Saving Money With a Baby (Who doesn't need more money?!?)

I've been thinking lately how do we even have enough money to have children. James and I, well James now doesn't make a lot of money. We live the college student life. But we still have two beautiful children and we pay all our bills (unless I forget), and we are ok. 

I was also talking to a new expecting mother, and she found a calculator on what a baby will cost for the first year, 25,000$ for the FIRST year. Holy moly we never had that and we have two kids, we must be doing something wrong or something right. She said the majority of that is for child care, but hey that knocks off a lot but still children can be expensive, so here are a few things we do to save the greens.

Baby Products

Do you want the latest gear, and brand new stuff for each new baby? Then this isn't for you.

You can really get caught up with stuff that you think you need for a baby. There is this new product and this new product they help make your baby a genius or sleep through the night. A lot of them may help but arent necessary.

1.) Pacifiers 

2.) Crib or Play Pen

3.) Carseat

4.) Stroller

5.) Breast Pump

6.) Clothing

7.) Manicure Set/ First Aid

8.) Cloth diapers

9.) Shampoo

I think the things like the crib or clothing you can buy them used. There are so many places now that sell gently used things and they are over half the price of new stuff. I was given my crib for free and it is such a sturdy thing. I know IKEA has some great products that I love. 

One tip for buying products is to see if they will last for a while. I think you should buy good quality and things that adjust to a growing baby. Bassinets though beautiful seem pointless to me since the baby will only sleep in them for a little while, I think an adjustable crib is better.

I dont bottle feed so if you were to choose that route, which is just as amazing as nursing and still feeding your baby then add bottles and formula but I havent gone that route so I know next to nothing about it.

I forgot to add the mounds of blankets you will need. I love the gauze blankets, they are divine. 

There are alot more little things I use but I feel like these are the essential must haves.

Cloth Diaper

Look at that cutey

I think this is our numero uno biggest money saver. It may not be for everybody but I think it is from not knowing about them or hearing horror stories so not even trying it. I absolutely love cloth diapers, aside from being the cutest thing to hit a babies bottom, but the cost also, and the saving the environment factor is a bonus also. 

More on my love for cloth diapers in a later post...

Im only going to compare the price for a year cloth versus disposables.

Babies will go through about 3,000 diapers in the first year alone, and on average a disposable costs around .20 cents each. With cloth you need about 20, and the average is about 15$ a diaper.

With disposables you are spending about 600$ a year for diapers, and for cloth about 300$ and dont forget the diaper genie or diaper pail liners. 

So about half the price of disposable but the big kicker is you can reuse the diapers for the second year whereas with disposables you are going to have to buy 3000 more diapers. 

I make mine so they cost me like 3$ each, so I saved a bunch of money. Well worth it for me.

If you are curious about them just leave me a comment and I will answer any questions, I love them so and love to talk about them.

Nursing

If you already bottle feed then you can skip this section.

For different reasons mothers choose to nurse or bottle feed their babies. It is the mothers choice and whatever she chooses is what is right for her but let face it nursing is the cheap of the two. You will have to buy nursing pads and a cover (I use a blanket or nothing). But it is cheaper and easier than bottles. If you work or decide to pump then the amount you spend goes up because of bottles and bags and the pump. But then again this is how I save money and I nurse, and I absolutely love it.

I hope this helps. 

Babies are amazing and there isnt a need to stress over finances when you see those two little pink lines. There are always ways to save some money without have to buy cheap things,
which I think is the worst thing you can do.

Do you have any ways you save money with your babies?
Let me know leave a comment I would love to hear them 

xoxo Nicole