Q: You guys are so good with money I wondered if you’d consider sharing some of the ways you kept from bleeding money once you had Clara. I’ve heard that having a baby and buying all the baby stuff can set you back a few years’ worth of savings and I’m scared! But I’m sure you have figured out a few ways to be frugal without skipping a beat when it comes to providing everything that Clara needs. As you love to say, do tell! – Megan
A: The good news is that we actually expected that having a baby (and setting up the house for one) would be a lot pricier than it actually was. Of course every parent’s experience is different (especially when it comes to how many hand-me-downs you might get lucky enough to inherit, or how many registry items you’ll be fortunate enough to receive) but after lots of expert-mom-&-dad-interviewing we definitively concluded that we didn’t need every baby gadget on the market. Not even close. And with a little bit of strategy you can hopefully figure out what you really need, what you can skip, and what you’ll likely receive from others (so you don’t end up with too much of one thing and not enough of another).
Of course parenting is an extremely personal thing, and what works for us won’t necessarily work for everyone, but here’s the rundown of all the things that we did to save money without sacrificing an ounce of fun or comfort for Clara.
We Resisted The Baby Clothing Draw- We heard time and time again from pro moms & dads (we’re talking 3+ kids) that clothing is such an easy thing to go overboard on and that many (many) friends and relatives will buy you cute outfits of all sizes- so many that there’s little need to stock up for yourself. Of course we couldn’t resist a few adorable outlet onesies (or this cute 4th of July outfit from Old Navy) but for the most part we tried insanely hard to dodge the baby shopping spree bullet. And all that willpower was worth it. Those expert parents were 100% correct. Clara ended up with more outfits than Mariah Carey thanks to hand-me-downs from relatives and an astronomical amount of adorable clothing from generous friends and family members who wanted to welcome her to the world. Seriously, the girl’s clothing cup runneth over.
We Registered For The Biggies- We crossed our fingers that friends and family members would go in on some of the larger items on our registry together, so we resisted the urge to scan every cute onesie, sleeper, book, and stuffed animal that we saw in the hopes that we’d receive more “needs” than “wants,” which are always higher up on the priority list. Amazingly, we got our Ergo carrier, our swing, our stroller, our car seat and our Angelcare Monitor from our registry! Seriously, we could not have been more thrilled. So our tip would be to register for big things because you’ll inevitably get clothes and books and toys anyway- but it feels amazing to check the big expensive things off your list. And you’ll think of all your generous friends and family members who came together to get those necessities for you every time you use that stroller or that car seat (we do!). See which specific stroller and other items we chose for Clara by perusing this post.
We Accepted Hand Me Downs (With Caution)- There definitely aren’t any shortage of baby toys and gear to be seen at Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby, but what surprised us most was how many friends and family members came out of the woodwork to offer us Bumbos, Boppys, and bouncy seats galore! In fact, our tip would be to see what hand-me-downs might present themselves (before registering for things or buying them for yourself) since that’s a super easy way to save some major moolah. But our second tip would be to use restraint when it comes to accepting freebies from those kind friends and relatives (to avoid having a house full of every single contraption imaginable with no room for the actual baby!). While we were offered many amazing items, we thought long and hard about what would most likely work for our lifestyle and reminded ourselves that we could always request things after Clara came home if the need for them later arose. In the end, aside from hand me down clothing, we only accepted one hand-me-down sling (which Clara loves by the way), one gently used Boppy (so convenient), one nearly-new Bumbo (where Clara loves to sit and “read”) and a doorway jumper (check out how much she adores that here). And those four items alone would have set us back over $150, so we’re glad to have them!
We Bucked Conventional Baby Gear- One way to keep our small house from getting overrun with baby stuff and to keep money in our pockets was to go back to interviewing those expert moms and dads about what they learned that they could live without. Time and time again they told us that big expensive highchairs were no more effective than a smaller (and much cheaper!) booster seat with a tray. Duly noted. We also heard that investing in one do-it-all stroller was a lot more space efficient and cost effective than getting a string of strollers for each stage of baby development. These two tips alone saved us at least two to four hundred bucks (!) because they enabled us to confidently pick up a $25 booster seat and a single one-size-fits-all stroller that will last until Clara is done with it (which we were lucky enough to receive as a gift from our registry). See which specific stroller and other items we chose for Clara by perusing this post. Update: We later invested in a jogging stroller since our do-it-all-stroller couldn’t fill that function, but never bought/needed a snap n go stroller or an umbrella stroller, so it’s helpful to really consider what you’ll use before buying them all.
