Kat’s Money Corner: Oh Baby! Saving while you grow your family
I am a little over halfway through with my second pregnancy and I can’t wait to meet our new little one. Having a second child is much different, financially, than having your first. It’s an opportunity to try things differently. From using cloth diapers to reusing items from the first child, the sky is the limit when it comes to saving on baby.
Bouncy Baby Bunting
My older son, Jack, has a birthday on January 7 and the new addition is due January 8. Not only will this save me money on birthday parties going forward, but we know that the new baby is also a boy. Since we saved the majority of Jack’s clothing, baby #2 has a big selection of outfits.
If you plan on having more than one child, keeping clothing for the next little one can save your family a lot of money in the long run. Consider buying more gender-neutral for basics like buntings, onesies and blankets. At the rate babies and toddlers grow, most clothing items or outfits have only been worn a few times and are still in great condition. http://www.littleme.com/categories/neutral.html
In fact, I can count on one hand how many “new” outfits I have bought for my 3-year-old. We purchase the majority of his clothes from Children's Orchard (http://www.childrensorchard.com/) as well as a few toys, chairs, books, sheets and diaper bags. Consignment and gently used clothing stores like this allow you to get new outfits for a fraction of the cost. Watch for annual consignment sales to get similar deals. http://www.overlandpark.rhealana.com. For any kind of furniture or travel piece, be sure to check belts and safety requirements for each item before purchasing: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html.
Cloth From Top to Bottom
Speaking of clothing, I have several friends who swear by cloth diapering. Make diaper research part of your nesting routine. When we were exploring our options with Jack, we chose to use disposables since we were using a daycare at 12 weeks. Through gifts and showers, we ended up having enough disposables for almost the entire first 12 weeks! Cloth diapers, however, can offer a huge money savings per month. http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2011/03/cloth-diapering-for-penniless-parents.html?m=1.
Our personal preference was Target diapers. We found them reliable yet affordable. If you prefer a name brand diaper, don't buy a single pack without a coupon. Ideally, being open to different brands and catching the best deals when they arise is the smartest way to shop for diapers. http://www.pennypinchinmom.com/?s=Diaper+Deals
No matter how you choose to clothe and diaper your little ones, you’ll get the most benefit out of doing your research and finding out what works best for your family.
Kat's Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little one, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, click http://twitter.com/savinmavens.
This story was originally published October 8, 2014 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Kat’s Money Corner: Oh Baby! Saving while you grow your family."