Diapers/Wipes

• Printable $3.00 off two packages of Goodnites
• Printable $1.50 off one package of Goodnites
  
• $1.00 off of Huggies diapers (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/14/09)
• $1.75 off Luvs (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/31/09)
• $1.00 off Pampers diapers or Easy Ups (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/31/09)
• $1.00 off Pampers Extra Protection (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/31/09)
• $0.25 off Pampers wipes (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/31/09)
• $1.50 off Huggies (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 1/14/2010)
• $2.00 off Pull-Ups (coupon uploaded to your grocery store shopper’s card {e.g., Kroger card} — expires 12/29/09)
• 25% cash back on purchase of Pampers from Drugstore.com (if link does not take you there directly, search for “pampers” on Bing.com. The first result will be for 25% cash back at Drugstore.com)
• $5 Off diapers with coupon code: AFF5 ($49 minimum total order, new customers only)

Feeding

• Printable $1 off YoBaby Yogurt coupon
• $9 in coupons from Earth’s Best Organic
• $5 Off formula with coupon code: AFF5 ($49 minimum total order, new customers only)
• Buy 1 Bornfree item & get the 2nd for 50% off at DrugStore.com

Clothing/Accessories

• 15% off any order from The Children’s Place with coupon code: USWEEKLY119 (expires 12/20/09)

Baby Gear

• Sealy Baby Ultra Rest Crib Mattress for $71.36 (21% off) at Amazon.com, includes free shipping
• Printable coupon for $5.00 off a Playskool Step Start Walk N’Ride toy (expires 1/15/2010)
  

Assorted and Miscellaneous

• Become a Facebook fan of BabiesRUs or ToysRUs to receive a one-day coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase
• Printable $3.00 off coupon  for a Playskool Glo Worm (expires 1/15/2010)
• Printable $5.00 off coupon for a Playskool Busy Ball Popper (expires 1/15/2010)
  
• 7.5% off all orders at The Baby Outlet with coupon code: 2275
  
• Coupons, samples, and baby freebies from BabyToBee.com
• 5% off $50 order at BabyBecause.com with coupon code: save5 (expires 1/1/10)
• Free baby website plus samples and coupons from Baby Online

I know what you’re thinking: I have a baby screaming for attention, there is an ever-growing pile of laundry in the laundry room, the breakfast dishes haventt been done, my three year old is sampling the cat’s dinner, and you expect me to make baby food?!

Believe me, I know that you don’t feel like you could possibly fit an extra chore into your already hectic life, but you can! Making your own baby food is not a labor intensive process and is worth the little bit of effort required when you consider the benefits:

• Over the course of your child’s infancy, you can save hundreds of dollars by making your own food.
• Commercial baby foods can contain starchy additives or preservatives.
• By making your own baby food, you can mix and match your baby’s favorite foods for increased variety.
• When you make baby food yourself, you know what goes into it and how fresh the ingredients are.

Baby Food

Intrigued? Here’s how I do it in just a few minutes a day:

While I’m cooking dinner (and therefore am already in the kitchen), I pour about a pound of veggies or fruit into a microwave safe bowl. I either use frozen (considered to be as healthy as fresh by most nutritionists) or fresh that I have washed, peeled, and cut into chunks. I add about two tablespoons of water and cover the bowl with a lid. Then, I just pop the bowl into the microwave and cook on high until the fruit or vegetables are very tender. I let the steamed produce cool and then pour the contents (including the water which now contains valuable nutrients) into a blender. I then puree the fruits or veggies to the desired consistency, adding a little water to thin it out, if necessary. I reserve enough of the pureed food for baby’s meal and then I pour the rest into an ice cube tray and freeze (you could also use baby food storage containers). When the cubes of food are completely frozen, I pop them out and store them in labeled freezer bags. When I need them, I just pull out a cube or two and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to thaw. Repeat this process every night for a couple of weeks and you will have enough baby food for a couple of months!

