5 Ways To Save Money On Newborn Necessities

Bringing a new baby into the world is an exciting time. However, baby necessities are often extremely expensive and can be a shock to your bank account. Luckily there are many ways to cut down on expenditures and still provide both you and your baby with everything you’ll need. Here are 5 ways to save money on newborn necessities.

Diapers

It is often instinctual and easier to use traditional diapers for your baby. While this is definitely more convenient, diapers can become extremely expensive. You will constantly have to buy packages of diapers as most newborns go through hundreds of them in a short amount of time. In addition, the use of diapers is harmful to the environment. A great alternative is to use cloth diapers. While these do require more maintenance and time, the benefits are worthwhile. You can reuse diapers, saving lots of money. The extra time you take to wash cloth diapers will be a good trade-off for the money you would have been spending on disposable diapers.

Hand Me Downs

Hand me downs are your new best friend. Just because you have a new baby does not mean every item has to be brand new as well. If you have other children, it is wise to hang on to a lot of their newborn essentials to be passed on to their new brother or sister. If this is your first child, however, you can reach out to friends and family members to see if they have any newborn items they would be willing to lend or donate to you. This is a great way to get furniture and clothing without having to pay for new, especially since newborns will grow out of these items very quickly.

Be Patient

Avoid stocking up on items before baby arrives. While it is tempting to shop for lots of outfits and other cute items, this can actually become a huge waste of money. Depending on your baby, he or she could skip entire clothing sizes altogether, wasting items you have in those sizes. You really won’t know what he or she will need until your newborn has arrived because babies grow and develop at very different rates.

Bargain Hunt

Look for deals. You don’t need to buy brand name items for your baby. Often a newborn will ruin these items or immediately grow out of them anyways! Instead, look for deals online or in the store. Shop around and compare prices in order to get the best deals possible, saving you a substantial amount of money. You can also find great items for less on sites such as Craigslist and eBay or at local consignment shops.

Opt to Breastfeed

Finally, a great option to save money is actually choosing to breastfeed. While this isn’t always an option for every family, if you are able to breastfeed it is a wonderful option. Not only is bread feeding considered healthier for your baby, it also saves you a great deal of money on baby formulas. You also will not have to purchase other feeding items such as bottles, warmers, bottlebrushes or nipples.

Although baby essentials can become very expensive, there are multiple ways to save money without sacrificing quality or convenience. Taking the time to use cloth diapers instead of disposable, using hand-me-down clothes or nursing pillows, avoiding stocking up ahead of time, looking for bargains and breastfeeding are all great ways to stick to a budget and acquire all the necessities for your new baby.