Tips for saving money with a new baby

A new baby can be a huge expense, but it needn't necessarily be so...

Posted: 24 September 2009
by Maria Muennich

Most couples could do with a bit of financial help when making the transition to life as a family with a new baby, so here are our tips for avoiding the common new family pitfalls of over-spending and for saving a few pennies besides.

Ask your family for help - If you have family near you then see if they can give you some practical support, particularly a bit of child-free time now and then, or even a regular slot of childcare. Some grandparents or siblings may not want to be so closely involved, but others may be dying to be asked.
Breastfeed your baby - There's always plenty of comment made about the health benefits to your baby of breastfeeding, but it's also a lot cheaper than formula feeding and one of the easiest ways to save money as a new parent. If you can't breastfeed for health reasons, or you don't want to, then check whether you are entitled to free or subsidised formula milk under the government's Healthy Start scheme.
Adopt a 'wait and see' policy - When you have a new baby it can be very tempting to buy them all sorts of clothes and toys as there is so much lovely stuff out there and you're excited about your new baby. However, in the early days it does make sense to hold off a while with non-essentials and see what you are given by friends and family as newborn gifts. Read this article to find out what newborn essentials you'll need and try to limit yourself to just one or two 'special' things for your baby. If you are given two of something or don't like a gift then don't feel bad about putting it aside to give away to someone else, or selling it.
Avoid impulse buys - This is one of the quickest ways to save money on a day-to-day basis, which is hard when nearly every shop you go to tries hard to hook you in for the impulse buy. With food shopping try making a shopping list and sticking with it and don't go for those 'two-for-one' or special offers unless it's something you actually need or can usefully stock in the freezer. If you find this very hard you might want to consider shopping online to help you avoid temptation in the aisles.
Read up and try before you buy - when you do need to buy something then it's a good idea to spend a bit of time seeing what other parents think of something you're considering buying, particularly for something as big as a pram or car seat, but also with those smaller purchases that can add up. There's plenty of information in our products section and you can also ask other parents for advice on the forum. If you have chance, borrow items like baby slings from a friend first to try out and never buy anything in bulk until you've tried and tested it.
Buy in the right places - Apart from buying less, you can be careful about where you buy things. You can often pick up second-hand bargains at family-oriented flea markets, charity shops, through your local newspaper, church and online, especially from websites like ebay and freecycle Do be careful about what you purchase second-hand though. For example, you need to be sure that a car seat is in good condition and hasn't lived through a collision (don't take someone's word for it if you don't personally know the history of a car seat), a cot needs to meet safety standards and be in good nick and your baby's mattress should be new.
Consider using real nappies - Unless you potty train your baby around his first birthday using cloth nappies will almost certainly be cheaper than using disposables, particularly if you're planning another baby. Of course, some cloth nappies can also be quite expensive, so find one that fits your budget and test them out before buying several. If you do use cloth nappies you can use cloth wipes too and save even more.
Make your own baby food - Once your baby begins to move on to solids after about six months you can save a lot of money by preparing your own baby food rather than relying on jars which come at a premium. Try preparing in bulk and freezing food in small portions to save time.
Seek out cheap or free activities - Activity groups for mum and baby can give mum a vital bit of support through meeting other mums and a much-needed change of scene, as well as being enjoyable for your baby. But there's not necessarily a need to spend pots of cash on baby swimming and music courses. Churches and other local community centres may run mum and baby activity courses that are far cheaper or even free - ask other mums for recommendations. See if you can find a baby-friendly cafe in your area to meet other mums, or operate a rota with a group of friends to take it in turns for hosting coffee/play mornings at home.
Check your current bills and cards - You may be paying over the odds for certain utility bills, insurance policies, credit cards, loans etc. and you might want to change certain policies for your new circumstances in any case. Websites like moneysupermarket.com, moneysavingexpert.com and uswitch can help you scout out what the alternatives are. If you have chance to do this before baby arrives it will make life a lot easier.
Cut down utility bills - You don't have to go as far as changing your provider to cut your utility bills, simply try to use less and bask in the feel-good double-whammy of doing a bit for the good of the environment at the same time: Turn unused lights out, only use the heating when you are at home and really need it, only boil as much water in the kettle as you need, don't leave household appliances sitting on standby, think about whether you sometimes use the car unnecessarily, and so on.