We Saved Every Penny With Clara’s Name On It- We set up a 529 fund within two weeks of taking Clara home from the hospital and we’ve diligently been investing every single welcome-to-the-world check that she’s received. We’ve also decided that we’ll save a set amount of money each month for her there, which will help to pay for her education after years of tax-free interest collecting.
We Returned The Surplus- We learned that to best provide for Clara without breaking the bank we couldn’t be shy about returning extra clothes and repeat toys and books that we received for necessities like wipes and disposable diapers (before Clara was big enough to fit into her cloth dipes). We learned that diapers and wipes are two things that are rarely given as gifts but you use them the most so they’re super high on the necessity list! We also considered the season of clothes that we received before removing the tags. For example, summer dresses labeled “six months” won’t be useful to Clara since she’ll be six months old in the dead of winter- so we exchanged them for some heavier clothing that she’ll really get some use out of).
We Try Before We Buy- We weren’t sure if the small travel swing that we received from our registry would be enough since we heard that some babies just go ga-ga for bouncy seats. So we borrowed one from a friend only to learn that Clara was not interested (as in she cried immediately upon being placed in the thing). Thank goodness we tried it before we sprung for one! And for those who might not have items as readily available from friends and family members, don’t forget that sources like freecycle.org, craigslist.org and even local thrift stores are a great way to score something that’s gently used for a lot less.
We Skipped The Bassinet- Of course this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but thanks to a tiny bedroom that wouldn’t safely accommodate any type of bassinet and a nursery that’s located extremely close by (just six steps from our bed) Clara has been sleeping in her crib since day one (well, technically day four since we were in the hospital for days one through three). We even snapped this picture of her at her first “bedtime” after we took her home. They grow up so fast (sniffle).
Thanks to this crib-only phenomenon, we were able to save the cash that would have been put towards a bassinet and save the room that we would have devoted to storing it after she later transitioned to her crib. And we don’t know if it’s a coincidence but she’s a phenomenal sleeper. She slept through the night as soon as we were allowed to let her, at about 4 weeks, and currently sleeps 9+ hours straight (last night was an all time record from 9:30pm to 8:30am). We definitely believe that we just got lucky and ended up with a sleepy baby, but it also might help that she doesn’t get awakened by lights going on and off, parental tossing and turning, or Burger’s snoring since she has her own little haven across the hall.
We Milked Mother Nature- I know that not everyone chooses- or is even physically able- to breastfeed, but I really hoped I could make it happen. So months before Clara was born I spent time reading up on the subject online and even took a free class at my local hospital so I’d have the best possible chance. Thankfully it worked out! And Clara and I very much enjoy that time together (every few hours during the day- she’s a hungry girl!). Not only is it some pretty great mommy-beanette time, it’s also a fantastic way to save about $140 a month (which is roughly the average cost of formula). We also plan to make as much of our own organic baby food as we can when the time comes. Should be interesting!
We Saved Our Butts (And Covered Clara’s) With Cloth Diapers- Read all about that decision (and how much we saved) right here. Oh and we switched detergents so there’s an update on that in the post as well.
We Pared Down- We actually bought a video monitor and also received the Angelcare monitor that we registered for, but we quickly realized that we only needed the Angelcare monitor and happily returned the $200 (!) video one since we could hear her so well thanks to the audio function of the other monitor (and the sound of her breathing was more assuring to us than squinting at the video monitor and trying to see her chest rise and fall (which was pretty much impossible). Of course some other parents love video monitors more, so it’s not really about one type being better than the other, the point is that we definitely didn’t need both! And after some great advice from John’s sister (master momma of three) I got a single breast pump instead of double pump to save over $200 (especially since two of my friends with a double one confessed that they usually only use one pump at a time anyway). Little adjustments like one monitor instead of two and a slight downgrade in the pump department happily didn’t interfere with our lifestyle at all, but these two changes alone kept $400 in our pockets!
We Bought Three Bottles- Yup, three. Not three of one size and three of the next size and a bunch of different nipples. Just three with newborn nipples. And sure enough we’ve only needed those three. In fact we probably could have gotten by with two. Since Clara’s on an 100% mommy’s milk diet, we just use bottles for the very rare occasions when I pump (which I only do when we’ll be traveling for hours in the car and want to avoid having to stop for a feeding). Of course those who don’t work from home may need a ton more bottles on hand, but the idea is to evaluate what you can skimp on and give it a try, even if it’s something else.
We Got Our Coupon On- This is a simple one. Never buy anything at Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby without a coupon. Buy Buy Baby takes those ubiquitous Bed Bath & Beyond coupons (they’re owned by the same company) and Babies R Us usually has coupons circulating (we even got a $5 gift card by friending them on Facebook a while back). Plus nearly every time you buy something at Babies R Us you get a 20% off coupon for the next time you need something, so keep those close and use them for large items to save a bundle.
