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Getting ready for a baby on a budget?
No worries! As long as you place a solid spending plan and do ample probing beforehand, you can — no doubt — be prepared for a new addition to the family without having to break the bank.
Exciting as it may seem, having a baby can also be scary especially if you don’t have enough financial resources. The stress that comes with it can be overwhelming when money is tight.
But again, it is not impossible.
With that said, I listed a few things to bring about down below for when you are planning to have a baby on a tight budget.
“Having a baby is a life-changer. It gives you a whole other perspective on why you wake up every day.”
~ Taylor Hanson
First things first. Let’s answer two of those nagging questions on your mind:
As long as you set up a dedicated rainy-day fund for surprises along the way, it is possible to have a baby when the budget is tight enough.
On top of that, consider paying off any debt before your baby’s arrival and make sure to have a strong support system.
The United States is among the most pricey countries to give birth to. You can be sure to spend an average of $18,865 during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to this study. This estimate doesn’t include out-of-pocket expenses that can add up to an average of $2,854.
In the first year alone, raising a baby can cost you $1,500 each month on average.
All things considered, plan to save $21,000 in the bank before having a baby.
What are 9 Cost-Effective Things to Do if You are Preparing for a Baby on a Budget?
1. Shop Garage Sales
Garage sales are a great place to find baby gears and clothing in excellent condition. You can get them for as much as sixty to eighty percent off of retail prices if you were to purchase the items brand new.
Toys, swings, baby tubs, even clothes with the tags still on them, can be found at garage sales.
Babies aren’t very rough on most of the things that they need so many of them still have a whole lot of life left in them once the baby outgrows them.
2. Prioritize Your Registry
Creating your baby registry is a lot of fun, but make sure to focus on products your baby will need and use.
To boot, your baby registry is also a chance for friends, family, and co-workers to help you with pieces that your baby will need in his first year of life.
A few good examples to prioritize registering for will be:
- diapers in a variety of sizes (if you will be using disposable ones)
- lots of inserts for diapers (if you plan to use cloth)
- diaper creams
- disposable baby wipes
- crib sheets
- baby gates
- stroller
- bassinet or crib
- car seat
You can certainly place more items but don’t worry about putting clothes or toys on your registry. You will get plenty of them as gifts whether they are on your registry or not.
The Best Baby Registries:
- Amazon Baby Registry
- Target Baby Registry
- Babylist
- Buybuy Baby
- Walmart Baby Registry
- Pottery Barn Kids
- Bed Bath and Beyond
- Kohl’s
Most, if not all, give away a FREE welcome kit with goodies (plus more!) you and your baby will enjoy!
✔️ Create an Amazon Baby Registry! There are millions of baby products to choose from, and you can also enjoy a welcome gift if you make one with them. Find out more about these perks.
3. Plan To Breastfeed
I am not telling you what to do here, so don’t get me wrong. I am just suggesting that you plan on it to save a lot of money in the first year of your baby’s life.
Breastfeeding for at least a few months can give you tons of opportunities to set aside some emergency funds for rainy days.
If you have insurance (state-funded or commercial), they could provide you with a free breast pump after your obstetrician writes you a prescription for one.
Another thing, there are ways to save money on formula if you are unable to breastfeed or simply don’t want to. One good way to save is to shop for generic formula brands or buy formulas in bulk from a discount store.
✔️ Planning to breastfeed? I strongly recommend investing in this step-by-step program that covers everything you need to know about breastfeeding in 13 simple videos. Stacey, a fabulous certified lactation educator, will show you the most productive positions for producing more milk. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to feel confident about breastfeeding. Don’t hesitate. Sign up right away! 🍼💪
Related article: Saving for Baby: An Easy-to-Follow Strategy
4. Sign up for Coupons
You can definitely save a significant amount of money by using coupons.
Most formula, diaper, baby food, and wipe companies offer coupons if you sign up for them.
Similac, Enfamil, and Gerber will all send you monthly coupons for savings on formula if you register your email with them.
Pampers, Huggies, and Luvs will send you coupons for diapers every month if you sign up for them too.
