|
|
Babies on a BudgetAug 14 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Building Supplies
The Bottom Line Be frugal, shop sales, and get those coupons! Hopefully, my experience can help you save a little dough when buying for baby!
It’s no surprise - babies are expensive little people! They need a lot of little things that can add up to big money. In my 1 1/2 years of parenthood, I have found a few tips and tricks to save money when incorporating a baby into the budget. Try Not to Buy New! Unfortunately, there aren't any babies in our family and my immediate relatives didn't have any gently used loaners. Baby furniture will give you sticker shock! As a new mom, I thought everything for my baby had to be new, never worn, never touched. Now, I think that is absolutely ridiculous! Babies outgrow their clothes so quickly I can't tell you how many 'unused' baby items I have, from blankets and onesies to shoes and sleepers! Also, those really cute 'crib sets' that cost $200+ - I had to have one. And let me tell you, we have yet to use the 'comforter' for anything other than a decoration on the end of the crib. The 'bed skirt' was only used until our son could stand up because it didn't hang right once we lowered the mattress. Waste-o-dough! Here are a couple of resources for gently used larger items: Relatives, Friends, Neighbors This, by far, will be anyone's best resource for gently used baby items; especially the larger, higher cost items like cribs and high chairs. Baby clothes and toys are also ‘ok’ hand-me-down items. Make sure you find out how old the baby equipment is and check recall notices. Also, inspect the condition before accepting a hand-me-down. I know it isn't nice to look that gift horse in the mouth, but this is your precious baby and you definitely don't want them sleeping in something held together with duct tape! Garage Sales Another obvious way to pick up gently used baby items at a reasonable cost. Again, inspect the items and ask questions about age and use. My mother found a used, oak crib for $25! It is in great shape, the slats are the correct distance apart and the sellers had all the screws and pieces. The crib only needed a new 'teether' bar across the top of the rails - $9. Re-sale Shops I have seen everything from cribs and strollers to diapers and training pants at these stores. The two resale shops I frequent only accept items in very good condition and prices are a little more than garage sale prices. My stepmother and mother-in-law have also purchased many items at re-sale shops; most of which have never been worn! We’ve gotten an umbrella stroller for $4, Baby Gap and Oshkosh outfits for $6, and many baby clothes are $2-$4. Since babies won't really wear out their clothing, you can return the clothes to the resale shop and resell them for about what you paid! Good Will, Salvation Army, ARC and Other Thrift Stores Some things at these places are junk, but there are some great finds that might just need a little repair. Still, a good resource for clothes, blankets, and occasionally, furniture for reasonable prices. Crisis Pregnancy Centers We have a local crisis pregnancy center that will give free baby need items donated by the community FOR THOSE IN NEED. This center reports very little abuse, abuse being defined as those who obviously aren't in need picking up freebies. I mention this for those who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy in need of necessities they otherwise cannot afford. The second reason I mention this is for those of you who have baby items collecting dust. If you can, please donate to these charities. Any 'left-overs' from a garage sale can be donated instead of stuffed back in the attic! Donations are tax deductible, not to mention the good feeling of knowing you helped a needy baby get a good start in the world! I've even donated unused formula, books and out-grown diapers. If You Must Buy New… shop on sale! My stepmother found a crib bumper on clearance for $4.00 at a baby superstore! I have bought cotton sheets for $6.00. Hmmm…. $10 for a crib outfit or $200 that comes with more stuff we won’t use. How smart am I? (please don’t answer that!) For recall information check out the Consumer Product Safety Commission site - there's a lot of info here: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/child.html Decorating This is one of the fun things about pregnancy – decorating that little nursery in cutesy wootsie. Ours was going to be baby blue with little moons and stars all over the place. Fortunately, the room wasn’t done before baby’s arrival so we never got past painting. As time went by, I realized moons and stars would have to be changed to cars or something a little more grown up. Take this into consideration if you plan to decorate as baby decorations can get expensive. We still went with baby blue walls but used a car/truck/train border around the ceiling. Diapers and Wipes and Other Hygiene Diapers and the Like Oh my, have you ever seen the statistic on how many diaper changes you will be doing over the next 2 years? Unless baby runs around with a bare bottom, you will need diapers and lots of them! I have