Ways to save money with baby/toddler

Hey Guys!

When Kayden was born, my boyfriend wasn't working at the time. He had recently left his job, and we didn't have an income coming in. Having a newborn, and bills coming in, I panicked, as any new mom would. For almost 2 years I have found ways to save money which has allowed us to get through the tough times that life throws at you.

1. Diapers

Before Kayden was born I stocked up. I got one box of newborn, 1 box of size one and 1 box of size 2. If you read my post about signing up for things when you are pregnant you will know I got a small pack of newborn diapers as well. This allowed us to be prepared. You never know how much your little one is going to weigh, or how fast they will go through diapers. So i bought a small box of newborn diapers, and only got one box of each size, so I wasn't wasting money.  I'm so thankful I got those sizes, because by the time he had gone back to work, I had some wiggle room till he got his first paycheck. This allows you to find sales and buy them at a great price. With Kayden, we haven't had luck with non brand name diapers. To be honest, he leaks all the time, and im constantly changing him because it doesn't hold up. We end up paying more money and going through them much faster. As a result, we look for sales when we know Kayden is running low, that is one way we prevent spending a lot of money on brand name diapers. We don't have a Target in Canada, so Walmart is the cheapest place we have found to buy diapers. Another thing we have done, is use points for diapers, and other baby products. If you have a points card at a store you regularly visit, that's another way to cut back on the costs.

2. Clothes

We bought some basics on our own and of course got presents from friends and family, which we were so grateful for. We also went to an outlet store and we were able to get a lot of things for less. This was a lifesaver, the Walmart near us doesn't have a lot of boy clothes, you get 2 aisles for boys and 5 for girls. So there wasn't a lot to choose from. I also went shopping with a friend towards the end of summer, a lot of stores were having end of seasons sales, so I got clothes for when he was older. Going to Old Navy, The Children's Store, Baby Gap etc. didn't break our budget because they had amazing sales. With newborns, they clothes don't need to be overly decorative, because you are constantly changing them. We did splurge on a few pieces, for when he was going out/we had guests over. For 6 months and up, we were able to get some pants, and shirts etc. and keep them in the closet. Once Kayden reached that age, if we needed more sweaters or onesies, we go to the store and pick those items up. But to be honest, we didn't have to, because what we picked up, and the presents we received held us over. The great thing about baby clothes, is they don't go out of style, so you can buy something right now (end of summer) and it will still be in style the next summer.

3. Snacks

As Kayden got older, solids came into the picture. When he started solids the Gerber snacks were great. They were a decent price and it took about a week for him to get through a container. But before long, in a sitting or two he would Polish them off, which isn't budget friendly. Now I spend less in Bear paws, fruit cups etc. And they last for over a week. I buy his snacks when they are in sale, which is often in my area (Thank Goodness). I find that he enjoys them more and they are often quite healthy as companies are realizing this is important for parents.

4. Books

Kayden loves books, it his favorite time of the day when we cuddle up and read a story together. I quickly noticed he was getting bored of the same ones. At a bookstore, books can easily run for 8-10 dollars. Not very practical when you are trying to build his collection. A family friend told me, how his mother found a $40 book at a bookstore for $5 at the dollar store (probably even less, I cant remember the exact price). I was shocked when I heard this, and the next time I visited I decided to check it out. I found Scooby-Doo books, and even children's classics for $1.50 and retail price is close to $10. This was such a deal. I visit the dollar store monthly and everytime I'm sure to pick up a book for him, and I must say his collection has grown. The only time I went to a bookstore was for his 2nd birthday gift, for Curious George books. His father and I spent months looking for them an couldn't find them anywhere so we had to shell out the money. I even noticed at Walmart, they  have deals 2 for $5 and 2 for $10 which Kayden really enjoyed when he was younger.

5. Footwear

Kids grow out of shoes fast. As a result we have a rule, we pay money for one good pair of shoes. These shoes are a neutral color, so he will get a lot of wear out of them. The other pair of shoes, we don't pay as much. For instance Kayden has a pair of Lacoste shoes, we got them.on sale but they were still a bit pricey. Kayden wears these all the time, and we have gotten our.moneys worth. His two pairs of sandals are about $10 combined. Lacoste shoes, have held up a lot better then his other runners which we paid less for. Once again, splurging on items that are worthwhile. We went to Walmart for his sandals, because that is a seasonal item, and he has worn them everyday in the summer ( 3 months) and they have held up. He does have a little bit of trouble sometimes wearing them, as he trips over his own feet.

I know raising a baby/toddler, can get pricey which is why when I discovered I was so relieved. Coupons in Canada have gone down in quality, I remember 4 years ago, I saved so much on my grocery bill, now it doesn't impact it at all which is why I stopped. I had to find other solutions, because I realized after having Kayden, every penny counts. I hope these tips are able to help some of you mama's out!