How to Save Money on Baby Clothes + Diapers

image by m_bartosch from freedigitalphotos.net

Babies triple their birth weight during their first year of life. This means they will quickly outgrow any clothing that you buy ahead of time. It is not easy to predict baby’s growth spurts. There are ways that you can spend less for baby clothes and diapers. Read about the popular ways that mom’s save money on baby items.

Online Auctions

Online auctions are a great way to save money on name-brand and gently worn clothing. Be sure to buy from reputable sellers to avoid a bad purchase. Do not get into a bidding war where you end up paying too much. Online auctions are also a great way to buy everything else your baby needs such as strollers, baby blankets and more.

Borrow Baby Clothes

You can also borrow used baby clothes from friends, coworkers or family members. If you know someone who has recently had a baby, then inquire as to whether you can borrow some things. Then, when your baby is older, you can let someone borrow your baby things. Take good care of any borrowed items and return them promptly after you are finished using them.

image by Supertrooper from freedigitalphotos.net

Sew Your Own

You can easily learn how to sew by taking a class at a nearby community center. You can also watch online videos that teach beginners how to sew. You can save a lot of money on baby clothes by purchasing fabric and notions on sale. Focus on sewing baby items like baby quilts or diapers that your baby will use for a long time. Infant baseball hats is a great example of using your sewing skills for specialty items.

Cloth Diapers

There are many reasons for using cloth diapers including saving money and the fact that they are better for the Earth. Disposable diapers may take up to 500 years to biodegrade in landfills. They are cost-effective and save you up to $2,000 compared with disposable diapers. You can also resell your diapers at online auctions when you are done.

Determine whether you will wash the diapers on your own or use a diaper service. Cloth diapers contain no harsh chemicals, babies get fewer diaper rashes and earlier potty training. You also have the choice of fabric selection and a secure fit. They are available for sale in cute colors, prints and patterns for both girls and boys. Whether you sew cloth diapers on your own, or you purchase them online, you will save money.

Mum’s two cents

The things mentioned above are fool-proof ways to save on baby clothes and diapers. Can you imagine how much you can save when you opt for cloth diapers instead of buying packs of disposable diapers each week? It is also important to get the baby only the essentials during the first few months as they will eventually outgrow these pieces of clothing sooner than you expected. Raising babies might be expensive but budget-savvy and practical mums can still find creative ways to save up by spending only on what are absolutely necessary and scrimping on optional items such as toys and other items.

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88 Comments

  1. These are all good places to do just that. With my first child, I had to have everything new and bought way too much.Good idea to check other avenues to save a buck!!!

  2. I am long past having babies, but have a couple of granddaughters who are also outgrowing diapers and are into clothes they fit in for about a year now. Great tips here for a new or expectant mom, though.

  3. These are all great ways to save on clothing for babies. My favourite party of social media is just being able to put it out there what you are looking for and bam someone replies who has it.

  4. It’s been years since I had babies around the house, but I do remember all the money I spent on clothes. These are great tips for new moms.

    1. Thanks. Some mums tend to go overboard and go on a buying spree for the cutest baby apparels, not realizing the little bundle of joys will outgrow them sooner.

  5. When mine were little I went the cloth diaper route for awhile but broke down to buying them. That was 20 years ago however and now there are so many wonderful services, and products for cloth diaper uses that didn’t exist “back in the day”. If I had a grandchild I would encourage my daughter to use cloth diapers. Great article and great tips!

    1. I also opted for disposable diapers with my little man, if I were to have another baby, I will make sure to invest on quality cloth diapers, instead. It is not only good for the budget but for the environment as well.

  6. Oh if I get pregnant again, I absolutely want to remember this.
    The moms in my group really can benefit from this information.
    Thank you for sharing!

  7. Some are these are really good ideas. I am pregnant right now and I have been saving IMMENSE amounts of money by couponing and receiving rebates from IBotta!

  8. What a timely post! Our first grand baby is just four months old – it’s amazing how much they grow and change in those first couple of months. There’s nothing wrong with gently used items – great way to save $’s. Great post!