We Remembered That The Store Would Still Be There- One of the hardest urges to ignore is this one: “I should buy this now, even though the baby’s not here yet, just so I’m prepared.” The truth is that people come out of the woodwork after the baby’s born, so if you desperately need anything you’ll have a relative or friend who’d be happy to save you a trip to the store since you’re so obviously busy at home. And the odds are that for every 20 items that you resist getting beforehand, you might end up needing two or three of them after the fact. So you can see how it’ll save you money and sanity by fighting the urge to buy twenty things and just going back for the two or three that you actually need once you’re sure that you need them. We’re so glad we didn’t cave and register for/buy things like a pacifier case or a a wipe warmer since we have happily learned to live quite well without them (although some people find those items to be amazingly valuable and could easily have lived without other things). The stuff that you end up “needing” is different for every family, so just wait it out a bit to see what those things will be for you! In our house Burger is by far the most amusing “toy” around anyway… Clara can hang out next to him for hours.
So to sum things up we just tried to take it slow, resist the urge to buy every single baby item that we saw, tried as many things as we could before we bought them, accepted hand me downs (with restraint), and registered for the big stuff that we needed instead of the cute stuff that was in the “nice to have” category. We opted to get one stroller instead of three and also snagged a booster seat instead of a big pricey (and tough to store) highchair. And we realized we couldn’t avoid diapers but we found a way to make it more affordable (and, dare we say it, fun). Of course we’re only four months into parenthood so we’re hardly experts – especially on a subject that’s so subjective and personal – but those are a few of the approaches that worked for us. Now we’d love to know how you guys save money when it comes to kiddos. Do you DIY anything? Or forgo purchasing certain items that you’ve learned you don’t need? We’d love to hear what works for you.
Psst- Want to read our Save It series (about all things non-baby) from the very beginning? See how we save cash whenever we can here, here, and here. And for even more penny pinching ideas, visit our Projects page and scroll down to the Money Saving Tips category.
Pssssssst- Don’t forget to check out our weekly BabyCenter post right here, which is all about how the heck we sort, store, and keep baby clothes under control.
Kayt says
I’d like to add that if you don’t have friends and family that can give you the sillier things like a swing, bouncy seat, or bumbo, you can usually find those on Craigslist for a steal. I started stalking CL for all those things as soon as I knew I was pregnant. I looked for more compact things, and with ridiculous price limits. I got a swing for $10, the cover just needed washing. The bouncy seat I scooped up for $5. Never ended up with a Bumbo. I figured if my son didn’t like them, I could easily scrub them down and resell them on CL for the same amount I paid, and if he did love them, I got a great buy!
We also bought a highchair at a second-hand baby store that came with a light-up toy that snapped onto the tray for $30. It was a great purchase for us, because I loved to push it into the kitchen while I was cooking and chat with him while he played with the toy or snacked well out of harm’s way of the stove or oven. It has wheels on it, and folds up flat, so when we have parties, we stick it behind a bookshelf. Obviously, the booster seat works for you guys, but I just figured another perspective is nice to hear. ;)
Megan says
These are great tips! I found a lot of great, cheap clothes at used clothing sales – there are several parenting groups in my area that have bi-annual sales of gently used clothing and gear, and I scored tons of $1 outfits for my daughter. It can be a zoo, but worth it. She gets SO DIRTY (in a good way) at daycare, that I couldn’t rationalize sending her to school in a $40 outfit that would come back stained. EBay is also great.
I’ll also add that from the beginning, we used cloth wipes for “wet” changes, and disposable wipes for “dirty” changes. So easy.
Katie says
My husband has been fabulous about keeping us in the clear when it comes to baby stuff. The one thing we really splurged on was our stroller. In converts into a double which is a good thing since baby number 2 is coming this winter. I’m glad we bought a nice stroller. Other than that, we do cloth diapers and I try to resist the adorable girl clothing!
calliope says
I like your easy-going-logical-calm-enviromentally-friendly approach.
Because it works, and I, can assure that!
What drives me crazy is the amount of clothing my son has in his closet. He could easily get by with just 1/3 of those. And mind you, I’ve only bought (some of the) socks and panties! They are all gifts.
And the one item I still use all the time is the chest of drawers/changing station, and my back is thanking me!
