Top money saving tips for having a baby.
We all know having a baby can be an expensive business. But it doesn’t have to be. In this article I’ve gathered some of the best money saving tips from experienced parents and added in a few of my own for good measure. The crucial thing to remember in all of this is that it can be done cheaply, and you shouldn’t see a lack of money as an obstacle to being a great parent. It simply isn’t.
For what you need, listen to other parents
There is a whole world of marketers out there who are desperate to sell stuff to parents-to-be. They know you’ve not done this before, and many of them are more than willing to play on your lack of knowledge and/or anxiety about becoming a parent. Want to keep your baby safe? You need THIS. Want to be a great parent? Don’t forget to buy THAT. The reality is that you actually need very little for a baby. And, often, some of the things you most commonly associate with ‘needing’ turn out to be pretty useless. Talk to friends who are already parents and ask them what they feel the real essentials are. And, if you haven’t already, be sure to check out our essentials list - by parents, for parents.
2. Don’t be afraid to buy as you go.
It's tempting to think you need everything ready to go and in place for when baby arrives. While you need something for them to wear and poo in (!) there are only a handful of things you really can’t live without. If you are on the fence about an item I’d strongly encourage you to wait and see if you miss it.
If it’s something you really decide you need then with Amazon Prime and other fantastic delivery services around you really can wait and see on most items. My son was born before next day delivery was really widespread but I remember cycling into town very early one morning to buy an electric breast pump that we decided we needed on day 5 or 6. While that sort of thing isn’t ideal, it is totally possible and by waiting on a number of items we saved hundreds of pounds of unnecessary spending on things we didn’t need.
3. Second-hand is your friend.
Buying baby stuff used is a fantastic way to save money. A number of respondents said they had bought items through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and/or Ebay to save significant amounts of cash. A number of ‘high value’ items like buggies, baby carriers and the like were also flagged as being items that hold their value really well. That means it is likely you will be able to re-sell these for a similar price to what you paid for them, when the time comes to sell.
Clothing bundles were also flagged as particularly good value. Rather than buying expensive individual items of clothing, simply search Ebay (or similar) for ‘baby clothing bundle 0-3 months’ (or 3-6 months etc) and you will find people selling large quantities of clothing for bargain prices. Because babies go through clothes so quickly as well, it’s very likely that these won’t have actually been worn very much.
We all want to give our babies the best we can, but second-hand is very often just as good as new, so don’t hesitate to save money on this. It’s worth flagging here though that there are a couple of items you don’t buy second hand. Cot mattresses should be purchased brand new to ensure they are clean and sterile. And it’s also advised that you buy baby car seats brand new as if a car seat has been in an accident then it should be discarded. Unless it is coming from a known source and you can guarantee it hasn’t been in an accident then you should avoid second-hand car seats.
4. Breastfeeding is cheaper than bottle-feeding. And bottle feeding can be done different ways…
While not every woman is able to breastfeed, the majority can. And as well as the health benefits of it, it’s also a cheaper option - bonus! While there are nice benefits to bottle feeding too (like baby being less tied to mum and being able to bond with baby through feeding as a dad) there is also a cost attached as you will need to buy all the bottles, bags, sterilisers and paraphenalia and so on. Money is unlikely to be a key driver in your decision here, but if you’re on the fence as to whether you’d like to mix in bottle feeding and finance is a major stress you might want to consider going without this.
If you are doing bottle feeding a couple of guys responded to my question on this by saying that their ‘bottle preparing machines’ went often unused. So while a few swear by them it seems that this is another place you can save costs. Equally, if you are bottle feeding then don’t forget your partner can express milk for baby to drink, rather than buying expensive formula mix. A couple of quick ways to save money for bottle feeders.
5. Re-usable is more expensive up front, but cheaper long-term.
This one may not be open to you depending on your financial situation. But as well as being good for the environment the up-front cost of buying re-usable nappies and wipes will, over time, prove cheaper than buying the disposable versions of these. This remains true even when taking into consideration the cost of washing and drying these. Of course these options are not as convenient but if you are in a position to spend up front in order to save long-term then I’d encourage you to have a think about these. The wipes (mucky wipes and cheeky wipes are two popular ones) are particularly useful and can be chucked in with any normal wash. You’ll save on countless purchases of wet wipes!
If you’re not sure whether re-usable nappies are for you, you can also often access a nappy library. These are local services where, for a small price, you can try re-usable nappies. While many think of re-usable nappies as ‘all or nothing’ it doesn’t need to be that way. If you have a handful of re-usable nappies you can use when you feel you have the energy and desire then mixing some into the nappy rotation can help you save money over the longer-term. Do have a Google and find out if you have a service like this near you if interested - most cities will have something.
6. Babies don’t need toys
In the words of one of the dads who responded to our question on this
“Dont buy crap plastic toys they'll grow out of before even know what presents are! Ours is just as happy with the box they came in.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself! As your baby gets older and becomes a toddler they will become more engaged with the world and benefit from having more toys to interact with but in those early months they really don’t need much. If you’re looking to save money, this is one you can definitely skip.
