Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
The arrival of a new bundle of joy brings with it merriment and deep love. Adding children to our family changed me forever in ways I’ll never be able to describe. Indeed, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:1
Bringing home a baby also births a myriad of household expenses you never even knew possible. Whether you use cloth or disposable diapers, breastfeed or formula feed, there are costs no one ever pens in those baby books.
Nearly fourteen years ago, when we first discovered we were pregnant with the Princess Eldest, my husband and I stood in the aisles of the closest baby superstore, mouths agape. Did you really need all of this stuff to raise a healthy and happy kid? Honestly, it was a rookie mistake. We should have never darkened the doors or rolled down pathway after pathway filled with gear and adorable clothes alone.
Every new mom (and even some of us who are more, ahem, seasoned), needs a mentor – someone who has walked the same road and can help you avoid the pitfalls and potholes both when it comes to physical parenting and when it comes to financial parenting. Here are five strategies to save money when you have a baby in your life!
Register with a Pro
A first time parent with one of those price-scanning guns can be hazardous. Every adorable onesie, ever ridiculously overpriced high chair, every gadget, gizmo, book and DVD guaranteed to generate a baby genius right before your very eyes. If you’ve never had an infant in your home before, do yourself a favor. Take a seasoned veteran who you trust (think: someone’s parenting you admire) to help you with the process of registering. You’ll soon learn what you really need – practical items – and what you can do without (yes, I totally registered for that wipe warmer and it dried them out every single time).
Register for Primarily Practical Items
Listen, I get it. I’m the woman who registered for insanely expensive burp clothes to match the nursery and then NEVER used them because I didn’t want to ruin them. Technically now they function as blankets for the Princess Youngest’s dolls so it wasn’t a total waste, right? On the flipside, I also registered for items like baby shampoo (we didn’t have to buy any for close to three years), diapers, and wipes, too. Think day-to-day basics over the adorable clothes. Pick one or two fun items because you know that baby’s grandparents will want to spoil it rotten, but then focus in on practical. Just promise me, you’ll actually use the burp clothes, OK?
Diapers from Amazon?
You can buy anything on the mammoth online retailer Amazon. Believe it or not, their stock includes great prices on diapers, too. In particular, you will want to check out the Amazon Mom program that offers a subscription based pricing system for diapers. Many times when combined with coupons, you can snag prices much lower than in stores and Amazon has also created a new generic line named Amazon Elements. Currently, they stock well priced wipes but eventually the line will expand to include diapers, too. Begin every search by browsing Amazon’s online coupons to maximize your dollars. You can also register on Amazon (but use the same guidelines from above).
Keep Toys to a Minimum
If I was sitting across the table from 26-year-old Cherie right now, I would whisper gently and firmly, don’t buy toys for your children. Listen, I’m not a cruel killjoy. I love giving my children good gifts. But the toys? Somehow they mate and multiply like rabbits in the middle of the night. And don’t even get me started on alphabet toys. A minimum of 26 stinking pieces each time – do you even know what kind of torture that is for your feet in the middle of the night? I am certain that your child will be well loved even without a ride on scooter and a library of educational DVDs. He or she will grow up to be a productive member of society. But to save both money and your sanity, keep things minimal and be sure you truly love whatever it is you bring into your home. As a side note, I would also tell 26-year-old Cherie to invest in a little start up called YouTube in four years.
Make Your Own Baby Food
I’m far from being a granola mama, but one decision I’ll never regret is choosing to make all of our baby food with the Princess Youngest. The process was much easier than I thought it would be and the savings were crazy. You can easily slow cook fruits and veggies all day long, blend them up (I had a $4 food processor that did the trick just fine), and freeze in ice cube trays. The process is painless and totally worth it. Certainly you can pick up a jar or two to keep on hand for outings; however, making your own baby food allows you to introduce the tastes of your household early in a child’s life and saves you money, too.
Parenting can be daunting. You need someone’s voice to help you find your way when you’re confused and overwhelmed. The average cost of raising a child from birth to adulthood costs approximately $250,000 (gulp, good thing it’s spread over 18 years, right?). You’re anything but average though. With some wise planning and counsel, you can raise an amazing human being without going bankrupt in the process.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
