Originally published on 21st May 2013. Last updated 17th April 2015.
Babies... They cost a bomb. Why is it people forget to mention that part when you first decide to have that little bundle of joy? But fear not, there is hope for your bank balance yet. Whether you're currently expecting a new arrival to your lives & home (in which case, congrats!), or you're already the proud owner of a expensive little bundle, here's my top tips for cutting back on the spending when you think your finances are otherwise doomed!
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The sad fact is, babies don't stay small for long, especially in their first year of life. You'll find that every couple of months you'll be replacing their wardrobe with the next size of clothes - this makes buying baby clothes second hand a great idea. You'll find a lot of the clothes you buy can be hardly (if ever) worn due to the simple fact that one size of clothing will only last a baby few months maximum.
The variety of places to buy second hand baby clothes are endless. Jack & Jill Markets & NCT Nearly New Sales, eBay, Gumtree, selling forums on baby community websites (my favourite is The Selling Place on Baby Centre), charity shops... All are a goldmine for finding bargains on threads for your little ones. And to really save your pennies, sell on the clothes when you're finished!
Top tip: Be aware of postage costs when purchasing online. Recent price hikes with the Royal Mail mean eBay bargains can turn out to be more expensive than first thought, simply to do with the additional postage fees.)
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Borrowing from family & friends.
If you have friends and family with their own little ones, the easiest way to save even more on clothes - amongst other baby necessities - is to ask for or accept hand-me-downs. And unless your family is a bit of a Scrooge, they'll usually give you items for free; there's no better bargain than that! Just be sure to return the favour to your generous loved ones when you're finished with your own baby bits & pieces, and don't pass on large objects (cots, prams) to other people without checking with the original owner first.
If you have friends and family with their own little ones, the easiest way to save even more on clothes - amongst other baby necessities - is to ask for or accept hand-me-downs. And unless your family is a bit of a Scrooge, they'll usually give you items for free; there's no better bargain than that! Just be sure to return the favour to your generous loved ones when you're finished with your own baby bits & pieces, and don't pass on large objects (cots, prams) to other people without checking with the original owner first.
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Consider longevity & resale value.
When choosing our pram, there was two main competitors; the Bugaboo Bee & the Silver Cross 3D. In terms of cost, the Silver Cross was a clear winner, with the Bugaboo coming in at nearly double the price. However I did a bit of research and found that the Bugaboo came with rave reviews - it was a long-term use pram due to it's light, pushchair nature, it's ability to 'grow' with your baby, and it held a good resale value. The Silver Cross however, the reviews weren't so great, with most people admitting they ended up replacing their pram with an alternative, lighter model at some stage or another (which meant more additional cost), and the resale value was poor.
We opted for the Bugaboo knowing it was built to last and we'd get our money worth. In the end we sold it on for a good price, after it had first served it's purpose with both boys without failing on us even once.
When choosing our pram, there was two main competitors; the Bugaboo Bee & the Silver Cross 3D. In terms of cost, the Silver Cross was a clear winner, with the Bugaboo coming in at nearly double the price. However I did a bit of research and found that the Bugaboo came with rave reviews - it was a long-term use pram due to it's light, pushchair nature, it's ability to 'grow' with your baby, and it held a good resale value. The Silver Cross however, the reviews weren't so great, with most people admitting they ended up replacing their pram with an alternative, lighter model at some stage or another (which meant more additional cost), and the resale value was poor.
We opted for the Bugaboo knowing it was built to last and we'd get our money worth. In the end we sold it on for a good price, after it had first served it's purpose with both boys without failing on us even once.
Top tip: For an even better deal, do your research and buy second hand.
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Choose to breastfeed & baby-led wean.
I'd love to say my choice to breastfeed was based on wanting to provide the boys with the best possible start in life, but to be perfectly honest, that's a complete lie - I chose to breastfeed because it's free & any additional benefits was a bonus. To me, it doesn't make sense to spend £40+ a month on formula milk when my body can produce a more superior version for nothing. Cost was also a contributing factor in choosing to follow Baby-led Weaning, as your baby eats what you eat, without the extra jars of purée and rusk biscuits, so it incurs no too little additional cost.
