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Having a baby does not have to be overly expensive, save money on baby stuff with these tips!
Having a baby is such an exciting time in your life. The blankets, the teddy bears, the baby snuggles, and the soft baby skin are all amazing parts of motherhood! Beyond all of those great things about having a baby, the financial impact it can have on a new mom can be scary. Having a baby does not always need to be overly expensive. Learn how to save money on baby stuff with these 20 tips!
20 Ways to Save Money on Baby Stuff
Get smart about buying diapers
Diapers are one of those financial burdens we just cannot escape as moms. I have been buying diapers for 3 years now and finally just potty trained my almost 3-year-old son! If you are interested in saving on diapers for your toddler you can see How I Potty Trained My Toddler in 3 Days! I had two kids in diapers for 9 months and I needed to get smart about buying diapers. Learn my diaper buying mistakes and learn how to save more money on buying diapers!
Shop online—but not for everything
Shopping online is the new way of life. As busy moms, shopping online make life so much easier! There are often online-only sales on items such as clothing, diapers, and baby food! With that said, there are also in-store-only deals that may mean taking a trip to get the deal! Sometimes, prices are a lot better in-store than they are online. With the pandemic, online costs can sometimes be a lot higher so be sure to do just research before just buying online.
Make your own baby food
Making your own baby food can save you a lot of money. For me, I figured out that I can Save $600 a year just by making my own baby food! I can show you how to do that over at How I Save Over $600 On Baby Food A Year.
Take advantage of rewards programs
You can start taking advantage of rewards programs when you are pregnant by putting together your baby registry with companies that reward new moms! These stores include Target, Amazon, Walmart, and Babylist! You get a Welcome Gift and a completion reward, usually a really good coupon on the remaining items.
Other reward programs for baby items include Pampers Rewards. This has saved me SO MUCH MONEY! I scan every single pack of Pampers diapers into my app. It turns your diaper codes into coupons! You can also redeem your points and Pampers dollars as gift cards. When I reached $30 in rewards, I got $30 to Target. With those gift cards, I was able to get diapers, wipes, or formula for FREE basically! There is also a Huggies reward program, so be sure to look into that app if you are a Huggies mama!
There are reward programs and free gifts for Enfamil and Similac! Both will send free gifts and coupons to your home.
Another freebie that new moms get is a Free Breast Pump through insurance. Head over to Aeroflow Breast Pumps and input your insurance information. I have received a free breast pump with each pregnancy. I have tried both Medela and Spectra and both have been amazing!
Call your insurance company today
As I just mentioned, you can get a free breast pump through Aeroflow Breast Pumps. They work with your insurance company to get you a free pump as well as discounted accessories.
Consider borrowing
I have no problem borrowing baby supplies from people I know (and people I don’t). This has saved my family so much money. I have bags of hand-me-downs from a cousin. We have been given baby walkers and seats which has saved us hundreds of dollars over the last three years. Always take an offer for a borrowed or given baby item. If you choose not to use it, then that is okay but you never know what you might need from month to month.
Use an FSA or HSA
FSA and HSA are accepted for many baby items. When I was breastfeeding (pumping exclusively) my son, I needed new flanges and other breast-pumping accessories. I was able to use my HSA account to purchase through Amazon or whichever online store I was using. I was even able to use my HSA account to buy the Elvie Breast Pump!
The Elvie Breast Pump is a chargable portable breast pump that you can discreetly pump wherever you are!
Read more about my pumping journey at Why I Chose To Formula Feed My Second Child.
Shop Second-Hand in Consignment Stores
Head over to Goodwill to find discounted clothes. A lot of their items are in such good shape for little money. This can save you hundreds over the years by using second-hand baby items.
Opt for convertible gear
For my firstborn, we had an infant car seat that clicked right into our stroller. It also came with a toddler seat. This one stroller grew with him for (almost) 3 years. It would actually still work for us, but we needed a double stroller when we had our second child.
Another convertible baby item that you should look into is a car seat. I highly recommend a convertible car set and the Evolve Gold Revolve360 Rotating Convertible car seat. Head to my detailed review on this car seat and check out other options to find the best car seat for you!
Cribs are also another baby item that can last for 18 years if you get the right one. Both of our children have 4-in-one cribs. They go from infant cribs to toddler rail beds, to daybeds, to full-sized beds. This one crib for less than $300 can last my children 18 years until they choose to get a larger bed.
