10 Money-Saving Tips for New Moms

By Kelly Greene

Your bundle of joy has arrived and through the endless laundry, sleepless nights and spit-up on your clothes, you don’t want to be stressing about money. We want the very best for our children but do they really need all the fanciest items and expensive gadgets as infants? We easily fall prey to these things, especially with our first child. Many of these items aren’t necessary or can be obtained in much cheaper ways.

Here are 10 money-saving tips for new moms:

1. Buy gender-neutral items. It’s hard not to want your baby girl’s nursery to be the epitome of a pink princess palace, but a few years down the road when you have your son you’ll wish you had opted for something more neutral. 
2. Consider convertible items. There are so many great options now like cribs that can convert into a big kid bed later. Car seats and strollers also come in more options that will last longer as your child grows. 
3. Don’t dismiss second-hand items. Of course, it’s great to have shiny new things for this shiny new human but after you’ve added up all the costs do you really need to buy everything brand new? Kids grow so fast and you can find fantastic, often hardly used items at thrift stores and on sites like Thredup, Offer Up or Craig’s List. 
4. Swap with friends. This is so great for items like clothes that kids seem to outgrow in a minute. All moms have a stack of baby items they got as gifts that don’t fit or didn't fit for the right season or they just don’t use. 
5. Take items like “wipe warmers” and “pee pads” off your list. We don’t want our baby’s tush to be cold but wipe warmers are completely unnecessary. So are those little pee pads you can put over a boy’s parts to avoid getting sprayed. Just lay the diaper over their bits and move fast. 
6. Skip the fancy diaper bag. You can use an oversized purse or small backpack just the same at a much lower cost. You can buy a travel changing pad and wipe case separately. 
7. Make your own baby food. Those little jars get expensive fast. Blend up your own fruits and veggies and freeze in ice cube trays. There are great baby food cookbooks and websites out there to inspire your creativity! 
8. Get creative with the nursery furniture and decor. An expensive changing table is useless once your child is potty trained. (Yes, Moms - That day will come!) Consider a nice dresser with a changing pad on top. Reconsider the rocking chair too. These are beautiful but it’s not something you are likely to use when your child gets bigger. Get a big comfy chair that can be used later for cuddling up together for storytime. 
9. Buy in bulk. Diapers and formula get expensive. You can get great deals at Costco and Sam’s Club. 
10. Skip the expensive baby and toddler classes. Check out your local library or Rec center or free classes or low-cost classes. Listen to music and dance with your baby, go to the park, get together with other moms.