How to Save For Baby: Plus, 28 Week Update

Time has been flying by lately. I don’t know if it’s because of this gorgeous weather or what, but I am loving it! It’s been nice to finally open up the windows and let the fresh air flow through the house. Plus, it’s ignited a cleaning spark in me, or I could be nesting. Who knows these days. All I know is that I have a clean house and it feels great!

In the meantime, we’re at 28 weeks (hello, 3rd trimester!) this week and we’re starting to get into the nitty gritty details of everything that needs to get done before baby comes. The nursery is all set for decorating and preparing now, we have finished painting, re-carpeting, adding custom shades, and setting up all the furniture. So, now it’s just the little details – which is a little bit of a relief!

We’ve been researching baby names and have come up empty, I’m hoping that changes soon because I feel so ill-prepared without at least a few names on-deck… Eek!

How to Save Money with a Baby

Alright, well as promised in the title, today I wanted to share some money-saving tips for having a baby. I’ve been trying to get prepared and get things ready lately without spending a whole lot, and I’ve learned a few things along the way!

1. Know what you’re looking for when buying diapers – I found a great chart from BabySavers.com that told me how much of each diaper size I should stock up on, and that’s been handy as I shop. Here’s what she recommends:
   • Size 1: 10 jumbo packs
   • Size 2: 15 jumbo packs
   • Size 3: 35 jumbo packs
   • Size 4: 35 jumbo packs
   • Size 5: 0-5 jumbo packs
2. Stockpile diapers when they’re on sale – This has been my saving grace for the last couple months and I know I will thank myself later. By taking advantage of store sales (namely CVS and Target) I’ve been able to stockpile a good number of diapers so far. Look for gift card deals at Target (such as buy two packs of Huggies and get a $10 gift card) and stack that with manufacturer coupons (which you can find online or in newspaper inserts on the weekend, or in previous packs of diapers) and store coupons for the maximum savings.At CVS, I watch for Extra Care Bucks deals, where you get something like $10 ECB when you buy $30 or more Huggies products. Use manufacturer coupons and any red box coupons to maximize your savings here. Typically, I aim to pay about $2.50 or less for the smaller packages of diapers, and $10-12 for a box.
3. Browse thrift stores and consignment stores for clothing – There is no sense purchasing brand new infant items because they get worn for such a short period of time, they just barely get used! Thrift stores are packed full of items that are barely worn, and you’ll pay a fraction of the cost that you would if you’d purchase new. The same thing goes for maternity clothing, it takes some digging to find the cute stuff, but trust me it’s out there!
4. Thing ahead to the things you will need – I am a huge deal hunter, so when I see things on clearance that I know will come in handy at a later time, I buy them. For baby, this has meant outfits for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. Think ahead to what their size will likely be at that time, and go for it! This is especially helpful for Halloween costumes…
5. Check on what your insurance will cover – I was surprised to hear that a breast pump would possibly be covered by my health insurance, but sure enough when I called, they said it was covered 100%! That saves me around $350, which is huge! I’ve also read that some insurances cover childbirth classes, and possibly even prenatal exercise classes – mine doesn’t, but it doesn’t mean that yours won’t!
6. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family – If there are things you need, it’s okay to mention it to friends and family, they might have those items that you need that they don’t use anymore. This might include things like a walker, a play mat, or even old clothes (if they’re not saving them for another child). Remember everything has a price though, so be sure to offer some sort of compensation to show you appreciate their generosity.

Do you have any more tips to add? Leave a comment below! You’ll be helping out fellow moms near and wide 🙂

Sarah