Tips for Homemade Baby Food Success

• Always talk to your pediatrician to determine which foods are safe to introduce to your baby (click here for some popular first foods).
• Don’t bother buying a baby food maker or a food mill. This is The Frugal Baby! Use an appliance you already have on hand like a blender or food processor. For finer purees or to eliminate strings or skins from some foods, push the pureed food through a fine mesh strainer.
• Soft foods like bananas, avocados, and even watermelon do not need to be steamed prior to pureeing.
• Breastmilk, formula, or even water can be added to baby food to thin it out, if needed.
• Do not add seasonings to your baby’s foods. It is much healthier to get your child accustomed to the natural taste of vegetables.
• Check out which foods are appropriate for which ages.

Photo by Ross Catrow, Creative Commons license

In years gone by, it was common for the man of the house to be the breadwinner while the woman stayed home and kept the house, raised the children, and was a helpmate to her husband.  Many of these families were able to live comfortably on one income. Today, however, it is a real challenge to support a family with only one income.  And while the economy has changed, the desire of many people to stay at home with their children, has not. If you are a mom or dad who wants nothing more than to devote your full time efforts to child rearing but fear you cannot afford to live on a single income, consider the following:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual income for an individual in 2005 was $25,149. In exchange for all of those precious hours with your children, is that $25,000 really worth it? Let’s see (please note that the following figures are estimates and that many variables can alter these numbers):

$25,149

-   2,909 for federal taxes, Social Security, and Medicare

$22,240

-   7,800 for childcare (for one child)

$14,440

-   3,600 for a second car payment

$10,840

-    1,400 for second car gas, maintenance, and insurance

$   9,440

-    1,300 for lunches out

$   8,140

-    1,000 for professional attire, dry cleaning, etc.

$   7,140

$7,000 — is it worth it? That’s probably not enough to pay your mortgage every month. It might not even pay your car note! However, if you are not convinced that you can live without that $7,000, let’s look at the ways that you can save money by being a stay-at-home parent. Of course, not every family will have the same expenses to cut back on, but here are some ideas to illustrate how easy it can be to save a little money.

$2,600 saved annually by cutting back on convenience foods (you’ll be home to cook, after all)

1,000 saved annually by canceling your lawn care service and doing the work yourself

1,200 saved annually by canceling your once-a-month housekeeping

520 saved annually with the coupons that you now have time to clip

1,300 saved annually if you can convince your spouse to brown-bag-it

+   480 saved annually by skipping the salon and giving yourself a manicure

$7,100

When you look at it this way, you are actually ahead of where you were when you were working!

To be fair, though, every situation will be different and every family will have its own set of expenses and standard of living. The point is, with a few sacrifices you can save a lot of money — in many cases, enough to afford to stay home with your children. Click here for more ways to save money around the house.

Photo by Alexi Kostibas, Creative Commons license

Compared to other baby expenses, wipes may not seem like such a big deal. When you add up how many you actually use, though, the cost for this “convenience” is really rather high. Check out the chart below to find out just how much you are spending and just how much you could be saving on baby wipes.

As you can see, you won’t save a whole lot by making your own disposable wipes and you will end up expending more energy. That being said, it’s important to note that even if you are not saving money by making disposable wipes, you are controlling the chemicals that go on your baby’s sensitive skin.

In my opinion, though, the best option is to make your own reusable wipes. They are cheap, gentle on your baby’s skin, and are small enough that you can toss them in with another load of laundry and they take up very little room.

No matter which homemade baby wipe you prefer, they can all use the following cleansing solution recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups water

2 tablespoons baby bath/wash/shampoo

1-2 tablespoons baby oil*

*Note: if you find that the baby oil is leaving a film or a residue in the water when you wash the wipes, consider using apricot oil or lavendar oil instead of a mineral based oil.

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a clean saucepan. Remove water from heat. Add baby wash and oil to the water while still hot and mix well. Allow mixture to cool some before pouring it onto your wipes (to prevent plastic containers from melting!). Alternatively, you can pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it onto a soft cloth or directly onto your baby’s bottom.

Finally, don’t underestimate the cleansing power of plain old water. Cleaning your baby’s bottom with water is as pure and natural as it gets. You can wet a few wipes before each diaper change or wet a day’s worth in a container.

