Saving Money on Baby Expenses

Having a baby can be an overwhelming experience, especially when you go into Babies R Us and are bombarded by all the millions of baby items they carry. The first time I went in our local store, I almost had a panic attack. There’s no way we can afford all of these things that we supposedly need for a baby! Thankfully, after I left the store I sat down and thought about what a baby will actually need according to my standards. I don’t want to have 50 baby things, or a million plastic made in China toys for my kid. We sway to the side of minimalism, and while I know I won’t be able to limit everything that makes its way into my house, I can do my best to make sure I have things I need and use for the baby. Here are some of the ways we’re going to save money on baby expenses:

-Breastfeed. I’m going to do my best to breastfeed, and I plan on doing everything in my power to make it to at least a year. Breastfeeding is so much better for the baby, natural, and will save us tons of money versus buying formula. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

-Cloth diapering. We received a pack of newborn disposable diapers for our shower, and after those are gone, I plan on starting to cloth diaper.

-Not buying a bunch of crap. My co workers keep telling me that I need to register for more stuff; that I’ll regret not having the swing and the bouncer and whatever other gadgets they think I need. We’re trying to get items that do double duty; for instance we received a swing that is full size and travel size and I think that will work just fine instead of having a bouncer too.

-Buying second hand clothes. My mother went nuts over the past 7 months, purchasing baby clothes and burp cloths and basically any other item she thought I would need. This has saved us a ton of money already! The baby has a gender neutral wardrobe with items ranging from newborn to 1 year already. I’m sure we’ll have to buy more clothes, but I know we’ll be able to get them second hand.

-Remembering the store will still be there. It’s hard for me when I think I don’t have enough things ready for the baby, but I think we’ve got the essentials so far. Plus, the store is going to be there after the baby is born! If we need extra burp cloths or receiving blankets, we can always make a trip to the store. I’d rather do that than have things on hand that we don’t use and then we’ve wasted money on.

I’m trying to relax and realize that babies don’t need much other than a warm place to sleep, food, and diapers. Really, when you think about it- that’s it! That makes me feel better and more confident that we’ll be able to raise our child with respect to our budget and the planet.