I'd love to say my choice to breastfeed was based on wanting to provide the boys with the best possible start in life, but to be perfectly honest, that's a complete lie - I chose to breastfeed because it's free & any additional benefits was a bonus. To me, it doesn't make sense to spend £40+ a month on formula milk when my body can produce a more superior version for nothing. Cost was also a contributing factor in choosing to follow Baby-led Weaning, as your baby eats what you eat, without the extra jars of purée and rusk biscuits, so it incurs no too little additional cost.
Top tip: Even if you can't breastfeed, why not consider using donor milk? There's many ladies out their happy to offer up their freezers full of breast milk for babies in need and most won't expect anything but thanks in return.
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Consider using cloth nappies. It might seem like a step back in time but cloth nappies are making a come back. The intital outlay can be expensive, with nappies ranging from £5 to £20+ each but after you've got a good collection of nappies (roughly 24 for full time use), in the long term you'll save yourself at least £1000 per baby, in comparison to using disposable nappies. Not to mention your carbon footprint and that cloth is overall better for your little ones bottom. And like baby clothes, cloth nappies can be bought second hand and sold on when you're finished.
Kitty Kins is a great website to help you get to grips with the world of cloth.
Kitty Kins is a great website to help you get to grips with the world of cloth.
Top tip: Why not buy a few pre-loved nappies before investing in a whole supply of cloth. This means you can try a few different brands and decide whether cloth is for you, without spending as much upfront. And if you don't get on with them, you can sell them on. I like eBay & Babycentre Pre-loved Cloth board for second hand nappy bargains.)
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Take advantage of your local Library & Toy Library.
In an ideal world, the boys would have a bookcase full of different stories and styles of books, but in reality, books are expensive. I take John & David to our local library every few weeks to see what they have to offer. It's also a fantastic way to assess how much they like a particular book before buying a copy for ourselves, saving us from purchasing hundreds and one books that don't hold their attention.
Our library also hosts a weekly toy library where you can go play with & borrow toys. Again, great for try-before-you-buy but also to let little ones have a bit of variety in their play without the expensive price tag.
In an ideal world, the boys would have a bookcase full of different stories and styles of books, but in reality, books are expensive. I take John & David to our local library every few weeks to see what they have to offer. It's also a fantastic way to assess how much they like a particular book before buying a copy for ourselves, saving us from purchasing hundreds and one books that don't hold their attention.
Our library also hosts a weekly toy library where you can go play with & borrow toys. Again, great for try-before-you-buy but also to let little ones have a bit of variety in their play without the expensive price tag.
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Join baby clubs.
You'll find the majority of major supermarkets and chemists have some form of Baby Club offering freebies, advice & money off vouchers. Aside from the barrage of emails & junk mail, you can get yourself some good bits & pieces from joining a Baby Club, from free gifts, too money off vouchers. Some to look out for are Bounty, Boots Parenting Club, various supermarkets and even some baby brands. It can be a great way to test out products without paying full price for them, so less money wasted on products you're not a fan of and more money saved on those you do like.
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You'll find the majority of major supermarkets and chemists have some form of Baby Club offering freebies, advice & money off vouchers. Aside from the barrage of emails & junk mail, you can get yourself some good bits & pieces from joining a Baby Club, from free gifts, too money off vouchers. Some to look out for are Bounty, Boots Parenting Club, various supermarkets and even some baby brands. It can be a great way to test out products without paying full price for them, so less money wasted on products you're not a fan of and more money saved on those you do like.
Top tip: To avoid excessive junk mail, set up a separate email address to join Baby Clubs.
What are your top tips for saving money with a baby in your life?
Great tips!
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ReplyDeleteI used to borrow my baby's clothes but when she grew up I usually buy her second hand clothes online, It is really convenient and at the same time can save money too.
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I think breastfeeding was our biggest money saver and I don't think I ever thought of the cost involved in not doing BLW - but yep, that saved us money too. Great post! x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna. I was shocked when I first heard how much formula cost so I'm glad we never had that expense! It's easy to spend a fortune on wee ones but with a little forward thinking it's not too difficult to make some savings. xo
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