7. Avoid big nappy brands.
Another from a dad:
“Try and test the cheaper nappy brands rather than the expensive ones at the start. Lidl and Aldi were perfect with our second baby. With our first one we used Pampers the whole way through and it cost a fortune.”
Many other parents gave similar advice, reporting they were just as happy with cheap brands as established names.
Personally we felt we got slightly better wee capacity (!) from Pampers than Aldi own, but we then made the strategic choice to only use Pampers at night. The rest of the time we used the cheaper alternative. This meant that our kids were less likely to wake up at night due to their nappy being over-full while we saved money when we could change them a bit more frequently in the daytime. It worked well for us!
8. Use Nappy Price Comparison Sites
You’re probably used to comparison sites for insurance, flights and other household spending. But did you know there are nappy price comparison sites?! These are particularly good if you want a particular brand, but can be useful any way. Have a Google for one in your country. If you’re in the UK then you can use bumdeal.co.uk
9. Don’t bulk buy nappies at the start
A couple of people told us that they had bulk bought nappies before their baby was born, buying newborn or very small nappies, only to never use them. The reality for many is that if you have a larger than average baby then they will skip newborn nappies altogether. So while it’s useful to have some newborn and size 1 nappies at hand when your baby is born, avoid bulk buying the smaller sizes as there a chance you will never need them! If you really do want to bulk buy then it’s better to go for a slightly larger size - at least you know you’ll use them down the line!
10. Create a hand me down chain
The concept of this one is simple. Find someone who is 3-6 months ahead of you in the parenting journey and ask if you can be the recipient of their hand me downs. While there might be a few sentimental items they want to stick away for the future, most people are glad to have someone come over and pick up all the things their baby has grown out of!
You’ll benefit from saving money and they’ll get their junk removed for them. In an ideal world you can then find someone who is 3-6 months behind you to pass the items on again. Of course some things will wear out and not make the next chain but this is a great way to maximise the use of items, and minimise your spend.
11. Stock up on free samples
This isn’t one I’ve tried myself personally, and it does sound like a bit of work, but one parent told us they did really well by typing ‘free to new parents’ into Google. Apparently they got a decent amount of items like nappies, creams, shampoos etc through this method. If you’ve got the time to give it a shot then do let us know how you get on with this!
12. Find free baby groups in your area.
While most towns and cities have paid-for baby and kids groups (which can get very pricey!) there are usually free or very cheap groups available. If you or your partner are looking for somewhere to go with baby then you’ll usually find just as good connections and ‘entertainment’ at the free/very cheap groups. Children’s Centres, Community Centres and Civic Groups like churches are a great place to start with these.
13. Don’t forget that lots of stuff will get trashed anyway.
In the words of one mum:
”Buy simple & practical for things that are going to get messy, e.g get a cheap no frills ikea high chair rather than fancy pattern ones. Do away with brands altogether in terms of food, clothing. Aldi do baby sales, we bought cot, wardrobe, changer for £200 decent quality”
I like this one. When you’re buying in advance it’s tempting to go with fancy looks or nice designers for baby stuff. This might be nice if you can afford it, but it’s good to remember that these things need to be hard-wearing and, however it looks, it’s going to take a battering down the months and years. I can promise you’ll definitely be a lot less bothered by the aesthetics down the line!
14. Find out what financial aid / benefits / government support is available.
Most countries have various options for financial aid and benefits to parents. Depending on your situation and where you live this could include anything from regular monthly payments to cash up front to free/cheaper childcare. I’d strongly encourage you to fully explore what options are available to you. I’m UK based so I’ve included a link below to what schemes are available but if you’re elsewhere in the world and would be willing to share what’s available in your country I’d love to share that here too. Just drop me an email at hello@thedadcourse.com and I’ll add it in.
One note on all this stuff. Just because you’re earning OK don’t assume you’re not eligible for this. They all have different thresholds, so do take a look before assuming you may not be eligible.
If you’re in the UK, click here for the UK Government’s Support Packages for parents.
15. Never forget - how much money and/or stuff you and your child have is irrelevant to being a good parent
An important one to finish with. In an Instagram world where a section of parents choose to present themselves in a certain way, it’s important to remember that great parenting can look very different. You absolutely do not need all the gear or stuff or gadgets to be a great parent - as much as other people or marketing might try and convince you. In the words of one dad:
“Forget all about ‘if you don’t buy your baby X then you’re letting them down.’ It’s all bollocks.”
I love that!
The truth is, it’s about how you love them and the care you give them. And that is totally free.
At times I found myself falling into the trap of comparing with other parents and seeing the stuff they could buy for their kids. Either it looked good or, more often, so damn convenient! But as much as I might have wanted that stuff at times I kept reminding myself that it was the love and care I gave that made the difference.
And that’s that…
I hope you found this list helpful, and it’s given you at least a few fresh ideas (or at least reminders) on how to save those dollars and pounds as you prepare to become a parent.
If you have any further suggestions of your own that we’ve missed here, or you have something to share then please don’t hesitate to get in touch and let us know your tips. We’ll be sure to share them all.
Cheers, and good luck with the prep!
Dave