it.
Craigslist is great for bigger items you cannot find at
second hand stores, or for those fancier brands that you have your
heart set on. Pottery Barn cribs can run you $1000, but you can
find them on CL for around $250.
Do Not Be
Afraid To Take Stuff Back
We ended up with
what seemed like a closet full of clothes as gifts at the baby
shower. The problem was that 80% of it was for 0-3 month olds. Our
son literally could have worn a new outfit every day the first 2
months of his life. We figured that the 0-3 months are so small,
and everyone thought it was the cutest stuff.
We ended
up with hundreds of dollars in gift cards to a handful of stores
like Target that we held onto until our son was older. Then we
could go outfit his wardrobe again with new stuff.
Pro
Tip: Keep the tags on until they actually wear it. You will be
surprised how many things get stuck in the closet and not found
again until they have already outgrown it.
More ideas for Saving Money
7 Proven Ways to Save on Your Family's Groceries
SAVE Money on Fall Clothes
Low Cost Family Fun Activities
Hold a Back to School Garage Sale