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Don't hesitate to accept hand-me-downs from other parents. Most infant clothes just aren't worn that long.
You also should go over your own personal spending habits anyway to see where you may be overspending, i.e. leasing vehicles or buying new instead of used; over-use of credit cards, etc.
I think the most important thing is to realize that children grow very quickly, so always keep that in mind when shopping and stick to the basics. Breastfeeding is much more frugal than formula feeding, but in a dual-income family, that may not be possible beyond the first few weeks of leave. Newborns really need very little beyond a safe place to sleep, clothing, diapers, and your love and attention. Car seats are best bought new, but most other baby gear can be hand-me-down. If your community uses Nextdoor, that's a great place to find gently-used clothing and other essentials. I used sling to carry my babies until they were big enough for a sturdy umbrella stroller. Umbrella strollers are generally less expensive and easier to stow than the huge contraptions that I see most parents hauling in and out of cars today.
Last edited by randomparent; 11-24-2018 at 11:31 AM..
Beyond the tips related to savings on baby items, think about your entire budget.
Consider using one day on the weekend for shopping and food prep for the week to avoid restaurant meals. There are also lots of websites that detail shopping and cooking plans for a month and then freezing. This will save you time and money.
Bring lunches from home: leftovers or something else.
Buy a good travel cup and bring coffee from home instead of buying it at a Starbucks daily. Same thing for bottled water.
Take advantage when/if grandparents volunteer to babysit for a night. There are lots of inexpensive possibilities for date nights if you look for them.
Make baby food instead of purchasing most of it. Bananas are easy to mash and can be frozen in serving size amounts in ice cube trays and stored in a ziploc. A few minutes in a pan of hot water or seconds in the microwave will thaw and warm it. Different types of squash are easy to roast. Bagged frozen peas or green beans can be cooked and mashed. Sweet potatoes are microwaved in minutes. You don't need special equipment to do this. A typical kitchen blender is fine. If a food is too thick for baby add a little breast milk or formula. As my first child reached the age when she no longer needed baby food, but wasn't quite ready for all adult foods, I prepped her dinners when I made ours. They were basic/easy. Poached chicken cut into VERY small pieces, bits of ground beef, mashed sweet potatoes, pasta, etc.
Find a good consignment sale and buy as much used as you can. It's good for your wallet and the environment. There is a twice a year sale near me that I've been shopping at since I was pregnant and we have saved an absolute fortune.
Disposable diapers are a big expense. Consider using cloth diapers. Breastfeed instead of formula. I'll add my vote for consignment shops for purchasing used clothing, but also include thrift shops, tag sales.
Start a college savings plan now, and make yearly contributions to it. You will be happy you did 17 to 18 years from now. And if your kid does not go to college or gets a scholarship, you can use it for yourself. I am talking about a regular savings plan, not a Uniform Gift to Minors or a 529 plan.
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