Diapers: Hundred's of Dollars
Nursery Furniture: Hundred's of Dollars
Becoming a mom: Priceless...
Ah, the classic sentiment of the Master Card commercials, but for those that don't want to end up in debt over all the added expenses of parenthood I have some tips that have helped me drastically reduce my baby budget.
1. Breast feeding- For the millions of mom's that CAN breast feed their babies it is not only a healthy start for your little one, but a great way to save over $1,000 a year compared to the alternative .
2. Cloth Diapers- I know this one is scary to a lot of people, but they really are becoming more main stream. Once again there are multiple benefits here, you are helping the environment and saving at least $500 in the first year. I should also mention that we are not talking about the cloth diapers from the 1950's with the little safety pins. I use the Velcro one's and they are just as simple as a disposable, but cuter and washable.
3. Second Hand Clothes- Or 3rd or 4th for that matter. I am so grateful for my friends and family that have given me there old hand me downs. Thanks to baby Z's 3 boy cousins, one of which is just a year older than him, he has had a packed closet of cute clothes for every size and season. If you don't have people throwing clothes at you check out yards sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops. Gently used baby clothes are not hard to come by.
4. Grown Up Food- Obviously your baby isn't going to chow down on a fillet Mignon, but steer clear of the prepackaged baby convenience foods because there are simple alternatives that could save you quite a bit in the long run. Check out this video to see what I mean.
5. Simplify- Besides milk, Food, diapers, and clothes there is little else that a baby actually needs. Keep your budget low by simplifying. From Bumbos to Boppy's mothers are the prey of the consumer marketing industry. They want to do everything in their power to make you feel like you must have a $800 stroller or a wipes warmer, but can resist the urge to be sucked into the hype. Really think through what you want verses what your baby actually needs. I know I might look like a hypocrite if you have seen the video of my son's closet, because he has every baby gadget ever made, but all of it was previously owned and almost all of it was given to us. Once again, I am extremely grateful.
So those are my top 5 tips. I have thousands of dollars this past year and most of it will be an even bigger return when I use it all again for the next baby and that makes me one happy mama.
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