Simple Money Saving Tips from Newborn to 1 Year Old (It’s Easier Than You Think…)

Last updated on June 9th, 2020 at 02:17 pm

Saving-Money-from-Newborn-Baby-to-1-Year-Old

Having a baby (even if it’s not your first) is extremely exciting. As I’ve mentioned in prior blog posts, I am a proud mother of 2 beautiful little babies. I think a lot of parents agree that with each baby, it feels just like the first time no matter how many they’ve had! We still get the jitters, and get excited about buying new toys, cribs, painting their first room (okay, maybe my husband doesn’t get as excited about splashing the walls with pink and purple as I do), and overall, welcoming our beautiful little one into the world.

But one thing my husband and I have learned throughout the years of raising babies is that there is good and a bad way to go about it. I’m not talking about how you do as a parent in raising your child (mommas, you do you when it comes to that!), I am referring to how much money you spend as a parent on unnecessary products. A lot of new parents aren’t aware of all the marketing ploys for baby products, and often find themselves being told what they ‘need’ to buy rather than what they ‘should’ buy.

Thus comes the inspiration for todays blog post! I want share with you a couple simple and smart ways to save money on your newborn that will help to keep you and your wallet happy without taking away from your child’s life! But knowing what to buy for your babies can be pretty tough (trust me, my husband and I have a whole storage room full of proof!). To help my fellow new momma’s out, I’ve compiled my own personal ‘basics to babies’ list of what they really need, and what is just an add-on, or not a necessity!

1. Coupons & Savings – Bazinga!

“I absolutely hate coupons (said no parent ever).” Coupons are pretty much like coffee – we all get a massive headache when we don’t have them! Because of this, regularly checking newspapers, online articles, or websites is a huge help when trying to be smart with your money. My husband is religious about his coupons (seriously, I’m pretty sure he would marry coupons if he could), and rarely buys anything full price unless it is absolutely dire. By doing this, saving $0.50 on one item, and $1.00 off of another, adds up pretty quick! And as you start to save more money from all these deals, you can use that money to save for a special family trip or special family occasion! And really, isn’t family time what life is all about?

woman-using-coupons-grocery-store

A website my husband and I always check on before we go shopping is, Coupon Mamacita. This website is basically a parents best friend as it shares coupons for a variety of products that will keep your shopping cart full and your costs low!

2. Keep It Simple – Keep Em’ Happy!

Clothing, diapers, cribs, and toys – oh my! Obviously this one is a no-brainer, as your newborn is guaranteed to use all of these on a daily basis. But there’s certain clothing, diapers, toys, and so forth that are priced much higher than others that serve the same purpose as the cheaper products (nows the time to throw on your savings cap, and get ready to crack-a-lack-a down on these scams!).

Lets take cribs, for example. There’s quite a variety of cribs on the market, and choosing one that is both safe and sturdy is incredibly important for ensuring your baby is happy, and healthy. I personally have always loved the DaVinci crib that is safe and effective for newborns and accommodates for their growth (you can read more about that crib on one of my previous posts here. And a huge plus is that it costs at less than other ones! This one in particular is such a STEAL compared to the majority of cribs on the market priced at $400 or more! And it’s absolutely CRAZY because it serves the exact same function as some of the more expensive cribs! You can read more about baby cribs here.

Another example is high chairs. I know what you are thinking here, a high chair is super important because my little baby is actually elevated in the air and this worries me. I get you, I felt exactly the same way. But after I spent an absolute fortune on brand name, expensive high chairs, then later used a High Chair Under $100, I was asking for my money back that I spent on the first expensive high chair. If you follow the right advice and buy a cheap high chair, you’ll save a nice lot of money, on a cheaper item that does exactly the same thing. Of course, you will only buy those safety approved from this list here.

A personal favorite website of mine called, Mommy Finance,  has a lot of very insightful and informative articles all about saving money that I highly recommend! This website helped me to first realize how blind I was being to these constant scams around me, and helped me choose the smartest way to go! Just remember, your baby will never know how much you spent on them (but your wallet will) so just  keep it simple, and keep yourself happy and your little one smiling!

