In this article on budgeting for a baby:
What does budgeting for a baby look like? How does it work, and how much can you save with a few extra tips and tricks?
Thousands. You can save thousands.
With apps, parent clubs, and good old-fashioned hand-me-downs, new parents can save a significant amount of money. For example, some savvy strategies can cut as much as £1,400 just on nappies!
Even with budgeting, money can be a tricky topic. If you’re feeling anxious, or like you can’t afford this pregnancy, we want to help.
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Step one of saving money – do a budget. It sounds complicated, but it’s pretty simple.
You start by looking at three things: how much money’s coming in, how much money’s going out, and how much is left over.
Let’s break it down, step-by-step.
When budgeting for a baby, it might make more sense to do two separate budgets – one for you now, so you see how much money you have left over, and one for you with a baby.
A parent will have a longer list of expenses – big things like prams and car-seats, small things like food and nappies. However, British parents will also have more help, like Child Benefit and free prescriptions, and if you’re on benefits a Maternity Grant and extra Universal Credit. You can use this info to draw up a new parenting budget, with lists of new income and extra expenses.
You do not need everything! So many products are unnecessary but are branded as essential by sneaky marketing departments. When budgeting for a baby, start with what you really need. The Scotland Baby Box is a great help, as it contains many of the items needed for a newborn.
Scottish mums all get a free baby box, with a mattress and bedding that transforms the box into a safe sleeping space. It arrives full of clothes, books, bath towels, and toys, as well as reusable nappies, muslin squares and a thermometer.
Even if you don’t live in Scotland, you can use the box as a handy guide. It matches the NHS checklist almost exactly!
NHS checklist:
You might choose to indulge in a baby bath, but you don’t really need one – an ordinary washing-up bowl will do.
Then for feeding, you’ll need either bottles, formula, and sterilising equipment, or anything you might need to feel comfortable breastfeeding, such as a breast pump, nursing bras, breast pads, and nipple cream.
That shopping list might feel awfully long. However, it’s now time for step two of budgeting for a baby – finding deals and freebies to keep the cost down.
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Let’s start with the pricier items, like prams or Moses baskets.
Bigger items are more expensive, but it’s easier to get them for free. If you’re finding it difficult to get everything you need, you can ask Life for second-hand toys, clothing, pushchairs, and Moses baskets.
There are also sites like Freecycle, where people post their no-longer needed items and give them away – again, for free!
Then there are friends and family, who often can’t wait to pass on the buggies and baby carriers cluttering up their house.
That’s the more personal side of money-saving, but there are also plenty of big corporate initiatives to help you out with deals and free gifts for your baby’s first year.
When you sign up to Amazon’s Baby Club, you receive a code that can be redeemed for a free box of items worth £25, containing wipes, formula, even reusable breast pads, to keep both you and your baby comfortable.
Boots have a big stash of baby supplies, including bottles, bedding, and baby wipes. If you spend at Boots, it’s wise to sign up to their Parenting Club. Not only will you get double loyalty points when buying baby stuff, they send parenting advice and free gifts at each stage of the child’s development, including baby shampoo and conditioner.
Around three times a year, Asda hosts a Baby and Toddler Event – essentially a massive sale for all things baby and toddler. That includes substantial online bargains on things like nappies, wipes, and various groceries, while clothes and equipment are cut-price in-store. Plenty of other shops do similar Baby Events, including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Matalan.
Move aside, Black Friday sales – this is what the people really want!
What else do new parents want? Cheap nappies!
If you’re budgeting for a baby, you’ll want to think about nappies. Babies go through about 2,000 a year, so you want to be savvy and avoid full-price luxury brands.
So where should you go? What should you look for?
Reusable nappies are one of the best money-saving tricks out there!
Over two and a half years, the cost even of own-brand disposable nappies averages £1,875, while a pack of reusables might only cost £400. That’s saving £1,475!
The initial retail price of reusable nappies is higher, but if you know where to look, you can get them for free. More and more UK councils are offering discounts, free starter kits, or cashback vouchers on reusable nappies. If your area isn’t covered, you can apply for an incentive scheme from the Nappy Gurus. Financially, reusable nappies are worth it. But when it comes to washing … Are they just too gross?
Well, it’s a little more work than tossing a disposable in the bin, but they come with liners and outer wraps to make the whole process easier. You dispose of the poo, store the nappy in a lidded bin or bag, and then shove a load into the washing machine.
If you’re a bit too grossed out for reusable nappies, you’ll be looking for bargains on disposables.
Pampers have a big marketing budget. Think nappies, you’ll probably think Pampers. They’re reaching out with deals with their Pampers Club App, where you find a code inside a nappy pack, collect points online, and then redeem them for rewards. You can also join their Online Community Pampers’ Squad to discover free products.
That said, Pampers are still pricey. One basic principle for any kind of cost-cutting is to forget brand names and go for basic supermarket products.
For instance, if you’re buying Pampers for newborns at Sainsbury’s, it costs £4.20 per pack of 24, working out at 18p per nappy. However, if you buy Aldi’s Mamia Newborn nappies, it works out at just 0.04p per nappy!
If you and your baby get on with the cheaper brands, it could be a good option that saves you money.
Breastfeeding is good, but it’s not right for every mum, so it’s worth thinking about food and formula.
Maybe you’ve not considered formula. Babies can’t have normal cows’ milk, but they can have formula, which is made of cow milk but specially treated to be safe for babies. You can buy it as a ready-to-feed liquid or a cheaper powder to which you add water.
Some babies are sensitive to cow’s milk, even in formula. If you notice a increase in colic, reflux, or crying when switching to a cow’s milk product, speak to your health visitor, pharmacist or GP; there are plenty of formula options that don’t contain cow’s milk.
Some women just use formula, while some alternate it with breastfeeding. There’s even special follow-on formula for children over six months, though this really isn’t necessary.
With formula, you can follow general money-saving advice, such as buying in bulk and using store brands. You can also buy a new reusable bottle. It’s important that the bottle is new, as some old ones may contain BPA, a chemical that could get into the milk. If it’s new, that’s fine, and you can keep on reusing.
You can also cut out follow-on formula, as your baby really doesn’t need it. They can stick with first formula for a year, and then start switching to normal pasteurised cow milk.
Finally, solid foods.
When budgeting for a baby, you can skip the overpriced jars of baby food and instead make some yourself for very little cost. You might mash up an avocado or banana, or a parsnip and sweet potato – healthy fruit and veg from your own diet. Mash them up and fridge or freeze them in bulk. Then simply defrost and heat up for some cheap, nutritious baby food.
Budgeting for a baby makes a world of difference, and in our age of apps and loyalty cards it’s much simpler to cut costs.
But money isn’t everything. You might have questions or feel anxious about being pregnant or a new mum. If this is the case, we encourage you to speak to our experienced and non-judgmental listeners.
Get free help by tapping Text, Call, or Message.
What other questions are you asking? Why not explore our Surprise Pregnancy blogs, which discuss studying, relationships and other aspects of unplanned pregnancy. To find out more about Life, visit our website or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
