10 top money saving tips when preparing for your newborn

1. Furniture
Try not to buy anything until you have checked with family and friends to see if they have any old pieces going for free, borrow or to keep. Freecycle is a neat little site to find freebies in your area that you can go and collect; it’s great way to keep the landfill sites down whilst furnishing your nursery absolutely free.

Top tip: Always buy a new mattress for a cot or Moses basket and always buy a new car seat as it may have previously been in an accident and be unsafe.

2. Breast v Bottle
If you can breastfeed it is by far the cheapest option. Formula milk is a money sponge and is also pretty fiddly with all the bottles and teats, not to mention the added cost of all the sterilising equipment.

As they say, breast is best!

3. Clothes and baby shoes
It’s SO easy to spend a small fortune on all those cute little outfits for your newborn.
But babies don’t need shoes, they are perfectly happy kicking about in their teeny weeny socks, plus what parent doesn’t love kissing the soles of their baby’s feet? I learnt the hard way as my son didn’t wear one pair, they either fell off or after getting him all changed putting them back on seemed pointless as I would only have to take them off again.

SAVE your money for when they start to cruise and really need shoes!

4. Toys
Save your pennies, don’t buy toys for newborns. Babies mainly sleep, eat and need a cuddle. Car keys, wooden spoons, Tupperware, TV remotes and a phone handset will be more than enough to keep them fascinated.

5. Thoughtful and practical baby shower gifts
Guess the birth weight? Guess the size of clothing? Now that is a waste of money. Why not ask friends and family to club together and buy you either store vouchers or supermarket vouchers that you can use over 6 months to buy your essentials like nappies, wipes, and formula (if bottle feeding).

You could put a list together of your absolute essentials that would take the financial burden off you if they were bought as gifts? These need not be expensive items and you will be surprised how chuffed your givers will be when they buy you something that you really need.

6. Burp clothes and other fancy non-necessities
Walking into a baby shop can be completely overwhelming. The range of items available is staggering, but how many of them are actually necessary? Do you really need patterned burp clothes, or would a clean flannel or tea towel do? It is easy to overspend on the non-essentials and before you know it, your budget is straight out of the window. Make a list of what you need and see if there is a cheaper alternative to each item.

7. Nappies and wipes
Reusable nappies work out the cheapest and some local authorities will give you a small grant to offset some of the cost. If you are going to go for disposables then supermarket own brands are just as effective as well known brands and are a lot cheaper. Buying in bulk will also save you money, but you do need ample storage space for this kind of purchasing decision. For your local incentive scheme visit BabyKind.

8. Changing table
There are many great looking changing tables out there, but the top of a waist height dresser will do just the same job and you can use it for storing blankets, sheets and baby clothes. You will get years out of it, whereas the changing table facility will cease being useful once your baby can stand and is cheeky enough to wriggle about and climb.

9. Baby baths - back to basics
Newborns need topping and tailing for the first few weeks and then they can snuggle up safely on your chest getting skin-to-skin contact when you bathe. A kitchen sink is big enough to bathe your baby in if you don’t feel comfortable being in the tub. Baby baths are a waste of money as they grow out of them so quickly and I am sure there have been quite a few “Oops who put that toy there?” when carrying a full bath to empty it.

10. The best things in life are free
· Your soothing voice as you sing your little one a lullaby.
· Your warm skin and motherly embrace as you hold them close to your beating heart.
· The stories you can tell them about all the things they are going to see and experience.
· The love and affection from all those around them that care.
· A baby needs warmth, love, food & security – this really doesn’t have to cost the earth.