Whether you’re a first-time parent or a seasoned veteran, with every baby comes a new challenge, particularly when you’re preparing for baby and newborn essentials on a budget.
When I was pregnant with my first child, a wise woman who knew my family’s tight financial situation told me that God always provides for new babies. Now pregnant with my third, due in September, I’ve experienced that truth, and have also learned a handful of thrifty tips for saving money on newborn essentials that absolutely anyone can implement![Tweet “Save BIG on newborn gear. Click to find out how!”]
Make a baby shower gift registry and flaunt it like mad!
My husband and I never made registries with either of our first children, but with this pregnancy we did.
We played a little game with each person who asked the gender of the baby, telling them that if they checked our registry (as we handed them the store’s registry card) they’d find out! If the store where you register has registry cards- essentially business cards that say you’re registered with them, then by all means pass them out to friends and family.
Bonus tip: If you wind up with baby shower gifts that you’ll never use, return the items ASAP using the gift receipt to purchase something that you do need.
Borrow, borrow, BORROW!
If you’ve got friends with toddlers, ask to borrow their infant supplies. You’d be amazed at how happy moms are to lend cribs, playpens, carseats, and even breast pumps if only you ask. I have personally borrowed each one of these items without ever having to ask- that’s how excited many parents are to pass on their outgrown baby gear.
Don’t be shy! Keep handy your baby registry checklist and let people know what you’re missing. You’ll be amazed to see the baby gear flood in. I wish this worked with my birthday wishlist too, but it seems that babies hold a dear spot in most peoples’ hearts. Guess I’ll have to keep saving for that new camera 😉
Search Craigslist
Many families are all too eager to rid their homes of baby gear, especially during the “spring cleaning” time of year and when seasons change. Check your newborn checklist with locally available baby items on Craigslist before you buy any larger baby items brand new.
Swap
Depending on the ages of your other children (if you have any) and your friends’ children you may be able to swap your kids clothing for someone else’s recently outgrown baby items.
Choose to be a minimalist
There’s no need to overspend on excess baby gear. You’ll only have it around for a year or so anyway. Just say “no” to impulse buys and items that aren’t necessary. Here’s a great starting place for learning which baby items are really necessary.
Buy online
Many big retailers selling top-quality baby gear partner with companies like Giving Assistant offering you cash back when you sign up and make purchases through your favorite websites. You can even use this service when purchasing through Amazon, where I constantly update my own baby registry and for group discount sites like Groupon. It’s simple to join. Why pay full-price when you could get a discount and have your baby essentials dropped off right at your doorstop?
Maintain it
Take good care of your baby’s items so they’ll be in great condition. That way you can use them for your next child or donate them to someone else later on down the road. Wash your cloth diapers with only the best-suited detergents, launder carseat covers per manufacturer’s instructions, and keep your stroller indoors and out of the rain to reduce wear and tear and mold.
Cloth Diaper
Using cloth diapers saves mega-bucks over the long haul. Most babies wear diapers until they’re at least two years old, unless they learn to potty train early. That’s a BUNCH of diapers and your hard-earned cash going straight to the dumpster each week.
Though it might seem like a big initial investment, cloth diapers have saved my family hundreds of dollars, especially since I know how to get free cloth diapers and purchased most of mine secondhand.
Bonus tip: Cotton Babies offers diaper grants for missionary families, so if that’s you, be sure to apply!
Hit “Preppy” Garage Sales
Check your newspaper for garage sale listings in the affluent part of your hometown. You’d be amazed at what deals you can find on new and used baby gear. People in the “nicer” part of town generally enjoy purchasing more than the bare essentials for their dear darling baby, so oftentimes you can pick up hard-to-find items at rock-bottom prices.
Hope these helpful tips for saving money on newborn items helps you keep your family’s finances manageable when baby arrives. If you have any more helpful tips for saving money on baby items, please share them below in the comments and be sure to follow me on Twitter to keep up with the latest tips on frugal living!
This post was compensated but all opinions are my own.
and coupons for baby stuff help too 😀
Coupons! Why didn’t I think of that? Thanks for the reminder, Andi.
These are some wonderful ideas! Love the swapping idea. We have been given and given a lot of different baby items by friends. Saves a ton of money. Also gently used items through Craigslist, yard sales, or consignment stores (like Just Between Friends) work just as well as new ones.
Thanks for the tip off to Just Between Friends. I’d never heard of that before. Great idea to do consignment. That’ a great way to make a little extra cash once baby outgrows their clothing and toys. Thank you for stopping by today, Jonathan.
Great tips! With my first child, I didn’t purchase anything brand new, at first. Everything I bought came from yard sells, baby resell stores, or was a gift. We did go the cloth diaper route and I bought a brand new set on sale. I then got a brilliant idea to make/sew my own cloth diapers! I did buy some brand new clothes for her later but I waited until she was actually here.
Sounds like we’re on the same track, Brandi! Making your own cloth diapers is a great idea too. I can’t sew much at all, but I’d love to try it. A friend actually did sew some CDs that she’d began as a project when her kids were little (they’re my age!) and gave them to me. They were great! Thank you so much for stopping by.
These are great tips!! I wish I was just as savvy with my first as I was with my third!! 🙂 Congrats on the almost arrival of number three! I have to say our third brings us tremendous joy, she sure did rock our world when we went from man to man to zone! (My hubby’s football terms 🙂 )
Cathy
Haha, Cathy. I loved the football reference. We’re definitely excited about #3. I wonder… did you find it much different having 3 than only having 2? I’ve heard mixed reviews and would love more perspective on what to expect. Thanks for stopping by!
These are great tips! Our kids are 18 months apart, so all of the bigger things we used with our son were still in good condition and we were able to use them for our daughter. For clothes, we hit up garage sales and had several friends who were done having kids who let us have anything we wanted. It was awesome! And now we have clothes for boys or girls so for our next baby, we will be set!
That is my story too, Chelsea! People gave us tons of hand me downs with both kids, so our next is pretty much set. I still ask for gender neutrals most of the time (which is what we asked for for our 1st daughter too) so we have plenty of clothes. Would’ve had even more if I weren’t constantly purging, but I know that we’ll keep getting those outgrown gifts from friends. Thanks so much for stopping by!
You did nail down all the ways to save money on baby essentials. It cannot be over over empathized, the need to buy just what is necessary especially clothes, you will be buying baby clothes almost every three months, so buy just very few clothes at a time, because your baby will not wear any of them for long before she/he outgrows them
You’re right! Baby clothes seem to be outgrown sometimes even before you pull them out of the stash, since many brands run differently sizing varies. Thanks for visiting.
I’m firmly in the empty nest BUT my youngest got married last December and I’m hoping…. Maybe I’ll send her your link. Ha!