Tiffany says
My husband’s sister gave us hand-me-down clothes galore, and that has saved us so much!! We moved (for hubby’s grad school) right when we found out we were pregnant with our first, and friends were wonderful enough to throw us a shower back home when we visited later for a wedding. Because we had a small apt and couldn’t take a bunch of baby gifts on the plane to go home afterwards, we had a gift-card shower. Not overly exciting for people to watch us open (not so much ooohs! and aaaaahs!), but it was the best idea – we could buy only what we needed (no extraneous or well-intentioned gifts), only what would fit in our apt, and we had $$ left over for 7 months for diapers and wipes and the random other things that came up. The other thing we did was nix the crib purchase. Instead we used a pack-n-play. They’re easily portable from room to room (good when baby doesn’t have her own room), and when you travel, it packs up to go with you. And then there’s not a large piece of furniture that’s only used for a year or so that later has to be hauled off. We also nixed the changing table – the floor works for us! :o) But I love the repurposing of the dresser for that. If we had the space at the time, that’s what I would have done. Next time, though, I’d add the cloth diapers and maybe even cut up old t-shirts to use as wipes to cut out that expense, too.
Jessica M says
Wow!! I know this post is going to come in so handy in the future. Thank you for all of the valuable information.
Kate D. says
Great post! We did a lot of the same getting ready for our baby, who is two months old today! :) We LOVE our Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers, especially with all the sunshine lately…save even more money by drying them in the sun which gets rid of any stains!
Question…where did you get your bottle rack? I’ve been looking for something that actually looks nice out on the counter, and yours is awesome! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
It’s from Target (in store, not online). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Was it an easy decision to stay home once you had Clara? Do you enjoy it or do you ever miss working outside the home? Trying to decide for myself as we prepare for a beanette down the road :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Melissa,
I’ve actually worked from home for the last four and a half years (I was a freelance advertising copywriter before transitioning to the blog thing) so it was an auto-pilot decision for me. I definitely think it’s improtant for anyone who stays home to get out and talk to real people often to avoid feeling isolated or stuck (especially if you’re used to a bustling office like I was when I worked at an agency in NYC). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Larissa says
You guys are amazing! I’m seriously crying reading this post (pregnancy hormones?). I’m due with my first baby in March and so excited about doing things simply. You and the other readers who comment have saved me so much time and worry with this and your cloth diapering post! Thank you all a million times over!
Julie says
Hey Guys,
Clara is just too darn adorable and I know she’s a huge part of your life, but the amount of baby posts can be a bit hard to take for those of us that have tried to have a baby and failed miserably… fertility treatments and all. I’m not asking for no posts or even for you to cut back on them because she’s a HUGE part of your life… and I totally get that, but I thought I’d just bring another side to this just in case you haven’t thought about it. I love your blog but a lot of the entries post bambino don’t relate to those who don’t/can’t have kids.
Just a thought. Glad you guys were able to save so much though the pregnancy. That’s awesome.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
Thanks for your thoughts! And we’re so sorry to hear about your fertility trouble. We admit that it’s a hard balance to strike when it comes to how much Clara talk there should be around here (since some people demand more quite regularly while others are fine without any baby mentions). With that in mind, we decided that we would answer commonly asked questions about baby related things every once in a while since we do our best to answer questions in general. And it seems like if there’s a demand, we don’t want to refuse that info when many people are asking for our point of view on the subject. Of course we aim to keep the majority of our posts baby-free because home improvement and decor have always been our true passion, but you’re right when you say that she’s a huge part of our life. And since our blog is mainly about chronicling our life and our home’s evolution, she and Burger definitely work their way into that territory. Hope that explains why we do what we do!
xo,
s
erin says
I hear you on the bottles! I went back to work when baby was 4 months old (and was subsequently laid off 6 weeks later, BUT.) and even so had more than enough bottles for our exclusively-breastfed daughter. (My double electric pump was a godsend at work though – definitely something you should evaluate your needs about!) I have a big box of bottles – many unused – in the garage now, waiting for the second baby… and who knows if that baby will even need them. Sigh.
Another thing to consider is consignment sales. Out here in California at least, there is an organization called “Just Between Friends” that holds huge consignment sales twice a year. Pregnant parents and those with babies under 1 year get an early-bird pass. I picked up a couple wonderful toys for my kiddo for very very inexpensive, as well as a $30 wipes warmer for only $5. Such a splurge that we did not “need,” but it is so nice with the cloth wipes. :)
Cherri says
As a fellow breast feeder, we intended to do the homemade babyfood, but my kid just wasn’t interested. Actually, he wasn’t interested in anything that wasn’t breast milk until about a year. And this is not uncommon. If you’ve got the time to feed them until they are full, they can get their full nutrition from the milk. By the time he was a year, there wasn’t much grinding or mushing needed we couldn’t do with a knife or fork.
katie f. says
good tips! I have a 5.5 month old myself and I agree on much of it. For work in the office breastfeeding moms though, a double pump is a must. You produce a lot more milk pumping both at once and it helps keep your supply up. Just my 2 cents. I’ve been back at work for 1.5 months and still 100% breastfeeding, and I think the double pump is key to that.
