Thursday, 11 March 2010

• A Frugal First Year: How a Single Mom on a Tight Income Saved Money

  
  

  So as my son approaches his first birthday, I've been looking back over this year and how expensive babies are! As a single mother on a fixed income, here are some ways I've compiled to save during my little ones first year of life.

  1. Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. It was dangerous for me to even enter a Baby Gap or Children's Place while I was pregnant. All of those adorable little outfits! Brace yourself though, those little sneakers and sweater vests are pricey. And they will grow out of them in the blink of an eye.
  

  • Hook up with mamas who have a same gendered baby who is 6-18 months older than yours. Arrange a low cost hand-me-down system. This can help them (no need for them to organize a yard sale or store old baby stuff) and help you out during the time when your little one is growing quickly. Then find someone with a baby a few months younger than yours and pass that good karma along.
  • Find baby consignment shops and swap meets. Just Between Friends is a giant bi-annual garage sale of gently used childrens items organized locally. Scour yard sales. 
  • DON'T buy too much before the baby comes. I found that just as certain brands of jeans don't fit my body, certain brands of baby clothes didn't work with my son's proportions. He has short legs! It's better to wait and see what size and shape your bundle of joy is before you go overboard with the clothes. A big chunker may never fit into newborn sized clothes. A teeny peanut may be too small for his 0-3 month winter clothes and need that size during the summer.

  2. Diapers! OK, unless  you practice 24/7 Elimination Communication, you can't avoid the cost of diapers. But you can cut down on the cost.
  

  • Make your own wipes. Cut a roll of paper towels in half and soak in warm water with a small drop of baby soap. Squeeze out the excess liquid. Store in tupperware or zip lock baggie for the diaper bag. Voila.
  • Invest in cloth. Cloth diapers today are vastly improved over the fold and pin variety your mom (or grandma) used. Now they come with snaps and velcro in tons of cute prints. Although there's the initial investment, you'll save big time in the long run by washing. Plus there are the added bonuses of no late night diaper runs, fewer messy poopy blowouts, and earlier potty training. Not to mention no weird wicking chemicals against your new babe's tush. And did I mention the environmental impact?

  3. All the STUFF! So unless you plan to co-sleep, a crib is probably a must. And a car seat. And a stroller. And then the list of "needs" can spin out of control. Reign that in.
  

  • It's impossible to know if your baby will enjoy a vibrating seat or a swing, a hanging jumper or an excersaucer. Join your local Freecycle (an e-mail list that allows users to offer and request items from the community for no cost). Just make sure you pass them along via Freecycle to other new mamas. (This was also a great place for me to unload maternity clothes!)
  • Invest in a good carrier or wrap. Little babies want to be close to you and hear your heartbeat. But that doesn't mean you have to sit on the couch to appease their cries. Strap that baby on and wash some dishes or clean up the house. Of course all babies are different, but odds are, she'll love being strapped onto you more than strapped into any expensive doo-dad.

  4. The Food
  

  • Breastfeed as long as possible. It's FREE! And it's best for your baby.
  • When you start solids,  skip the baby food aisle and invest in a food mill (only about $12 at Target). Make purees of  apple, banana, sweet potato...any age appropriate food, then freeze it in ice cube trays. Pop it out and warm it up. As the baby gets older, you can even puree what you're eating for him. 
  • Some food marketed for babies are exactly the same as adult cereals and crackers but at a higher cost. In fact, some baby cereal snacks actually contain MORE sugar than cheerios, with no added benefits. Do some research into the ingredients and decide for yourself.

  And at the end of the day, hugs, games, and songs from mommy are totally free! Enjoy lovin' on your little one.

  What are ways you save money on baby-related items? Please share your ideas with all the Momaroos!
  

  Image Source

  • 7:54 PM
  • 1102 Views
  • 22 eProps
  • 15 Comments