Finding out you are pregnant can be so overwhelming when you start thinking about all the things that you need to take care of a baby.
I knew I wanted to stay home with my baby, but I also knew what a big sacrifice that would be. We had to think of creative ways to save money if we were going to make this work.
I am happy to report that we aren’t spending much more per month than we were before baby thanks to these money-saving hacks:
1. Figure Out What You Really Need
There are so many baby companies out there trying to capitalize on the fact that you are a new mother. They know that you don’t know what you actually need. Do you really need a wipe warmer or a bottle sterilizer? NOPE! But there are companies out there that want you to believe that you do need them. Really, you just need a way to feed the baby, a place for the baby to sleep, diapers, wipes, a diaper bag, a car seat and a few clothing items for a newborn. There may be a few other items that could be useful, but honestly, you don’t need as much as you probably think you do.
2. Breastfeed if You Can
There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding that I won’t go into here, but saving money is a huge one. Just walk down the formula aisle in your local grocery store and you will see what I mean. Some formula costs over $30 per can, and only lasts a week or two. Breastfeeding has saved us so much money because it literally doesn’t cost anything. I know that there are some moms that can’t breastfeed, and that is okay. But it is worth giving it a try if you want to save a lot of money, plus it is really good for your baby.
3. Use Cloth Diapers
Diapers are a huge cost when you have a newborn. Your baby will literally go through thousands of diapers in the first few years of his or her life. It is estimated to cost about $1,500 to diaper a baby with disposables.
In comparison, you can get everything you need to cloth diaper your baby for about $300. You can also use the same cloth diapers for your next baby, which really saves you money. When you are done with your cloth diapers, you can even sell them to get some of that money back.
If you are interested in cloth diapering, I have a lot of other articles on my blog that talk about cloth diapering in-depth.
4. Buy Used Baby Clothes
Babies size out of clothing really quickly. This means you can find used baby clothing in really good condition. Check around at your local consignment stores or check to see if anyone maybe selling them locally in the Facebook Marketplace. This is also a great way to find larger items like cribs and baby swings.
5. Trade Babysitting
You may be fortunate enough to live close to family members that will babysit for free. I am not that fortunate, but I have discovered that I can trade babysitting with friends to save us both some money. Our date nights would cost so much more if we didn’t discover this hack.
All you have to do is find another mom in your area that would be willing to watch your baby one night in exchange for you watching her baby another night. You both get to enjoy a night off without any babysitting costs.
6. Make Your Own Baby Food
My baby just started eating solids, so this is new to me. However, I went to Target yesterday and one jar of baby food costs about $1.39! I could buy a whole bag of carrots for 99 cents and get at least six times the amount of baby. You don’t need any special equipment to do this. All you need is a pot to steam in and a normal blender. I am definitely planning to do this myself pretty soon.
Conclusion
Don’t let the costs of having a newborn scare you. You can save tons of money by putting these simple steps into play.
Do you have any money-saving tips to share? I would love to hear about them in the comments below!
