More Bills than New Baby Cards #4

Second-hand or hand-me-down toys are a further way of saving money and recycling goods. “Toy libraries will give your children much variety” says Christensen, and the money saved “can go towards buying more expensive “permanent” toys.” Swapping toys with friends might also work for you. Another way to maintain interest in toys is to box them up and store some in the loft, bringing down different toys regularly, so that children frequently get a change of play-things.


Baby lotion and cotton-wool or a damp facecloth are much cheaper than baby-wipes.
Money saved by not buying:
Babywipes £96.00

Make healthy meals and store them in the freezer a few weeks before the baby is born. Many new parents end up getting takeaways or ready meals because of the disruption and fatigue a baby can cause. Convenience meals are expensive and don’t give you the nutrients you need at this demanding time. If you have family or friends who enjoy cooking, perhaps they can give you some soups and stews to put in your freezer.

Cloth nappies are cheaper than disposables, even when you take the laundry costs into consideration. There is an initial outlay, but you can save hundreds of pounds in the long run.

We loved http://earthlets.co.uk/Motherease nappies. Starting with 24 flat nappies and 4 wraps plus some liners (at £2-3 per roll of 100), you can expect to pay around £80 for a set. You will need to get larger wraps later as your baby grows, which will bring the total to about £150 for everything until your baby is potty trained.

Retailers often sell sets, which can be better value than buying individual items. One-size wraps cost more but you will need fewer.

It is possible to buy used nappies through Real Nappy Exchanges and I even got some via freecycle. Council incentive schemes help cut the initial cost - get in touch with your council and see what they offer - and remember you can use them on subsequent children.

No time to wash and dry? Using a laundry service spreads the load.

Money saved
Cost of disposables minus cost of cloth nappies £700.00