Being a new parent is not an easy task and especially for first time parents the challenging routine coupled with increased expenses is quite taxing. The natural instinct of parents is to get everything for their newborn child and they tend to spend rashly on baby gear, it is not until a couple of months that they realize that the lavish spending on baby products is denting their finances and hence they need to reconfigure their financial strategy and should look for ways through which they can save on aby products. If you are one of such parents who are seeking out ways on how to save on baby products, then you’ve landed at the perfect place. This piece would educate you on saving money on baby gear and would further share some tricks which could potentially aid you in saving good amounts of money which can be better spent elsewhere. So before any further delay let’s get started.
Plenty of free stuff available
Well, you might be wandering that is it really true, or am I just messing with you. Well, this is actually true, there are plenty of freebies in the baby gear market. Brands are well aware of the fact that a new parent is a potential repeat-customer and hence they would offer you some freebies. A large number of brands including the big ones such as Target and Amazon offer welcome boxes to new parents. These boxes usually include diapers, baby shampoo, pacifiers and nursing pads. You might not need all of the stuff in the box right away, but with passage of time, you will use everything and hence this is why you must always register for welcome boxes, as it not only provides you free of cost sample testing but also introduces you to new brands on the block which offer cheaper products.
Using reward system to get products is also a handy way to save on baby products. Almost all brands have a reward system and if you are a loyal customer, you would collect heaps of points, which can be redeemed on next visit. Moreover, your pediatrician and OB also has free diaper samples, which can be availed on request, so next time you pay a visit to your OB, do ask them for free samples.
Lastly, and this one in particular is for first time parents; you can get a lot of free samples from the hospital in which your baby is born. So, don’t be shy while you lay your hands on diapers, wipes and other baby stuff. All of this would come in handy in a couple of weeks, and even if you are confused about something that whether you need or not, just take it as there is a high probability that you would eventually be needing it, especially if any postpartum products are available.
Invest in long-lasting items
When it comes to baby items you must always prioritize quality and longevity. Items that last long would surely prove out to be good investments in future. For instance if there is an item that would serve multiple purposes, or perhaps grow with your child, do not think twice and just get it. Items that fit this criterion include play yard, changing pad and convertible crib. These might initially seem like expensive bargain but once you start utilizing them and you see their utility, you would be proud of your decision.
Always go for needs and avoid wants
This is a golden financial rule and it is true in case of baby gear also. Being a new parent one is blinded with love and wants to purchase everything, however before making the final purchase it is important to ask oneself that whether there is an actual need of the product that is about to be purchased or it simply falls under the category of ‘want.’
When it comes to saving on baby products, you need to think strategically, for instance two months down the road of parenthood, you would know that the recurring expenses such as diapers are a cause of concern, instead of expenses such as doctor visits. Since, diapers need to be stocked for entirety (at least this what it seems during the early years). Therefore, instead of buying stuff that would be used only once or twice during babyhood, it is important to save that amount for these recurring expenses.
Secondly, every parent wants to know the secret of how to save on diapers, well honestly, there is no secret. All you need to do is distinguish between your need and want, and if you are facing difficulty in deciding, try analyzing the situation from baby’s point of view. For instance, if you want to try out the new baby shampoo, and although you have an endless supply of one that you are already using then you’ve got to ask yourself as a baby that would it really matter. The answer would be a big ‘NO,’ hence instead of throwing money on wants try and save it for needs, small steps like this would surely help you with your finances.
Take your time
We are living in the age of ecommerce, and are bombarded by advertisements and promotional messages from brands continuously. Therefore, it is very easy to fall prey to such ad campaigns, moreover the checkout process is so easy that if we like something we are very likely to make an impulse purchase. This is also true for baby items, in fact if you are a first time parent, chances are that you might have already purchased few items for online stores before even your new one is born(talking about non-essential stuff). However, one needs to sit back and analyze that before rushing to the purchase, you should try and search out competitor brands and see if they are offering the same item cheaper. As most of the times, the baby products sold by all stores are almost same and hence it is important to first verify the price. A little search and few minutes could help you save a lot. Therefore, do try this hack next time you are about to make an impulse buy.
Take advantage of sales
One of the perks of online shopping is that one gets to enjoy huge discounts on stuff including baby gear, especially the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales offer a lot saving. Henceforth, if you want to save on baby products then you must take full advantage of these sales. Especially on diapers, each website puts out special discount offers, and therefore you must try to make the most of such offers. Moreover, when it comes to buying baby items in bulk the number one item that pops out is diapers, as they are most frequently used and hence by availing such discounts you can save a lot of money.
Buy from Big Stores/Brands
If you have a Costco or Target’s membership then you must be aware of the fact that how much you can save with bulk buying, similar is the case with baby products. If you want to save on baby products then you must visit these big stores, as they have multiple offers on a lot of baby stuff. Moreover, these offers go year-round and hence whenever you visit these stores, you would surely save money on at least one item.
In case of Costco for instance, which is famous for offering items in huge quantities, and more often than not people tend to take the bait, however after the purchase they feel stranded as they are unable to utilize the items in such immense quantities. However, if you are a parent and act smartly, you could be one of the beneficiaries of such offers. There are at least two baby items which you can buy in bulk; diapers and formula milk. You can purchase diapers of a couple of months in advance and it could easily save you a lot of money. Another pro tip in this regard is that diapers come in different sizes, and if you find a good offer, you could even purchase larger size in advance and eventually after a couple of months you would need them.
The purpose of this post was to answer a widely searched question parents, i.e. how to save on baby products. I have enlisted a number of ways which could help you save money when it comes to baby gear and products. However, the bottom line is that one should always know the different between a need and a want, of course being a parent one wants best for their babies, however that is the real challenge. You need to beware of the impulse purchases and should only spend your money on products and items that are really worth buying and offer long term utility. This would help you divert money to frequently occurring expenses and in turn aid you in saving money.
Feel free if you have any queries, and also let us know in comments which strategy would you adopt.