How to Provide for Your Baby on a Budget

It's no secret that the costs of providing for a baby are high. From diapers to formula to furniture, the expenses keep on coming, but you can lessen that cost if you use one of these tips.

Furniture

New cribs can cost anywhere from $200 to well over a thousand and dressers and changing tables will add several hundred to your expenses. Instead of forking out so much cash on furniture, try one of these cheaper alternatives:

• Shop at consignment stores and yard sales. You can find a nice crib in the $50 range at either of these places if you look hard enough. Just type in the product serial number online to make sure there haven't been any recalls. Do the same for a rocker and dresser. You may need to do some refinishing, but it still works out a lot cheaper for you.

• Buy a portable crib. You can buy a Pack-N-Play from Wal-Mart for $75 and it has a bassinet in it that you can take out when the baby gets bigger.

• The Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Portable Changing Pad only costs $7.99 on eBay and it has pockets for diapers and wipes. When you need to change your baby, take out this changing pad and place it on the bed or couch, and take care of business.

Formula

A can of name-brand baby formula costs almost $30 for 190 oz. of formula. Older babies can go through a couple of these large cans per month and the costs add up quickly. You can save almost half on formula if you buy the store brand. Don't be afraid to try the store brands because they have to adhere to the same FDA requirements as the name-brand formulas and will have the same ingredients and nutrients.

Diapers and Wipes

You'll buy diapers every month for the first two or three years of your child's life, unless you're lucky and they potty train early. All off-brand diapers don't have the best reputation, but some work almost as well as the name-brand for almost half the price. Even if you do have to give your baby one extra changing per day, you're still saving money.

When my son was born, I tried every diaper brand I could find and from my experience, these two did very well - hardly any leaks, no diaper rash:

• Target brand diapers

• Luvs

If you're looking to save money on wipes, don't even consider buy name brand wipes and buy in bulk. Buy a huge box of the sensitive diapers in the off-brand at the store when you do your shopping.

Clothes

You have to buy a new wardrobe every three months for the first year of your baby's life, then every six months the year after. Clothing costs can add up fast, so if you want to cut down on spending, consider one of the following options:

• Again, buy from yard sales. Check out your local newspaper for yard sale listings and see who is going to sell baby clothes. Go out early so you can go through and find the best picks. Before my son was born, I stopped at a yard sale and bought a dozen onesies, several pairs of pants, a bunch of shirts, and pajamas for ten bucks. Retail price on these clothes would have been close to $300.

• Buy in advance. At the end of the summer, when summer clothes go on clearance, stock up. You can find things for up to 80% off. I still do this and just recently bought my little boy six pairs of shorts for next summer for only $16 - the retail price was $150.

• Use hand-me-downs. As quickly as babies go through clothing, they usually don't get too worn. Most things look almost new if the parents are careful about using bibs. If your baby has an older sibling or cousin, don't hesitate to use their hand-me-downs and save on money.