Your little bundle can cost you Big! Just clipping coupons is not the only thing you can do to save. There's more you can do—try these smart money-saving tips for baby shopping.
Having children comes with increased financial pressure. Your newborn's first year can cost you between 7000 to 14600 dollars depending on your spending habits and overall child caring means. From making your baby food to buy used toys and furniture, here's how to avoid blowing your budget.
How to Save Money on Baby Stuff
There are numerous ways you can cut back on money you're dishing out that will compensate in the long run. Try these budgeting-tips for baby shopping and become money-saving parents.
1. Nurse, instead of formula
The formula is expensive, and it costs about 1700$ for the first year, while practically breastfeeding is free. You can save up to some good dollars if you breastfeed your newborn for about two years. Apart from saving, breastfeeding is also good for your baby's health.
2. Make your own baby food
One of the choicest ways to save money on baby products is to make their food at home. Use a blender and puree all kind of food your baby can eat. Like sweet potatoes, bananas, apples, or some oatmeal. Making your baby food is about 1/3 of the cost of buying. It's a huge money-saver and healthier, too.
3. Use subscription programs
Amazon family and baby subscription program at Target are some ideal options to save money on baby shopping. With the Amazon family, you can save 20% on all kids' items every month. While at Target, you can get 15% off on diapers and wipes every time you purchase with baby subscription program. They also offer a price match; if you show the lowest price of the diaper at Amazon, they can give you the refund of the added cost.
4. Buy educational toys that promote physical activity and learning simultaneously
When your kids are at their growing stage, buy those toys that enhance their creativity, and adds in learning. Kids' experts say that the first three years are ideal for learning. At this time, give your kids play essentials that are both entertaining and enhance creativity. Buying toys that do double duty is what smart parents do. You can buy these play essentials from Lovevery and use Lovevery Coupon for extra savings.
5. Buy in bulk
Prefer to buy the items you use daily in bulk instead of buying them after every week. You are going to use them daily and buying them in bulk is a great option. In this way, you can save up many dollars instead of buying in chunks.
6. Shop double-duty furniture
One question that always pops up in the mind when you become parents is how to save money when having a baby? You can! All you need are some good money-saving strategies. Buy baby gears that multi-task. A changing table that can work as a dresser, a high chair that can convert into a booster seat or a crib that becomes a toddler bed and serves as a headboard for a big kid bed later will save money and space.
7. Don't buy baby clothes too early
Babies have a growth spurt and soon outgrow the new clothes. Maybe that winter coat you buy won't fit your child when the cold weather strikes. Stick to in-season purchases and get the most bang for your bucks. Keep yourself off from buying clothes in newborn sizes instead purchase in sizes 9-12 months and beyond. You will get a lot of gifts for a newborn, and as time passes and the little one grows; you'll be glad that you already stocked up on larger size clothing.
8. Keep a baby-care bag in your car to avoid buying things on the go
Stash a few diapers, ointments, extra outfits, and some snacks in the bag. So the next time you forget your diaper bag, you will be fully prepared. If your kiddo has a diaper blowout on the go, and you've run out your diaper bag, you won't have to do a costly pit stop.
9. Ask your pediatrician for product samples
With this money-saving tip, you can save on pricey items like formula, creams, or ointments. When you visit for your newborn's regular checkup ask for product samples.
10. Check the local library for free classes and games
Skip expensive enrolment fees elsewhere by asking for free classes in your locality. Many local brands offer free story session, mom-and-baby classes or give toys to entertain your little one. From storytime classes to books for new moms, there are a ton of inexpensive activities at the library. You may even get discounted or free passes to a nearby zoo or museum.
11. Look for sales in your area
By downloading favado app on your phone, you can be aware of any sale goes up in baby products. If you do online shopping, you can add chrome extensions called Price Blink to know when a certain baby product or diapers you want to buy goes on sale. In that way, you will buy them at the lowest prices. If you have favorite retailers, pay attention to their Black Friday, Christmas and other seasonal sales cycles.
12. Think like a minimalist
Do you really need that crib, DockATot or baby lounges? Think about buying one good thing instead of many. Compare, the prices, read the reviews and then go for the one best thing. If you don't like those items, replace it with a new one. But before making any purchases, think like a mom of multiples. Ask yourself, do I really need this item for my baby? Is there a better option than this?
13. Search for cheaper alternatives for a larger baby purchases
Instead of setting an entire nursery and spending dollars on a crib, buy a pack of play and combo of a crib and a changing play mats. Consider the cheaper alternatives. Find a baby carrier that does multiple tasks such as a front carrier, back carrier, and portable chair harness infant seat. If you can find a 3-in-1 car seat, you can save some decent money, and time researching for one baby gear instead of three.