Look for Yard or Garage Sales
There are many benefits to going to yard sales. A lot of people will put baby stuff out for very cheap because they need to get rid of it. Baby items tend to accumulate quickly and take up a lot of space. Always remember to check out Facebook Marketplace also! We got our outdoor playhouse and a Step2 jungle gym for very cheap from Facebook Marketplace.
Shop for baby stuff on Black Friday
Black Friday is good for many reasons, but always check out the baby deals on that day. Don’t forget Cyber Monday! There may be even bigger deals if you wait two more days!
Ask for hand-me-downs from Friends and Family
I already touched on this a little but never turn down hand-me-downs. Also save your first child’s clothing, toys, sheets, towels, etc. I had a son first and saved his clothes, toys, sheets, and towels. Even though I had a daughter next, a lot of his onesies and neutral clothes works just fine for my daughter. We use sheets, towels, and all of my son’s toys for my daughter. We also saved all of her clothes as she grows because we may have a third child down the road that we can use it all for.
I actually received a ton of clothes from another mom I knew. These clothes were from her first child. She had not had another child yet and I think she may regret giving me everything she did! She may need clothes again one day!
Ask friends & family for the essentials
If you are having a baby shower, this is where you can get all of your essential baby items! At my baby shower, I received my baby tub, towels, sheets, bottles, stroller, car seat, baby carriers/wrap, and baby monitor. So much more than that was gifted at my showers but the essentials for welcoming a new baby were just gifted to me. I felt so lucky as it saved me thousands. If you are pregnant with your second child and you do not need a lot, just let people know all you need are diapers and wipes when they ask you what you need or want.
Ask your pediatrician for samples
Your pediatrician usually will have samples of formula or diapers if you need them. We are all going through this formula shortage right now. Make sure you reach out to your pediatrician if you are struggling to find supplies.
Cash in on items you don’t need
Sell items you do not need or return baby items you do not need. One thing you may not know is if you do not use a box of diapers because your baby grew out of that size, you can return it to the store for cash back or store credit (without a receipt) and get the next size up.
After your shower, if you find you have doubles of things, just return them for cash back or store credit! Many baby registries make it easy to return items!
Register for Gifts Everywhere
Registering for baby items even if you are not having a shower or if this is your second baby can help organize your needs and save you money. You can get those items discounted. Check out Best Baby Items for Sleep for a Newborn Baby to check out the best baby registries! Using Babylist to register for a baby allows you to see which store has the best price for each item.
Join the Amazon family
Oh, how I love me some Amazon! Amazon oftentimes has coupons for clip-on items. All I do is search baby items +coupon and the items with current coupons come up.
If you are someone who buys in bulk, join Subscribe and Save. You can receive 5-15% off as well as clip coupons that are available. Learn other ways to save with Amazon here.
Buy baby gear that lasts a lifetime
Sometimes it’s worth spending the extra money on higher-quality products. As I mentioned earlier, buying baby products that are convertible such as car seats, cribs, walkers, or jumpers, can save you money in the long run. I also highly recommend saving everything you have for future children until you are sure you are no longer having babies.
Take baby out for free activities
If you are like me you have been dreaming of the day that you could take your baby out on ‘adventures’ (as my son likes to call them). There are so many things to do with your baby, but they don’t have to cost money!
- Take baby on a walk
- Go to the local library
- Walk the boardwalk
- Go to your nearest park
- Head to the playground
- Sit in the backyard on a blanket
- Go on a picnic
- Walk the sidewalks along a shopping strip
- Start a playgroup
- Hang out with friends or other moms
- Just go on a drive
These are all things that you can most definitely do with your baby to get out of the house. The best part is, they are free!
Go the reusable route
Save the planet and save some money! I am not a tree hugger but anything to save money and have less waste is something we strive to do in our family. Going the reusable route is the best way to save money as your baby grows!
In our family, we use these plastic reusable food containers with an attached lid for baby food and veggies that go in the freezer.
As your baby grows, they may want to try food from a pouch. Those plastic throw-away pouches that have applesauce, yogurt, and baby food can be so costly! Try using a reusable baby food pouch to save money and be a little more eco-friendly.
Conclusion
I hope you found these 20 ways to save money on baby things helpful! Having a baby can be very costly if you aren’t careful. Help budget your family’s income and spending with this tracker here.