So you’ve got a new baby on the way. Congratulations! Those chubby little darlings do have a way of hitting your wallet hard though (ever seen those estimates of just how much a child will cost you during its first 18 years? And that’s without college fees). However, there are ways of reducing costs with a new baby – here are some tips on what you can do to save your dollars.
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1. Borrow
Babies aren’t born fussy – they don’t care if something is second-hand. So wherever possible, see if you can borrow items, especially if it’s something they will only use for a short time. Of course, some items like car seats should be bought new, for safety reasons, but there are plenty of things that Junior can happily use second-hand.
2. Freecycle
If you have a local Freecycle or Freegle group, check them out for baby items on offer. The idea is that items are passed on to other members, rather than be discardedand end up in landfill. If you’re lucky enough to get items given to you, do pass them on in turn if they’re still in usable condition.
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3. Resist Temptation
Many a first-time parent has fallen prey to the desire to give their baby the best of everything. That’s just not necessary. There isn’t that much that they really need, and they certainly don’t need designer clothing. Buy the essentials, and save your money – you’ll need it as your youngster grows up!
4. Gifts
New grandparents are often keen to purchase a pram or other large items, and other friends and relatives can be very generous as well. You may find that you get so many gifts that you don’t actually need to purchase that much yourself – you’ll probably get enough clothes to cover the first six months.
5. Breastfeed
If you’re able to breastfeed, and it’s a practical option, then it’s a great way of saving money. Have you seen the price of baby milk lately?! Plus you won’t need bottles, sterilisers etc. It doesn’t work for everyone, but if it does you’ll save a small fortune.
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6. Pass down
As the youngest of three girls, I don’t think I had anything new! Most items can be passed on to younger siblings, and a new baby won’t be bothered by this. You may also have friends with baby items they no longer want – I’ve known some things be passed back and forth between friends, and get plenty of use.
7. Second-Hand Sales
If you’re squeamish about buying second-hand clothes for your baby, don’t be! There are some great bargains to be picked up in yard sales and sales of baby items – if you don’t snap them up, someone else will. Since babies grow so fast, you can often pick up little-worn clothes for next to nothing.
So you see, your wallet needn’t suffer quite as much as you might expect with a new baby! There are lots of ways of cutting costs (you could also swap babysitting with a friend) – what ways have you thought of with your own kids? Or would you want to splash out on your children?
Top Photo Credit: paige ilene.