14. Look for the health insurance
New moms can get a lot of free things with health insurance. Like a free postpartum support system or electric breast pump or many other things. Also, register your kid to your health insurance policy to enjoy some added perks.
15. Keep your change
This is one of my favorite tips to save money on a baby. Have a jar in your home and whenever you get a change from anything you buy, keep them in the jar and then deposit all the change in the bank account for your child. It will help you save many dollars for your kid's future. It's not a big deal to set aside 30 to 40 cents at a time; it will really add up a good investment in the future.
16. Ask about sibling discounts
Inquiring about sibling discounts can save you big! Many time, daycares will not be open to these savings, but they will surely honor them if you ask. Another thing to consider while saving money for the baby is reasonable negotiations. Many daycares are open to discussion on tuition costs only if you aren't afraid to ask. You may save a decent amount on hefty daycare fees.
17. Keep the things for the second baby inline
If you plan to have more than one kid close in age, then keep the toys, and furniture for the second down the road. You won't have to purchase it again. Toy rotation is also a good option to consider. If you rotate toys once every couple of months, everything seems new to your kids, and it works for a surprisingly extended time.
18. Buy unisex
If you are planning for the second child, buying gender-neutral clothing is a great option. And the hottest color combo for this is Gray and yellow. Also make sure that when someone gives you perfectly good hand-me-downs, receive it with open arms. There is nothing wrong with boys in pink and girls in blue.
19. Join parenting groups
The best way to find discounted baby items is to join local moms' groups or social media groups for moms. It creates a straight line to other parents who can offer up everything from used clothes and unused diapers to books. Chances are you could find them at rock-bottom prices or completely free. You can also sell your kiddo's stuff there.
20. Shop second hand
One of the greatest money-saving hacks for baby shopping is to buy second hand as much as you can. You can buy a nearly-new play gym from your local charity shop for $10 rather than buying the same one at $61 from big stores. Buy a pram on eBay for a third of the retail price or gain other excellent secondhand bargains on Gumtree, Consignment stores, garage sales, or Craigslist.
21. Re-sell anything you don't need
If you are going to remember only one money-saving tip for baby shopping from this post, let it be this one. If you are buying baby gear, hang on to the boxes and don't take the labels off new clothes until you use them. You will notice that many tiny outfits don't get worn as your little one age and you can get a good price when you sell them.
22. Utilize Your Network
Look around your friends and family with young kids. They may have gear, toys, and clothes stored away in the basement. Ask around who have got the items you need with the will to return them when your baby is done with them. You may also offer them to pay a bit for the things you borrow. You're likely to get them free from kindhearted friends and relatives who know the price of raising little ones.
23. Hit Thrift Stores
Hitting Thrift stores is by far one of the most useful budget-friendly tips for baby shopping. Thrift stores are ideal for finding secondhand clothing at low costs. Chances are you may find some gems there for a fraction of the price. Best stuff can always be found in stores near higher-income areas. Be picky about the shops you frequently visit. Many thrift stores also buy back the items when your kiddo has outgrown.
24. Become a Yard Sale Rock Star
Put in some legwork if you have time and energy to save on baby shopping. You can find all the stuff you need for your kiddo at the local yard sales. Scout out, and you will probably find clothes, toys, or bigger-ticket items such as strollers at astonishingly lower rates than you will get at consignment shops.
25. Use Cloth Wipes
Be a financially savvy mommy by cutting up old T-shirts or hand towels to make reusable wipes instead of buying them. But make sure that it is free of germs for your little one. Before washing, spritz some cleansing solution on a wipe, rinse and toss in a wet bag. In this way you can save some bucks you spend every week on wipes.
26. Join reward clubs of your favorite brand
You can also join diapers reward clubs of your preferred brands, every time you buy diapers and wipes, scan in the code, and collect points which lead you to free boxes of diapers and wipes. Saving on diapers can give you massive price cuts on your family budget, and it is one of the smart ways to save on baby stuff.
27. Use Discount Apps
It is an era of mobile users and keeping in mind the increasing use of smartphones; many retailers have introduced their shopping apps. You can use these apps to save more on your baby shopping. Use apps like Target's Cartwheel, Ibotta and Walmart's Savings Catcher to get good bargains when you purchase featured items.
Takeaway
It is no doubt that your little bundle of joy can cost you a lot of money, especially in the beginning. But with these smart money-saving tips on baby shopping, you can save some serious cash. You will be amazed to see when your infants turn into toddlers and then start walking and going to school. The expenses will increase over time, but if you spend wisely, you can turn into a money-saving parent.
What items did you buy or swap with your friends? Did you purchase anything that you didn't use at all? Share your tips for saving on baby shopping with us.
Did you like these tips? Its time to pin it!