Having a baby can bring many unexpected challenges, such as the costs involved.
Families can spend up to about $9,000 on baby-related expenses before the baby’s first birthday, according to financial comparison site Canstar.
So what is essential to spend money on, what can you do without, and what are some ways to get what you need for free or cheap?
Buy second hand or new?
Buying used items is a great way to save money.
Brisbane mum Kate Flood resisted the urge to buy everything new when she had her first baby, and says there are plenty of baby gear in very good condition, or even brand new.
She looked for secondhand items at thrift stores, online marketplaces, baby markets, and garage sales. There are also websites dedicated to reselling secondhand baby toys, gifts, clothing, and learning resources.
“There are so many things you can buy. I felt from the beginning that there was pressure to get the best things,” says the mother of three.
“Often, things that are very well designed, that are supposed to work well, often cost a lot.
“[So] I went to the stores and researched what I thought I needed…and then I jumped online and basically bought everything secondhand.”
Kate says you can be more of a “savvy consumer” and pick up toys and books during council cleanups.
Baby clothes
Babies grow incredibly fast, so keep newborn clothes to a minimum. Buying second-hand clothes is accessible, since many families seek to sell or give away slightly used or new clothes that they never used.
You will need a few sets of clothing in each size range for the first 12 months (0-3 months, 3-6 months, etc.)
After 12 months, their growth slows down, so the clothes will last a little longer.
Clothing should be comfortable and practical. If you want an exact list of how many and what types of clothing you might need, here is a helpful guide from the Australian parenting website Raising Children.
Baby strollers
When it comes to strollers, the number of options can be overwhelming. You need to know what features are important to you, so you know exactly what you’re looking for.
Travel a lot? You will need a light one. Will grandparents push it too? It should be easy to fold. Are you and your partner tall? Check the height of the handle.
Kate bought her stroller secondhand from another family.
“It’s interesting to think about how much money we save. [The pram normally retails for] between $3,000 and $4,000 and we paid about $500, which was still a lot for a second-hand item,” says Kate.
“But that lasted us for our three kids. We definitely saved thousands of dollars on all those expensive items. So, cots, strollers and bassinets, clothes too.”
According to CHOICE, expensive strollers aren’t always the best on the market for safety, ease of use, and durability.
If secondhand items aren’t on the way, there are plenty of options online and in refurbished stroller stores.
Always check that the stroller you buy is Australian certified (Safety Standard) AS/NZS 2088.
The infirmary
What is the most essential piece of furniture in a baby’s room? Some argue that it is just a crib, while others prefer a changing table and a highchair as well.
And when it comes to your decorations, think long term. Instead of some pretty wallpaper, maybe all you need is a fresh coat of paint.
Some other frugal decorating ideas:
- Hang reusable items (e.g. cute kitchen towels),
- removable wall decals,
- add a plant,
- Keep everything neutral
- Frame cute calendar artwork instead of expensive prints.
Veronica Milsom, a Sydney mother of two, comedian and ABC Everyday contributor, is interested in second-hand furniture.
“People only use a bassinet for six months or so, so don’t go out and buy any of that new,” she says.
“I think my best advice is just don’t buy a changing pad. Certainly don’t buy reusable changing pads… just change anywhere.
“I’ve never had a boy, so I don’t know how wild things get on the changing table, but with girls, I was certainly able to do it absolutely anywhere. In bed, on the floor, on the couch.
“My house is a changing table.”
reusable diapers
Newborns will generally need 8 to 12 diapers a day. The number will go down over time, but there’s no denying the diaper bill is big.
One way to save in the long run is to use modern cloth diapers instead of disposable ones.
Cloth diapers have recently gained popularity and are much more structured than the flannel squares your parents or grandparents wore when they had newborns.
There are many companies that sell cloth diapers now, but also many parents resell their second-hand collections through online marketplaces.
While cloth diapers require a bit more physical labor than disposables (you need to wash and dry them), using them reduces landfill and will be cheaper in the long run. However, the initial startup costs can be quite high.
While Veronica tried to eliminate diapers altogether, she also bought cloth diapers to replace disposable ones. She says that she paid about $60 for 14 new reusable diapers.
“It wasn’t my goal to be frugal, although naturally I am. But it was quite difficult to do both, because you can’t really spend money and try to be green,” he says.
“You have to shell out quite a bit of money up front to be able to use reusables.”
If you don’t want to buy cloth diapers, Veronica says you can make your own from an old flannel shirt.
“In the beginning, I really tore up some of my partner’s flannel shirts,” he says.
what to avoid
There are some items that you should avoid buying second-hand for safety reasons. These include:
- baby car seats,
- cribs,
- mattresses,
- baby gates,
- breast pump
As these items age, they may not be updated to meet current security standards. This could mean too wide gaps between the bars, choking hazards and dust mites. You can check for recalls or safety issues through Product Safety Australia.
With car seats, manufacturers generally advise against using a car seat that is more than six to ten years old, as parts can wear out and weaken over time.
buy the minimum
Kate says she understands the temptation for new parents to prepare ahead of time and buy products that are supposed to solve various problems that may arise with their baby.
“It can be a bit daunting to hear, but products are often not the solution, because you don’t know what kind of baby you’re going to have,” says Kate.
“You may have thought you bought the best bed or the best kind of comfy outfit, and then your baby hates it.
“So really get the bare minimum if you can avoid it before [your child] arrives After about the fourth week, you begin to determine what kind of baby you will have. [and can see what you now need].”
For more frugal baby-rearing tips, listen to Pineapple Project with Nazeem Hussain on the ABC listen app.
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