6 Simple Ways To Save When Expecting A Baby
There are many reasons why pregnancy is scary. Your body is changing in ways you struggle to understand, you are nervous about childbirth, and you are faced with the enormous prospect of raising a human being. The latter is particularly scary when you consider not only the emotional implications, but the financial ones. Figures like the one published by CNN, which estimates that it costs $233,610 to raise a child, don’t help.
But you can stop worrying. Big figures like that account for the entire life of your child, and don’t reflect the money you will have to spend in the next few years. As for the baby years, there are plenty of easy ways to save money, which means one less thing to worry about.
Save On Clothes
Baby clothes don’t feel particularly expensive, until you realize that babies grow very fast and anything you buy will only fit for a couple of months at most. And it’s not just baby clothes you need to buy - as you get bigger, you won’t be able to avoid buying maternity clothes, either.
The easiest way to save on maternity and baby clothes is to shop online, where you can find great discounts year-long. A quick search can reveal coupons and promo codes for big retailers like Macy’s, allowing you to save while still shopping at your favorite spots. It’s also a good idea to consider adding a handful of nursing bras to your collection of undergarments. These bras can make the complicated task of nursing that much easier, and there are even some that come as sports bras for when you want to work out.
Save On Strollers
Every future parent has done a double-take when realizing the cost of a good stroller, with high-end models costing as much as $700. You don’t need to go for a fancy one, but you do want to avoid the cheapest models, as this is one of the most important pieces of baby equipment you will buy.
The solution? Buy second-hand. Countless parents sell their strollers once their children outgrow them, and a high-quality one will still be as sturdy as ever after previous use. Do your research on the best models on the market right now so you know which brands to trust, but remember that you won’t be likely to find the very latest models second-hand.
Save on the Nursery
Like strollers, cribs are not something to be skimped on. You can also look for second-hand cribs, but you will eventually have to spend money again on a toddler bed, and then a full-sized one. The Spruce recommends saving money in the long run by investing in a convertible model. These are not as pretty, but they can follow your child’s growth for many, many years.
As for the rest of the nursery, you don’t have to spend a fortune, since this room is temporary. You can save on furniture by adding it to your baby registry, shopping for discounts at stores like IKEA, and choosing only the important pieces for the nursery. Some easy DIY projects can take the saving even further; consider buying unfinished furniture and following the merchants’ instructions to finish it yourself, or recycle a piece you already have but don’t use, such as turning a bookcase into a storage unit by adding doors. If DIY seems daunting to you, you might find it’s worth hiring a handyman to help. It usually costs between $132 and $493 per project for this service in Silverdale.
Save On The Delivery
One of the biggest expenses of pregnancy is the delivery itself. Of course, there’s no way to avoid this, but there are ways to make it cheaper. VeryWell Family has an excellent guide on how to do this, from knowing what is covered by your insurance to checking your hospital bill for potential errors and verifying whether you really need every prenatal test the doctor recommends.
Save On Baby Food
Food isn’t the biggest baby expense, but those little jars can start to add up quickly, especially if you go for the premium, organic, “100 percent natural” variety. The best way to ensure your baby food is natural is to skip buying it altogether and make it yourself. Purees of all sorts are very simple to make in large batches, and super cheap as well, especially if you arm yourself with a quality blender that works specifically for making baby food. Homemade Baby Food Recipes has a huge database of recipes, which you can sort by age range or ingredient. Plus, if you arm yourself with a quality blender that can make baby food prep a breeze, you can
Save On Pregnancy Workouts
Your doctor has probably told you the importance of regular exercise during your pregnancy. While pregnancy workout classes can be a great way to meet fellow expecting mothers, they can also be pricey. Pick up some at-home pregnancy workouts online, and enjoy getting the benefits of exercise without having to leave the house.
With these tips, you can stop worrying about the cost of having a baby. As for the other stresses of pregnancy, try not to worry about them either. It’s a scary experience for everyone, but we all manage in the end. As long as you have a good support system and stay on top of your health, everything will be fine.
Emily Graham of mightymoms.net
Photo by Daniel Reche from Pexels