Disposable Baby Wipes #1

What You Will Need

1. Package of cotton squares (available on the cosmetic aisles of most stores)
2. Prepared cleansing solution or water (see above)
3. Empty baby wipe box or other square or rectangular box with lid

Instructions

1. Stack cotton squares in the baby wipe box.
2. Pour the cleansing solution over the squares.

Disposable Baby Wipes #2

What You Will Need

1. Roll of good quality paper towels
2. Prepared cleansing solution or water (see above)
3. Empty baby wipe cylinder or other similarly shaped container with lid

Instructions

1. Cut the roll of paper towels in half so that you now have two short rolls. An electric carving knife or hacksaw works best but any serrated knife will do.
2. Pull cardboard tube out of the middle of one roll.
3. Place the now-flexible roll into the cylinder and pull the innermost sheet up from the middle.
4. Pour the cleansing solution over the paper towels.

Reusable Baby Wipes (Super Frugal!)

What You Will Need

1. Approximately 50 squares or rectangles cut from old receiving blankets, t-shirts, cloth diapers, thin towels, etc. or just use old baby washcloths or diaper liners.
2. Prepared cleansing solution or water (see above)
3. Empty baby wipe box or other square or rectangular box with lid

Instructions

1. Stack fabric in the baby wipe box.
2. Pour the cleansing solution over the cloth wipes.

If you want to save money but think that you can’t possibly tighten your belt any more, then this is the guide for you. Below you will find ways to save money all over the house. None of these strategies alone will save you a fortune but if you do several, or even all, of them, you could easily save enough money to pay your phone bill or for diapers each month.

Kitchen

• Turn your dishwater’s heated dry feature off and let your dishes air dry.
• Only add dishwashing detergent to the main cup (with a lid) in your dishwasher.
• Always keep a hand towel (or two!) hanging in the kitchen. This will reduce the likelihood of reaching for a paper towel to wipe up a spill or to dry your hands.
• Vacuum the coils on your refrigerator twice a year. This keeps the fridge running efficiently and also extends the life of the appliance.
• Use your oven more during the winter months as the oven will help to warm the house.
• In the summer months, use the Crock Pot, stove top, and microwave, as these emit less heat into the house.
• Cooking a casserole or stew? Make a double batch and freeze half for another night. These frozen dinners are lifesavers when you don’t have time to cook and are cheaper than dining out.

Laundry Room

• Use the smallest recommended amount of laundry detergent. Too often we just fill the whole cup or scoop when much less would do.
• Wash your laundry in cold water. The exception to this is when you are washing with bleach (whites or cloth diapers)  in those instances, wash in hot water.
• Consider line drying your clothes during the spring and summer. The clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy users in the home. Even just drying your towels and bed linens on the line could save you quite a bit of money.
• Instead of liquid fabric softener, add a ½ to 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water. The vinegar will soften your clothes and the smell will vanish when the clothes dry.
• If you use dryer sheets, cut them in half before using them. A half sheet is enough to keep the static out of your clothes.
• Use your used dryer sheets to dust around the house. They work just about as well as dry duster cloths (like Swiffer brand cloths) and are essentially free.

Bathroom

• Repair leaky faucets so your hard-earned money doesn’t go down the drain!
• Limit showers to 10 minutes per person.
• Don’t buy expensive drain cleaners to clear a slow drain. Instead, pour a ½ cup of baking soda into the drain followed by a ½ cup of vinegar. Allow the solution to sit for several minutes and then flush with boiling water.
• Reuse bath towels. Each person can reuse his or her towel for at least two or three days, thus reducing your volume of laundry.
• Try using half the amount you would normally use of shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.
• If you have more than one child, bathe two at a time to save on water, time, and bubble-bath.
• Rarely, if ever, use your bathroom’s ventilator fan. In addition to pulling out odors and steam, it will also pull out heated or air conditioned air.