My other tip is for moms who disposable diaper (I tried to do cloth – but it just didn’t work for our baby) Amazon Mom is a great program – 30% off diapers and wipes with free 2 day shipping :)
Jenna says
I’m due with baby #3 next month and I have to say one of my favorite ways to save is buying used: Craigslist, Goodwill, and baby/kid consignment stores.
After two boys our stroller had seen better days and wasn’t functioning as well anymore as it should have. So…We knew we needed to replace it. I really, really wanted a Bugaboo – because hello! gorgeous and amazing – but oh the price… There was no way. I stalked Craigslist for months (literally) and just scored a you’d-never-know-it-had-been-used Bugaboo for $150! Rock on!
I also love my local consignment store, and they even run great specials like BOGO shoes and Buy Get One 50% all items. I scored brand new shoes for free and a diaper bag for $2. Can’t beat that!
Jennifer B says
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU!!! I am 17 weeks along, and struggling with what to register for and what not to, and oh the research seems to confuse me more. Thank you for your fabulous advice, and practical wisdom. I am going to change a few things on my registry right away!
My one question: I looked at the stroller you all choose, and it does not have the ability to pop in the infant car seat. Is this a major hassle? We pretty much have a very similar lifestyle to you guys, I work from home, hubby works for an airline is is home a lot as well. We also live in an older neighborhood where we will be taking walks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
In the fully reclined position with the addition of an infant Snuzzler insert it’s newborn ready! Clara’s been riding in it that way since she was 10 days old!
xo,
s
Ashley says
So in the nursery reno post you say that the woven ottoman was something you already owned… Do you happen to remember where it is from? I’ve been envisioning something just like that for our new bath! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ashley,
It was actually from Michael’s on clearance. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
We just had our baby (11 days before Clara I believe), and we instinctively used many of the tips you have listed. We decorated her room inexpensively using “oops” paint. My dad made her crib. I refinished her dresser, and other DIY projects of the like. (one day I hope to send pictures in to your blog)
As for all the baby stuff – we received so many hand me downs it wasn’t even funny! We actually accepted everything and the stuff we didn’t like (or rather our little girl didn’t like) we passed on to others or have saved for possible use with baby #2 (we definitely want at least one more, and we have a big storage area in our unfinshed basement). We’ve also been cloth diapering, breastfeeding, and will make our own baby food when the time comes.
I do have to agree with Jenna about the double pump. If you are a working mom and want to continue with breastmilk only, that $200+ purchase will be one of the best you make!
Thanks for all the tips.
Christin says
I know this has nothing to do with babies or savings, but I came across these online and thought of you guys. White ceramic pumpkin salt and pepper shakers!
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=17501577&RN=858&
Laurie says
Great post. We brought home our baby girl last Thursday and the lifesaver for me has been the Graco travel lite crib. It is basically a half-sized pack and play that is very light weight (I had a c-section, so lifting and maneuvering the big pack and play isn’t happening), doubles as a bassinet and fits in our kitchen, living room, dining room-pretty much anywhere we are. Highly recommend it!
Kasaundra says
This post was so fun to read through! I was so crazy when it came to getting everything ready for my babies that it’s nice to read that it’s possible to stay clearheaded.
You’ll do fine with the organic baby food! My 8 month-old twins keep me on my toes but I still manage to squeeze in time for making baby food. Thankfully you won’t have as much of it to make!
I’m so glad you mentioned accepting gifts from friends and family. I think first-time parents can go a little bonkers sometimes and buy out all of Babies R Us before the first baby shower! We did everything possible to resist the urge and were showered with second-hand gifts. Although in the frantic rush to prepare everything, we did get a little over zealous in accepting gifts. Now we’re left wondering what to do with 3 baby bathtubs!
kathleen says
Thanks for the fabulous post. We operate along the same lines and have less crap to schlep as a result. When I was pregnant, a good friend appeared with the first of many bags of her son’s clothes. Her view: Take all hand me downs – sort and pass on what doesn’t work for you. My extras go to our local women’s center.
Carla says
Great tips! I agree with the other comments, Craiglist ROCKS! Not only can you get great deals, but you can sell things you don’t plan on storing for future babies. And cloth diapers are totally worth the extra laundry. Oh, and I never bought a single bib, I just use flour sack dish towels!