3. Let The Food Spoil, Not Your Baby!

As tempting as it is to spoil your baby (especially looking into those big, bulgy eyes… oh, the cuteness!), you have to control yourself or you won’t be able to buy necessities in the future for yourself or for your baby. As suggested on an interesting article I read about tips for monitoring your finances on HRVA Moms,  it was mentioned not to splurged on that Starbucks latte everyday, for example, and you’ll save $5 (I know, I know. Coffee is life, but why not try an at home blend instead?). It may not seem like much, but saving $5 everyday for a month will leave you with an extra $150! A Month! Wow! 

This of course can also relate to spending money on lollipops, ice cream, toys or candy for your child as they continue to grow (and yes, like a dog, they will get worse about begging if you give in! Be strong, moms! Be strong).  In the end you will be giving you baby a better life and raising them to be more grateful by not spoiling them. My husband and I didn’t realize this on our first two babies (oh heavens, save me from our adorable yet spoiled spawns), but on our third child (yes, the wild one), we have been careful to be much more conservative with how we ‘spoil’ him. And we have definitely noticed a huge and wonderful changed in attitude and behavior because of it! 

If you want help to narrow down what’s actually needed as opposed to what you would like to splurge on, you can read our article here on the Basic Baby Products You Must Have Before Birth.

4. Bulk Buys

Don’t forget that now you are saving money from your daily coffee above, you now have the chance to buy in bulk. This will save you MASSIVELY in the long run. It’s something I definitely recommend for any new parent out there. Not only will you save on the ‘per item price’ of something, but you’ll save on things that money can’t buy which is the stress and anxiety of having to remember to re-purchase the said item AND the time it takes you re-order the item (over the internet) or even the time to go to the shops (including the gas to get there!). AND we all know as new parents, time is something we don’t have, so go ahead and where-ever you can – buy in bulk and thank me later.

Where-to-Buy-Cheap-Diapers

The #1 thing that all parents need to buy in bulk are diapers and you can save massively when it comes to buying diapers aswell. Read our blog post here how you can buy Cheap Diapers for ANY BRAND & ANY SIZE you want! Saving at least 20% off!

5. Registries

If you are reading this before you have a baby, congratulations, you are probably only 30% of the population that think about budgeting before your baby even arrives. That’s great, start incorporating the steps above so you are in full money saving mode when bub comes along. Even so, if you already have your beautiful  6 month old baby in your hands, it’s never too late start saving money, how? Start a registry.

Why-You-Need-an-Amazon-Baby-Registry

Ok, we have talked about why having a Baby Shower Registry / Baby Registry is important for the arrival of your newborn, but what about birthdays? On your child’s first birthday, when you send out the invitations, place a little link in their to your child’s first birthday registry. That way you get everything you need, don’t run the risk of  having duplicates of multiple items and receiving items that are just not as needed for your baby or yourself. Don’t have a baby registry? Here’s why you need one, Click Here.

6. DIY

Here, I am not talking about building your own crib or change table, sourcing the wood and constructing it yourself. No, I am talking about baby food. Homemade baby food in-fact. At some time during the first year, your baby is going to start eating solid foods. You’ll will save a WHOLE HEAP of money if you stop buying store bought baby food. I know the baby food jars seem nice and cute and convenient, but with convenience comes a price tag. And really, it’s not that hard to make your own homemade baby food, so why else? For how much you can really save on baby food, you can read our article here about Homemade Baby Food to find out.

Baby-Food-Maker-2

Overall, while these tips and tricks may seem simple and easy, you would be surprised as to how many parents ignore it and splurged on their child in the end. I get it, we all want our babies to have the best life, but the best life doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive.  Making a weekly or monthly budget plan for paying your bills will help you to save immensely, and with that extra money you can spend it on a special treat for you whole family to enjoy!

Useful Information included in Today’s Blog Post:

♥ Get 20% OFF Diapers – Any Brand, Any Size

♥ How to Save Lots of Money on Baby Food

Anna About Anna

Hi Moms and Dads, Anna here and welcome. I'm a relatively young mom, in my early 30's and my husband and I have 2 young (and incredibly cheeky) children. With my first child, I was confused about absolutely anything that had 'baby' written on it. I felt flustered and overwhelmed. For some Moms I believe it comes naturally, for others it takes a bit of work and patience, and the latter was me. With my second child, all those first round nervous flusters were gone and I approached everything ease, although I do admit, in between 2 children, baby products and my needs and wants had changed and in the baby/infant world, things change very quick and products that were suggested a few years back are now out of date, recalled or just not suitable no more. So it's not only your little bub that grows; products change and the needs and wants of your baby and you change also.

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