Living Room/Family Room

• Turn the t.v. off. A lot of us have a bad habit of leaving the television on even when we aren’t watching it.
• Cancel or downgrade your cable or satellite subscription. Do you really need 400 channels? Instead, consider subscribing to Netflix or Blockbuster Online. You’ll have an endless stream of movies and t.v. shows at your disposal but you pay much less than you will for cable or satellite service.
• Have a fireplace? Use it to save money on your heating bill. It should go without saying, but always be careful with fireplaces and young children.
• Particularly if you have kids, put a large area rug over your existing carpet or flooring. It is much cheaper to replace an area rug than it is to replace wall-to-wall carpeting or hardwood floors.
• Don’t forget to turn off the lights (and lamps) in the family room. For some reason, we tend to leave this light on, no matter where we are in the house. If no one is in it, turn off the light.

Bedrooms

• Keep your closet doors closed. On hectic mornings it’s not unusual for a closet door to be left ajar. But why cool or heat these extra spaces in your home?
• Pile on the blankets in winter. Turn your thermostat down and use extra blankets to keep warm while you are sleeping.
• Set the timer on your television if you have a tendency to fall asleep while it’s still on.

All Around the House

• If you have drafty windows, run a link of caulk around them to keep air from seeping through. The caulk will come off easily when you are ready to open the windows again.
• Change your heating and air conditioning filter on a regular basis. This will keep your unit running efficiently. For added efficiency, have your ductwork cleaned annually by a professional.
• Unplug electronics and appliances when not in use. Pay particular attention to computers, battery chargers, and small kitchen appliances. Even when they are off, they continue to use energy.
• If you have a programmable thermostat, use it! If not, adjust the temperature before leaving the house so that your heat/air doesn’t run unnecessarily.

Photo by James Bowe, Creative Commons license

Flats, prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones — if you are new to cloth diapering, the choices can be overwhelming. Which system is cheapest? Which controls leaks the best? Which diapers are easiest to use? If you need some help sorting through all of that information, we have a handy cloth diaper comparison chart that can help.

Each category below is awarded 1-5 stars with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest. Clicking on the brand name will take you offsite for more information or to purchase the product. This is, of course, just a sampling of the many brands of cloth diapers available.

Photo by Tiffany Washko, Creative Commons license

Register with Diaper Companies

Disposable diaper companies offer membership programs that benefit both them and the consumer. To join the program, you provide your contact information plus the names and ages of your children. This helps the company to accurately target their marketing. In exchange, they send their members free samples, coupons, and other goodies from time to time. At least once a month, I receive a free diaper or two in the mail, a couple of coupons, and occasionally things like stickers or booklets. As your child gets older, you will begin to get training pants samples, too.

Pampers Savings Program
Huggies Savings Program
Luvs Savings Program

Mailing Lists

From the time you have your first prenatal appointment until the time you send your kids off to college, you will have opportunity after opportunity to get on parenting mailing lists. You will find sign up forms online, in parenting magazines, at the doctor’s office, in baby supply stores, and more. Sure, you’ll get some unwanted junk mail from time to time, but you will also receive samples and coupons beyond what you will get from the diaper companies, themselves.

Clip Coupons

Diaper coupons are readily available. Aside from the coupons you will receive in the mail when you register with diaper companies and get on mailing lists, you will find diaper coupons in baby and parenting magazines, the Sunday paper, store flyers (think Target and Babies R Us), and in the coupon packs that come in the mail. Also, be sure to check online. Do a Google search for “diaper coupons” and you will be amazed at what is out there. Coupons can also be found for sale on Ebay and for free through Freecycle.

Buy Generic

I have known a number of parents over the years who swear their babies can only wear Pampers because anything else is too harsh on their baby’s skin. If that’s you, then you can skip right over this section. For the rest of you who may be skeptical but not totally opposed to using generic, let me tell you what I have found. Some generic diapers are better than others. Some are simply not worth any amount of money. But some (and I have only found a few), are almost as good as their name brand counterparts. My personal recommendation? White Cloud brand diapers that are available at Walmart. They provide good leak protection, are softer than many generics, and cost about half the price of some name brands (depending upon size, they are around $14 for a case of about 100). I also like Target’s diapers relatively well and they are just as cheap as White Cloud. For those of you with nighttime wetters, consider buying generic for use during the day and pricier diapers for nighttime use.