Erin says
I can’t say I relate to much of your baby-related advise, since I don’t have baby…yet. However, I think it’s great that you mentioned the 529 plan. More parents should start those before their baby is a month old. I noticed that you didn’t say anything about a “Upromise” account. Do you guys have one, or have an option on them? They are great for those of us who aren’t parents, but still have student loans to pay back. Once you sign up and link a debit or credit card, certain restaurants and online merchants will give you a small percentage back to your Upromise account. (I’ve seen as much as 10%.) The earning can then be deposited into a 529 account or a Sallie Mae student loan. Publix, a grocery chain in Florida is also associated with Upromise, but I think most of the items you receive money-back for are baby related.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erin,
What a great resource! We don’t have one (we’ve paid off all college debts) but it sounds really smart!
xo,
s
Meredith says
I loved this post, thank you so much for your insight! As a first time mom-to-be, I am curious about your stroller and how infant friendly it has been. Usually you see the travel pack strollers with the carriers on top- which I plan to avoid since I hear the strollers themselves are not very good. How does your umbrella stroller compare as an infant stroller? Thanks so much for your help, I love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Meredith,
Since we don’t own the other stroller type that you referenced we can’t really compare ours other than to say we love what we chose and Clara has been happy about it too. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Julie says
Definitely make your own baby food. I never fed the jars to my children. Ick! I wouldn’t eat it myself. I found making your own baby food as simple as making sure we were eating something baby could have also (although at first I would cook baby’s vegetables longer than the ones we made for ourselves, now I don’t mind mushy carrots). We bought a little hand crank food mill that worked great for apples meat and lettuce, as well as cooked veggies. It can be really simple.
kate says
Great post – so great, it’s bookmarked. :) Just found out last week that my husband & I are expecting our first…due in May. Thanks for all the great tips – they’ll be put to good use, I’m sure! :)
Christina says
I think baby are not expensive at all if you plan and simplify. I have a 3 year old and a 4 month old. For both I used clothes I got at Goodwill for 50 cents a piece, a bouncy seat, car seat and a Jumperoo that we bought off Craigslist for $30. We co-sleep by choice so no crib, bassinett, or pack-n-play. I breastfeed exclusively, so no bottles or pump. And we found that generic diapers work just as well as regular for us. Our only splurge is California Baby wash which lasts a long time and Pampers Sensitive Wipes (both our kids have sensitive skin).We also only buy ew car seats but if you get a convertable they last several years.
Anna-Katrin says
I’m not sure if these exist everywhere, but here in the Cleveland (OH) area there are kids resale events hosted in the Spring and Fall local early childhood PTAs and moms of twins groups. Although I didn’t know about them before I had my first, they have been great for finding new toys/clothes/gear as she grows, as well as for looking for double strollers and other gear we borrowed for her but is now in use by other babies as we get ready to welcome baby boy any day now!
jAG says
Thanks for all of the info. I have two questions regarding bottle-feeding your breast milk. Hopefully, they are not too personal. Do you feed Clara bottles in the car while its moving? Also, why do you and your friends only pump one side at a time? Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey jAG,
We have fed Clara a bottle in a moving car a few times (when we’re on very long road trips and don’t have a safe spot to pull over I’ll sit in the back next to her and hold it for her). As for why my friends and sister in law pump one side when they have a double pump I have no idea! I would have thought doing both at once is easier but maybe they don’t want to connect everything or use all the piping so they just use one pump because it’s a simpler set up? Just a guess!
xo,
s
K (Barking BabyMama) says
Making baby food was much easier than I expected! You will love doing it!
Dana Hale says
We have a 14 month old daughter, and have followed many of the principles you mentioned. One thing we agreed on before she was born was to not let our house be overtaken with toys. So far, the things that hold her attention the most are battery-free: books, wooden puzzles, blocks, and household items like measuring spoons, etc. I think those types of toys allow for long-term use, exploration, and growth. She has played with the same blocks for months, and it’s been neat to watch her learn to stack them.
We received a lot of clothes at our showers, and over time it helped us realize what “too many” clothes looks like. I have purchased her upcoming fall/winter wardrobe for great prices and now I know when to stop. It also helps that boutique clothing really isn’t my style, so I avoid the expensive clothing and bows. Carter’s fits her body the best (long and lean) so we stick to their pieces as much as possible. I’m also putting some of our baby clothing surplus in a consignment sale in a few weeks to hopefully make a little money.