found a few ways to reduce this cost. Diaper wipes come in handy tubs, scented/unscented, aloe and vitamin E infused, etc. Yes, it is like a little ‘bath” every time you wipe and they don’t seem all that expensive at first. An alternative is to use a warm cloth or paper towel. This is what the hospital used and to be honest, the warm, wet cloths actually worked better and made baby happier. Of course, this is not practical for on-the-go use, but if you’re at home it isn’t a big deal to grab a warm cloth just before a diaper change. You can put several in a thermos for nighttime changing. And, with the amount of laundry you will be doing, tossing a washcloth in the laundry every day won’t be that big of a deal! If it is a big deal, buy wipes in bulk! I mean from a warehouse type store like Sam’s Club or Costco. The wipes definitely will not go to waste and you’ll be glad you have a supply! Name brands aren’t always better and don’t be afraid to experiment with off-brands. One thing to keep in mind is thickness. I have used some thin wipes that rip as you wipe, leaving the need for an additional ‘handy’ wipe, if you get my drift! :) Regarding off brands, the same holds true for diapers. I found Wal-mart’s White Cloud brand to fit better (for now) and they are $8.77 for a package of 48. If you find name brands work better for your baby, you can always switch back to them and donate the off-brands to a charity. Also buy in bulk from a warehouse type store. This will be expensive initially, but will save in the long run since the more you buy, the less money it costs per diaper and you won’t be running to the store each week. You can also go in on the cost with another parent and split the bundle and the cost. A couple more tips if using name brand diapers; 1) never buy from a grocery store as they are most expensive here. Try to shop at Target, Wal-Mart or Kmart type stores; and 2) get on every manufacturer’s mailing list, early. They send out great coupons that when combined with a sale at say Target, will net you a great deal! You can call or register on-line for these mailings. Here are some sites and phone numbers: Huggies - www.huggies.com/DiapersWipes/specialoffers/ or call 800-926-9474 Pampers - www.pampers.com or call 800-pampers LUVS - www.luvs.com (site can be viewed in Spanish, too) Unless you get a freebie, don’t waste money on diaper disposal systems. They are a nice idea, but they do smell and the replacement bags cost a pretty penny. You have just found a use for all those plastic sacs you get from the store complete with tie handles! And they are free! Drop a diaper in, tie the handles, and dump in the garbage! If you empty your garbage daily you won’t have a trash smell problem. For Swimming Try to find re-usable swim diapers. Disposables are very expensive! Re-usable diapers have a special lining to hold in 'accidents' without absorbing any liquid and can be tossed in the washer. I have used Kooshies brand, but there are others. For more info on these, please review my epinion entitled "Kooshies in the Pool" (http://workingfamily.epinions.com/content_31400365700). Yes, this is my CP site but you can also get to it by clicking on 'view more opinions by hub3.') There I list the website and additional resources. I wrote an extensive review entitled "Diaper Duty" on everything you ever wanted to know about diapers and how to buy. Here is the link http://workingfamily.epinions.com/content_1810931844. (ditto on the CP stuff) Bath Time My pediatrician gets credit for this one. Use baby shampoo as body soap, too. Why not? It's gentle and there really isn't any need to buy two separate cleansers. Babies won't be out changing the oil in the car so they don't get that dirty. A large bottle of baby shampoo (off brand) is under $2.00 and will last a very long time. We are talking many months. Our bottle lasted about 10 months. Those special baby bathtubs are nice, but if you are able to hold baby and bathe him/her at the same time, the small bucket the hospital sends you home with will do fine until baby gets bigger. The sink, as long as you place a towel around any faucets and along the bottom of the sink is also a good place for bathing. Hey, it worked for my parents! Feeding Yes, we’ve all heard ‘Breast is Best’ and I did breast feed for 10 months, then supplemented with formula until 12 months. The bottle/breast choice is individual and personal. Here are some suggestions for saving a little money in both departments. Breast Feeding This feeding is definitely cheaper than bottle-feeding but you should still have bottles and a can of formula ‘just in case.’ Formula companies will send out a free sample that is usually a full size can. Call or write to get on their mailing lists as soon as possible. You will also need a pump if returning to work and, possibly, nursing pads. These two last items are very personal. I was not able to use re-usable pads since I could have single handedly snuffed out the High Meadows fires last summer. I needed absorbency and lots of it. The best disposable pads I found were made by Kroger and available through King Soopers for $1.99 a box of 30. The decision to nurse and/or use a breast pumps should be fully researched before making a purchase and/or renting. Look for Internet coupons and comparison shop on-line. Bottle Feeding Get on those mailing lists! Sign up everyone you know! Manufacturer’s send out great coupons for a very limited time and they expire quickly! Also, avoid grocery stores if possible. Target, Wal-Mart, and Kmart all sell infant formula. Try to combine a coupon with a sale, but know there are usually limits on how much you are allowed to buy at one time. We are not rich my any means and were struggling to make ends meet. I spent an hour in the baby formula isle at Albertson’s, a local grocery store, reading all labels of baby formula. I found the store brand to be similar to a well-known name brand, it was half the price, and Albertson’s donates a portion of the sale to local children’s hospitals. I gradually weaned my son over with no complications. My point here is don’t be afraid to try a less expensive – equal quality brand. Just make sure to always check the expiration date! Similac - www.welcomeaddition.com Carnation - 800-272-8855 Enfamil – www.meadjohnson.com or call 812-429-5000 In both cases, bottle/breast, I have found the larger dollar stores to carry bottles and nipples, brushes and liners, for you guessed it, $1.00! First Foods Again, get on those mailing lists! Gerber does send out coupons for free jars and cents off, but also look to Heinz if you can find it. Here in CO, I was only able to find Heinz at Albertson’s. Ingredients and flavors are comparable to Gerber, but the foods cost less and labels can be saved and redeemed by children’s hospitals for money. I got a nice thank-you note from one of Denver’s children’s hospitals for sending in labels – it felt nice! Gerber foods are available for less at the larger Wal-Mart stores, for example, a jar of meat sticks at the grocery store is $.95, but at Wal-mart the same meat sticks are $.75. Combine that with a coupon and your saving big! Beechnut – www.beechnut.com or call 800-beechnut. Gerber – www.gerber.com or call 800-4-gerber Heinz –800-872-2229 For juice, my pediatrician recommended buying frozen juice concentrate with no added sugar in pear or white grape. Then, re-constitute it ourselves as we needed on a per-feeding basis. This worked great and the juice really lasts! Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program A program designed to help NEEDY families. I copied the following directly from the WIC program website since I couldn’t say it any better: “The WIC Program Mission :To safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, & children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/ , here you can find out about the program, how to qualify, and state agencies. Medicines Doctors and pediatricians are frequented by major drug company representatives and are given many samples. From electrolytes to diaper rash ointment. Even if your baby is healthy, ask for these samples!!! You never know when that fever is going to spike and infant medicine is pricey, especially as a last minute purchase. Our pediatrician has a recipe for a homemade electrolyte supplement. If you are interested, please email me and I will send it to you. Check with your pediatrician first before administering, to make sure they give the ok for your baby. Again, our pediatric doctor recommended plain cornstarch for diaper and heat rash. It is usually found in the baking isle and is much cheaper than any ointment. Get a shaker that you can close up. Regular A&D, in the big tube, will last about 10-12 months and costs about $10. For the diaper bag, get a couple of samples of diaper rash ointment from your doctor and keep the opened tube in a zip lock bag. Toys, Books, and Misc. Supplies Everyone says kids play with wooden spoons and the boxes the toys come in – and you don’t believe it until you have your own child! I’m not saying hand your child the trash and say ‘go play’ but be frugal in this department. I say that as I look at my house covered with toys, but really, my son prefers a ball or a flashlight to most of his toys! The larger dollar stores and Big Lots! have great deals on toys and books! I found a dollar store in Houston, TX that carried thermometers, dosing spoons, nipples, baby toothbrushes, onesies, socks, outlet covers, and more for $1 each! There’s the old stand-by of garage sales and resale shops but don’t forget the library for books! Our library lets us check out books for 3 weeks, and we can even check out books on-line! Best of all, it’s FREE! Don't forget about your own cabinets! Plastic measuring cups, bowls, squirt bottles and pans are fun, too! Oh, www.babygenius.com offers two free children’s CDs for the cost of shipping ($4.95 I think). These are My Best Ideas I’m sure I have more ideas lost somewhere in my dusty brain! These tips won’t save you millions but hopefully you can make the transition of adding a baby to your life only moderately expensive instead of draining! Thanks for reading! Please remember to donate any unused or gently used baby items to local charities! The needy babies thank you!  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