Buy Used

Okay, there’s something a little icky about the idea of buying used diapers. But hear me out. What happens if you’ve bought a couple of cases of diapers and before you use them all, your baby moves into another size? Or what if you received way more newborn diapers from friends and family than you will ever be able to use? Or (and we should all be so lucky!), what if your toddler potty trains and you still have diapers left?

Some people solve this dilemma buy selling their unused diapers. You can find great deals on leftover diapers on eBay, at consignment sales, and at yard sales. One word of caution, though — only buy diapers that are still sealed in their original plastic packaging to ensure they are clean and sanitary.

The fact is, diapers can be made from many fabrics that you probably already have lying around the house. Think you don’t have fabric just lying around? What about these?

• Old T-shirts
• Unused receiving blankets
• Tattered towels
• Spare dish towels
• Worn out flannel shirts

All of those items make great diapers and are essentially free. Here is the easiest way to convert them into diapers:

1. Prewash all items.
2. Cut 25×25 inch squares out of the fabric (this size is designed to fit babies big and small — if you want, you can cut the fabric smaller to reduce bulkiness).
3. Using a needle and thread or a sewing machine, hem up the edges to prevent unraveling.
4. Fold the squares into thirds and insert into a diaper cover.
5. If you find you need more absorbency, you can make your own doublers by cutting out rectangles in the width of your folded diaper from an absorbent material. Finish the edges as you did with the diapers. These doublers can be inserted into the folds of the diaper or simply laid out on top of the folded diaper.

How easy (and cheap) was that?!

Now, for those of you who are more creatively inclined or who want to make a diapering system that is a bit more sophisticated than recycled flat diapers, there are many patterns available for prefolds, fitteds, contours, and all-in-ones. Many such patterns are available for purchase and when weighed against the cost of diapers, may be a great deal. On the other hand, there are a number of enterprising parents who very generously share their patterns for free. Since I am creatively challenged in this area, I will direct you to some of these free patterns. Please be sure to let me know which patterns worked best for you.

DiaperSewing.com – This is an excellent site with instructions for making many different types of diapers.

MamaBird – Great patterns for three different types of diapers.

My Free Diaper Pattern – Basic patterns for a one-size fitted diaper.

Dianna’s Journal – Relatively simple pattern for a fitted diaper.

Dutch Girl Diary – Detailed instructions for making a fitted diaper pattern.

Register with Formula Manufacturers

This is the single biggest way to save. All the major brands of formula offer programs that provide coupons, samples, and more. Before I had my first baby, I signed up for everything baby related I could find. As a result, I ended up with six full size cans of formula, two boxes of single-serve formula packets, a couple of diaper bags, a bottle, and a few other goodies. Aside from all the freebies, baby formula companies periodically send out checks or coupons for dollars off their products. The links below will take you to the formula manufacturers’ websites.

• Enfamil Savings Program
• Similac Savings Program
• Good Start Savings Program

Clip Coupons

You may not find a lot of formula coupons in the Sunday paper, but there are plenty of other places to find them. First, check online. Just do a Google search for “baby formula coupons” and start printing. Coupons can also be found for sale on Ebay and for free through Freecycle. In the real world, formula coupons often appear in parenting magazines and yes, occasionally in the Sunday paper. One more coupon tip: keep an eye out for dollars off coupons to stores like Target or Babies R Us that can be used when purchasing formula.

Buy Generic

Some of you may be appalled at the idea of feeding generic formula to your baby. Before you panic, consider this: the FDA regulates all baby formula that is sold in the United States and all formula brands must adhere to the same nutritional standards. With that in mind, consider this: most of the name brand formulas cost about $26 for 25.7 ounces while many store brands cost about half as much.

Buy in Bulk

I’m not a huge fan of wholesale clubs like Sam’s, Costco, or BJ’s but when it comes to infant formula, there are significant savings to be found. You can usually get both name brand and store brand formula at wholesale clubs. Depending on the brand, you can find them ranging in price from $0.40 per ounce to about $0.80 per ounce. You can save even more by using your formula checks or coupons at these stores.

Disposable Nursing Pads

Washable Nursing Pads