Bryanna S says
other options for saving money depending on the family is skipping the crib altogether and just co sleeping (family bed) not doing full cloth but doing elimination communication (only a few cloth as backup for when you ‘miss’ rather than a full time stash) and not doing special baby food but either pureeing what you are already eating or not doing purees at ALL and going baby led weaning (which is super cool, you give kiddos whole food at 6 months at the earliest (which should be the earliest for purees too) and just keep an eye on them and let them have as much or as little as they want til they phase out breastmilk sometime after one year) some kids don’t want solids til 10/11 months too so you can save money if you have a kiddo that isn’t interested in them :D
Also, be careful about bottle feeding in the car. Propped bottles can be risky sometimes and sudden jerks and bumps can make it riskier. I’ve done it myself so I’m not against it… ya just gotta be careful and very aware.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bryanna,
We never do a propped bottle, I sit in the back with her and hold it for her on the rare occasion when we do that. I definitely prefer to make a pit stop and nurse (which we do much more often) but sometimes if we’re taking a long trip and there aren’t any exits nearby we resort to that. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
chelsea says
Quick question, what section did you find those “mini sheepskins”? We were there over the weekend and I didn’t find them in the rug section. Although we didn’t go through the upstairs. Were they in the children section?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Chelsea,
They were in the rug section in our Ikea, but they’re in bins (not hanging on the wall or on the floor). There are a few bins of the read sheepskins and a few bins of the faux ones. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Bryanna S says
oh! one more money saving tip for people out there…
the medela breast pumps are good but very expensive if you can’t find a great deal on amazon or ebay etc. Ameda breast pumps are equally as good but usually cheaper, especially if you can find a good deal somewhere. Even cheaper brands also work well for many people too, including hand pumps but the ease of a pump that can work on battery AND being plugged in that allows you to control how hard AND how fast it sucks is really nice. I’ve used my ameda purely yours in the car before with great ease :D
katevp says
Great post! we are expecting our first in about 5 weeks! We have gotten most things off of our registry and a ridiculous amount of clothes for the 0-3 months size, but then we are a little lacking, however I am going through a friend’s baby clothes tomorrow to get some extras. My question is, with regards to not having a bassinet or pack’n play, what do you guys do when you travel? We live in an apartment and got a Graco Travel Lite Crib, which is basically a mini pack’n play, but we are a little worried that she’ll outgrow it a lot more quickly then a regular sized one.
Kate
Jen says
I’m working out of the house and only use 3 bottles too (I pump at work). With limited cabinet space, it’s really nice! When you are ready to start solids check out my blog. I have a couple posts about making healthy and yummy baby food. We had a lot of success with adding spices to our son’s food as soon as we knew he could tolerate the main ingredient. Now my one year old eats anything and everything. I really did not want to have a “picky eater” and so far so good! Plus, we have saved a boatload of money not buying the prepared food!
http://www.eatplaylaughoften.blogspot.com
Tiffany says
such a cute baby
XOOX,
http://outfitidentifier.com
Anne says
I found the book, “Baby Bargains” to be an outstanding reference for baby gear – including advice on what you really need and what you don’t. And you are right, every family is different – but it always helps to hear the details of what other families have done and pick what is right for you! So thanks for all the great info you guys post–home and baby-related!
Amanda Z. says
Sigh, I am so jealous! Our little guy arrived in January, and he is the ONLY boy in the family, and none of our friends have babies, so hand me downs do not exist. We get along quite well with the clearance rack at baby gap. We did register for our big items…. and got none of them! Except for the crib from grandma and a donated mattress, we had to buy our Chicco carseat, Maclaren stroller, packnplay, swing and jumper (which he LOVES at 7 months) all on our own dollar. Kinda sucked but oh well, he is a marvelous baby and worth every penny!
Amy @ Journey Mum says
We barely needed anything for baby #2. Since our kids are both in cloth diapers we bought one-size, so we can put either of them in the same diaper. We have two girls so can re-use clothes. For the first I had her clothed in all clothes that were gifts until around 18-24 months, then I looked online and bought a few different ‘lots’ of clothes that were dozens of outfits for a mere fraction of buying new. We still receive hand-me-downs. Also purchased our toddler bed and mattress used. I borrowed a bassinet from a friend, as well as an exersaucer, bumbo, jumperoo… anything you can borrow and return once your kid has outgrown it is great! The only big ticket items we brought this time around were an ergo (previously used a moby, but wanted something structured), a double stroller (bought on sale) and a baby monitor as we’d never used one before. The baby monitor I purchased from babies ‘r’ us using a coupon, plus they had a deal where they threw in a $60 diaper bag after you spent X amount. So I sold the diaper bag online and made even more money back! I buy almost everything used.
Diana says
Honestly, one of the biggest helps I’ve had in preparing for the little one (one week and counting!) has been YHL. I discovered your blog when you posted about your nursery and I’ve used so many of your tips, from downloading smart phone contraction or feeding timer apps to refinishing furniture instead of buying new. Also, you introduced me to Mythic paint, which, while it didn’t save me money, I ADORE IT.
Thanks, guys!
Elle says
Ikea has some simple, cute cribs that are sometimes a third the price of Babies R Us cribs.
