Saving Money On Baby: Tips From A First Time Momma

The options to spend, spend, spend on baby begin way before baby is even here. I’m not going to tell you to use cloth diapers or to make your own baby food, but I will offer a few simple tips that will help you make smarter decisions and put some extra cash into that college fund.

First off, be smart about your baby registry. Take along a friend who has been there and done that. Do not, and I mean do not follow the list provided by the store listing everything “you need” for baby. If you do, you will be scanning everything in the store and will have a whole lot of useless items in the end. You really don’t need five different bouncy chairs! You do need diapers, diapers and more diapers. Skip scanning for the cute baby clothes. I know they are hard to resist, but in the end you will receive more than enough without even registering for them. Your little one will be growing out of those designer threads faster than you can say the ABCs.

If you are like me you are drooling over that nursery furniture at Pottery Barn Kids. The lavish set is going to run you two to three thousand dollars when it’s said and done. I was certain I would be purchasing the Pottery Barn set, but then saw an ad for children’s furniture at Kmart. I took a chance, and I decided to take a look at what they had to offer. Kmart had exactly what I wanted! An armoire, crib and changing table for around three hundred dollars. What a steal! The compliments I receive on my nursery are endless. The only downside to my Kmart purchase was the dreaded self-assembly. Safety is paramount, read all assembly directions carefully.

We all know the most inexpensive way to feed baby is breastfeeding, but it’s not always possible. My advice if you are a breastfeeding mother thinking of stopping is to take a trip to the grocery store and look at the price of formula. It will give you the motivation to stick it out a little longer. A can of powder formula costs around 23 dollars! Most formula manufacturers offer a registration on their website that allows you to register for promotions and coupons. The coupons usually have a value of two to five dollars off, and are definitely worth the couple minutes it takes to register. Many grocery stores, like Publix, have a baby club that you are able to register for online or in the store. This is another way to receive many money saving coupons.

I could go on and on with tips to save money on baby, but my final word today is to beware of the pricey birth announcements the hospital offers. There’s a better, less expensive way! There are many online photo stores like Snapfish (www.snapfish.com) that allow you to create your own baby announcements with the photo of your choice. It is easy, and there is no need to be tech savvy to create your perfect announcement. I was able to order 40 announcements for around 35 dollars. 
I hope these tips are helpful in getting you started on a positive track to saving money on baby. For more information I recommend visiting www.mommysavers.com, a site completely dedicated to helping you make economical decisions for baby, or stay tuned for more of my posts.

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