14 Ways to Save Money on Baby

Having a baby and being able to afford things for him or her can be a pretty hard task if you don't have a really good amount of money to spend. Here are 14 ideas that I have found very helpful.

1. think about it first!- Make a list of what you will definitely need first. Some necessary products include:
Either cloth diapers or disposable diapers are a necessity, some onesies, pants, shorts, socks, shoes, warm clothes for colder seasons, washcloths or baby wipes, bedding for the baby, a boppy pillow is a great helper for nursing mothers or to sit an older baby, a stroller, car seat is a must, and any other things you decide you really need.

2. baby shower- Even if no one offers to have one for you, you can make one yourself and invite people you know. Yes, a lot of people are doing that these days! It's not selfish! You are being smart because you are doing this for your baby.

3. talk to other mommies and daddies- If you have relatives or friends that are parents, chances are that they may have baby clothes and products stored away that they are willing to part with. It is highly unlikely that they will charge you, so that they can clear up a bit of extra room in storage.

4. buy things early- It is very helpful to buy things at least a month or two before baby is born and buy clothing in different sizes. It is a good idea to get some items that are unisex, if you do not know the gender for sure, or just in case baby ends up being a different gender than expected...Babies come in all different sizes and shapes. Sometimes a baby will never fit into everything that you buy because they tend to grow pretty fast. If you are afraid that things might not fit, or baby never uses item, then keep tags on, or in its case so you might be able to return them later. If you can't return them, you can always sell them or give them to another needy parent.

5. thrift stores and flea markets- Many people hesitate to buy things from thrift stores because they do not know who or what the previous owners were like. But for those of you who don't mind, it can prove to be a great option. I do it every weekend or two. I have found socks for a quarter, shoes, brand new packs of diapers, brand new clothes with the tags still on them, working baby monitors, blankets and so much more. I just make sure that I wash everything that I buy really well before I let my baby use them.

6. yard sales- Once again for those of you that don't mind reusing items, yard sales can also save you a lot of money. Some will even sell you a whole box full of clothes for a cheap price.

7. ebay and other auction sites- You can find almost anything on ebay. I have been lucky to find a lot of good baby products and clothing on ebay. Everything that I have purchased was at a great price, came right away, and in new or gently used condition. I love this site!

8. Walmart and Target- These stores often have tons of baby items at an affordable price, especially when they have holiday sales.

9. classified section- If you get the newspaper, you can almost always find affordable products in this section.

10. breast feed- I am not saying that you have to and I am not going to argue if someone decides not to, but it does help you save a lot of money. You don't have to worry about buying bottles or very expensive formula. It is always available and easily accessible.

11. breastmilk- Not all moms do this, but breast milk has been known to have very good uses. So save some in the freezer! You'd be surprised at how quickly you can have a whole freezer full with just a few minutes to pump each day. In the hospital that I was in, the nurses told us that it is even good for diaper rash, cuts, scrapes, eye infections, and in place of baby powder and lotion due to its skin softening properties. When my son was born, he had constant watering in his eyes and I was told to literally squirt a few drops in his eyes everyday and they would heal. Yes, I was a bit skeptical at first, but it really worked in less than a week.

12. coupons- You can find these in magazines, online, at the store, and in neighbor's mailboxes (just kidding) Even if you only save a few cents, it will add up in the end. Believe me, a few cents can go a long way sometimes.

13. samples and freebies- You can find these all over the internet and receive them in the mail within a few days or a few weeks. Many of these samples do last a while. They are also a great way to try things out without having to spend a lot of money and not wanting to keep the product.

14. save- It is a great idea to save some, if not all of the products for future use, especially if you plan on having another child. Even for those of you who swear up and down that you WILL NOT have another baby...sometimes you might change your mind or have an unexpected surprise.

Ok, well, I hope that you new parents or returning parents find this information useful. Yes, I am sure that these are not the only ways to save money for baby, but they are all of the ones that I personally have tried.