This is how we saved money preparing for our second baby. With our first baby born in 2008 I had a couple of baby showers and got everything we needed. Then I decided one child was plenty and to give many of my baby items away to relatives and friends. Then I lost 73 pounds and surprise we had our second baby this July, 2011. With myself having the only full time job and supporting my husband going to Northern IL University (ya only 2 years left!) full time bring in a small amount of money in with a part time job. I knew we needed to buy baby items but I didn’t want to pay full price. I set a budget and paid for everything in cash for my second baby. I need to buy clothes for my baby boy because our first child was a girl. I gave away my swing and other items. Some items I had given my mom so I could get those back. I wasn’t about to ask the people who I gave my baby items to for them back. Many did offer to give them back and I said no. I knew I could live with less.
I set a budget only pay cash and focus on the items that I want.
$30 for clothes (includes shoes, socks, winter coat, snow suit, bath towels & wash clothes) from newborn through 9 months. Most of my clothes we were blessed by people given us used and some new clothes, I used thredup.com (were I recieved a few free boxes of clothes with a deal they had going on earthday), www.freecycle.org, the rest I bought at garage sales, and a few items clearance.
8 baby bottles at a garage sale $1 . The only thing I had to buy new was the nipples for the bottles that cost $10.
4 pacifiers - $10
$0 for a borrowed baby swing!
$0 nail clips, thermometer, comb donated to us.
$4 baby lotion, baby shampoo, baby oil, baby powder - I used coupons to get these items for cheap.
$10 for a used car seat found at a garage sale.
$0 for stroller my daughters old one.
$9.79 for 504 Pampers Thick wipes every month from amazon.com -(Tip they don’t charge you tax and once you subscribe to Amazon Mom you get 30 percent off. Once you buy something on sale with amazon.com the sale price locks in for the nexts months delivery. )
$26.59 Luvs diapers size 1, 300 diapers (same thing this sale price now has locked in)
$3 baby Bumbo chair at a garage sale. Retails at $35 and up on Amazon.com
$2 baby bath tub, rubber duck, duck shower rubber bath mat and bath toy holder garage sale.
$0 Fisher Price 1-2-3 Rainforest musical gym borrowed
$0 baby receiving blankets, blankets, and bedding. A couple friends and family members gave us used bedding items.
$0 this is my daughters crib that we bought used for her at $100. Note if I waited longer my cousin would of given us her crib. But Miss 3 was my first baby and I want to get everything ready.
We receive coupons for formula from Gerber Good Start Gentle to make their formula cheaper we also buy coupons on Ebay and sign family members up for coupons so we don’t have to pay full price for formula. Also we ask the doctor every time we go if we can get a sample can.
$0 high chair it was my daughters and given to us as a gift.
$0 for nursery my daughter and son share a bedroom so it is already decorated. I think we spent maybe $100 on the room when my daughter was born.
The final cost for items for baby number 2 $71 for items.
Diapers and wipes cost $36.38
Formula a month cost ranges around $75 to $85 with coupons and Ebay buying.
So total cost baby for diapers, formula and wipes is $122. (note I do use the wipes for Miss 3 too).