    1. Yes they do and it is a shame to get several dozens of onesies at a time when they will outgrow them sooner than we imagine. I hope there are more thrift shops around.

  9. It is great to know that many mommies are using cloth diapers. It is economical and nature-friendly.

  10. I never thought that you can sew your baby’s own cloth diaper. It is good to hear that there are many great options to save money for our little ones.

    1. If you have the talent, then you might as well do it. My Mama used to sew simple blouses and shorts for me and my sisters when we were younger.

  11. My wife insists of using cloth diapers and it really helps us saved money from using disposable diapers. Glad I listen to her.

  12. Baby clothes and diapers are so expensive anymore! Being able to save money is always a blessing.

  13. Having a baby can be pretty expensive, sometimes, there will be unexpected expenses as well. It’s good to save as much as you can, especially on clothes since it will only be a matter of time before they outgrow them. These are awesome tips!

    1. I have only tried using diaper insert while I was potty-training my little man and they are good. I would love to go full-time on cloth diapers on my next baby 🙂

  14. It’s been a tradition to borrow clothes from other people. Being the youngest, I was the one who catches all the old clothes my siblings wear so I don’t really get news stuff that often. It helps us save money.

  15. These are some nice alternatives for the usual solutions. However, I don’t recommend borrowing clothes easily, it depends if you really trust your lender’s judgement because it might backfire on you when it comes to “being able to handle the kid”. I’ve seen it happen in a bad way and I’m just passing some friendly advice.

    1. Yes borrowing clothes from others is really based on how much you know and trust the person you are borrowing from. After all, a baby’s skin is way much sensitive that grown ups’ that we ought to be careful with what we put in contact with it.

  16. It’s very fulfilling to buy baby’s clothing and accessories but your article will do good. It’s very true that saving for this purpose could regain your financial status after hospitalization. Keep on posting this kind of article because it helps.

  17. We’ve been using cloth diapers for more than a year now and it really saves us from shedding a lot of money in buying disposable diapers.

  18. These are all great ideas. I think it’s very important to save money on clothing and diapers. I remember going through diapers like crazy when my girls were in diapers. Saving any way possible on anything is great.

  19. The disposable Diaper is such a revolutionary idea, making parents’ work so much easier. However after just the first generation of kids, this caused massive pollution all over the planet. It will take a lot of time and effort to convince parents to go back to cloth, unless the disposable diapers are completely banned.

    1. I guess governments ought to impose a ban on disposable diapers and soon, imagine how much space these non-biodegradable stuff occupy in our landfills and they won’t even decompose! I am guilty of using disposable diapers, too, but vows to use only cloth diapers if ever I will have another baby.

  20. Our parents used cloth diapers for us before. Although it’s more hassle to wash and dry every time the baby wets it, it is more cost effective and safer for the skin.

  21. My mom and her sisters actually shared our baby clothes. I remember my brother and sisters would wear hand me downs, and when we’re older, my mom gives them to her sisters for her kids to use, that way the baby clothes aren’t wasted!

    1. Yes, that’s a great way to maximize use of the clothes. I also gave away the clothes outgrown by my little man to my neighbors so her smaller kids can still use them.

  22. I never get shy on borrowing nor asking my friends and relatives to give or lend me their old baby clothes of their kids. Either my kid will use it or will ask them to help me raise for donations for foster kids here in Manila

    1. Apart from the savings, they do not have to worry about chemicals that may harm their baby, which are normally present in disposable diapers.

  23. My family used cloth diapers when I was young too! I think in future, for my kids, I will want them to use them too, not just to save money, but because it’s more environmental friendly!

  24. A friend of mine is crazy over cloth diapers, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it. Anyway, yeah, I think I’ll go for online auctions since second hand baby clothes are usually always new. Some of my kids’ clothes were hand me downs from friends…and they shared clothes too since they aren’t too far apart in ages and sizes. You would rather spend that money on something more like taking them out or healthy food.

  25. Thanks for the tips. I think its easier to save on the baby clothes than diapers. Anyway, children grow up very fast, they wear the clothes for few months then have to change to a bigger size already.

  26. Great tips, reading this made me so appreciative my daughter is out of diapers. I do not miss those days! lol

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