5. Join a Baby Club
You should also look into a few baby clubs that serve your area. Here are a few you can sign up for:
- Pampers Club — By now, you are probably getting boxes after boxes of diapers either as gifts from friends and family or buying them to stock up for the coming of your baby. You can download their app, start scanning codes in your Pampers packs, collect Pampers cash, and turn them into great rewards like gift certificates and such.
- Enfamil Family Beginnings — You can enjoy discount checks and digital rebates, and may be eligible for free formula samples when you become a member of Enfamil Family Beginnings. Sign up now for exclusive prizes, assistance, and savings of up to $400.
- Similac Rewards — Go ahead and join Similac Rewards to get up to $400 in great offers and support.
- Winn-Dixie Baby Club — If you live in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi, chances are you have a Winn-Dixie supermarket. Sign up for a free Winn-Dixie Customer Rewards Card so you can enroll in the Winn-Dixie Baby Club. You can enjoy benefits like digital coupons, bonus points, birthday offers, and more!
Additionally, some local grocery stores offer member savings as well. So grab the opportunity! Over time you will get coupons and savings for the items you buy the most.
You can also check out Amazon Family. If Amazon is still offering it, it can save you up to 15% on baby items like diapers and diaper creams when you Subscribe & Save.
There are a lot of baby clubs that give free baby stuff out there. Scour the internet for more if you must. There’s no harm in it.
Be an Amazon Prime member and enjoy super-fast delivery for everything including baby essentials! Sign up to try it here. Prime members get FREE 2-Day Delivery on millions of items. As a bonus, you can also stream movies and read kindle books at no extra cost.
6. Thrift Store
Another great place to search for baby gears like bouncers, swings, cribs, and bassinets when you are on a budget is a thrift store. You can also find books to read to your baby, strollers, infant carriers, and car seats in thrift stores.
You just have to verify the expiration dates and safety mechanisms on car seats and infant carriers before making your purchase to guarantee the welfare of your little one.
Related article: 29+ Necessities to Stock Up on Before Baby Arrives
7. Get Free Samples
Babies are a billion-dollar business each year. That means plenty of companies would want you to buy their product over their competitors’. In order to make this possible, they are more than willing to offer free samples and savings for you!
A simple internet search of free baby samples will give you plenty of products to choose from.
However, you may want to set up a different email just for the samples so that your inbox isn’t overloaded.
Another great place to get free samples for your baby is the hospital.
Be certain to ask your nurse if there are any samples available. Many hospitals give away a free diaper bag with diapers, wipes, diaper cream, pacifiers, formula, and more.
Even if you already have a diaper bag, take it. You can leave the one from the hospital in the car for when you forget something at home. (Trust me… You will!)
8. Accept Hand-Me-Downs
As soon as you let your friends and family know that you are expecting, it is most likely that they will begin showering you with baby gear and clothes that they no longer need.
The fewer items you have to buy new, the more money you can put away for future baby needs.
If you find that you have more than you need, you can always give them to an expectant friend or donate them to a shelter for women.
9. Consider Consignment Sales
Consignment sales are kind of like garage sales, except that they are much larger. You can usually find almost everything in consignment stores.
A little town may not have consignment stores, but chances are, a few is probably close by. You can often find them advertised in community Facebook groups or the local paper, and they are a great place to get gently used stuff for a really great price.
Related article: 13+ Items Not to Put on your Baby Registry
Last Words on How to Prepare for a Baby on a Budget
In conclusion, there are plenty of ways that you can do to get ready for your new baby without having to spend a fortune.
During those first few months, you don’t need much more than a few outfits, blankets, an infant carrier, a swing or bouncer, and somewhere safe for the baby to sleep.
Stop chasing shiny little things. Don’t fall into the trap of buying all of the “special” baby must-haves, unless you think that they are actually useful.
Quite honestly, if you truly need them, you can always purchase them after the baby arrives.
Plus remember this: “A healthy and happy baby is worth more than all the money in the world.”
You got this, Mama!
Talk to you later,
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