Also, before shopping for clothes, I wrote down what season it would be when our daughter turned _____ months old, so I wouldn’t buy clothes for the wrong season.
One other thing, the breast pump companies warn against buying used breast pumps (of course they do!), but I bought one used and just sanitized every little part, and it was fine. It might be a little weird putting “your girls” in a used pump, but you can get over that once you remember how much money you’re saving!
Eileen says
Being a new aunt and an eventually mom, I can really appreciate your post. For that matter, I really appreciate your blog :) Thanks for all of the great info!
I agree with you about getting a stroller that will last all the needs of the kid, but friends are adamant about great a travel system is. I.E. that insert you can pull out of the car seat and fit into the stroller (handy when you’re shopping and the babe’s asleep when you get to the destination). I like the Joovy Kooper, but it doesn’t have that ability. How are Clara’s transitions from car seat to stroller?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Eileen,
It really is a non issue! We thought it would be super annoying actually (and were going to just borrow a snap n go from a friend) but we find that Clara is a great napper and sleeper in general, so transferring her from her seat to a carrier or her stroller is no big deal at all. And in the rare event that we don’t want to disturb her, for example if we’re having lunch at an outside cafe, we just bring her car seat and rock her gently on the ground in her car seat while we eat. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amy says
That is so great that you already have Clara’s 529 plan set up! What type of funds are you investing in? We are in the process of setting one up for our son, but there are so many different investment choices. We are thinking of a target date fund…thoughts???
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amy,
We’re not sure what a target date fund is since we think the names and terminology for the plans is different in every state, but we went with one that adjusts the portfolio based on her age (getting more conservative as we get closer to age 18). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
molly says
I gotta say, I think I have a much better perspective on baby items the second time around. For our first son I bought into everything that magazines and stores told me I “had” to have.
For our second baby it wasn’t the same situation. We only had one room for both babies and I had lost my job! Everyone was hoping I would have one of each. And I was not quiet about the fact that I was hoping for another boy. Why? Because we have absolutely everything we need. Seriously, if you can give Clara a baby sister someday you will save SO much money!
We re-using everything and because of our loss of income people really came through and let us borrow many things. And this time I wasn’t snooty about it. Because I realize that things get poop and spit up on them. Nothing is perfect! And all that pretty brand new baby stuff? Yeah, that won’t be perfect after the first year either.
We chose to cloth diaper and I am able to breastfeed this time around. I would estimate that we have saved thousands of dollars for our second baby.
I guess that’s one reason I can be glad that our house won’t sell. We live in a very tiny house. If we had moved to a big house I probably would have brought the Babies R Us store home with us to stay :)
Jennifer says
Oh my gosh. I’ve never had a baby, but I’m saving this post for when I do! I’m all about saving money so I REALLY enjoy your posts. Thanks AGAIN :)
Angie says
Fabulous post!!! Quick question–what kind of containers do you use to store pumped milk in? I’m due in January, and only breastfed my other two as well, but used plastic storage containers and bottles without a second thought. Now that I know better, I’m planning on buying a couple of glass bottles to feed with, but have only found plastic storage containers. I hate to use plastic, even if it does state BPA free. Is there another option? Love you guys–keep up the good work!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Angie,
I actually have never frozen milk. Can you believe that? When I very very occasionally give Clara a bottle on the road, I actually pump while we drive and then give her the bottle right away at that temperature without freezing or storing it. Crazy, I know! But we did plan to use those few glass bottles that we picked up for freezing if we needed to (they have a disk that seals them, so they can be frozen as long as they’re not overfilled, in which case the milk can expand too much and knock off the cap). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sally says
I love how cheap you are! I don’t have a baby, but as always I found your tips and attitude inspiring.
Cherie says
We were lucky to receive several of the big items (car seat, stroller, pack n play) from my parents and I’m a huge fan of Craigslist, garage sales, and consignment stores/sales so we’ve saved tons on baby stuff. I found a fancy boutique crib, travel swing, and Bumbo for great prices on CL and now that my son is 7 months we’ve already sold the swing and Bumbo for the same price we paid. We also use a free dresser (left behind by one of our tenants) for a changing table.
By combining coupons and sales, I pay next to nothing for diapers, wipes, and baby cereal and we received tons of baby wash, lotion, etc. as gifts. I got a book from the library on making homemade baby food and a friend passed her electric food mill and storage containers to me.
I love making food for my son. I save money and feel good that I know what is (and isn’t) in his food.
Katie @ Katie Beth Interiors says
Thank you so much for all the great advice. We don’t have any children yet, but are planning on starting a family in the near future and it is nice to hear some great ideas from parents who are already doing it!