Tag: family finance

Baby shopping. Now, if you’re anything like me, you can just spend, spend and spend. Baby shopping is my biggest hobby.

For some reason, when it comes to shopping for my baby, I do not seem to focus on a budget even when I really need to. It is like a part of me thinks if my baby needs it then I will buy it her. Which is okay but half the time, does my baby really need it?

Look:

I have been strict on myself to save more money as my maternity pay has come to a stop. It is sad, yes, but I feel so much more secure financially now.

You’re probably wondering how:

By following these ten tips I have been able to think twice about my biggest outgoing which is baby shopping.

10 Money Saving Tips When Shopping For A Baby

1. Think twice before you buy
2. Shop around and compare prices
3. Go for second hand
4. Re-sell anything you no longer need
5. Avoid baby clothes shopping unless necessary
6. Do not stockpile
7. Join baby groups for freebies
8. Shop neutral
9. ?Spend with cash
10. Prepare your baby’s dinner from scratch

Think twice before you buy

Did you know some parents spend over ?10000 in their baby’s first year?

I can guarantee that most of their spending would have been on items they really do not need.

Have a good think before you put the product in the basket. Ask yourself will you use it enough times to be worth the money or will your baby get their use out of it before they grow out of it.

A good idea is that if at that moment in time you are set on buying it, wait a few days before you go ahead with the purchase. If I have been online shopping and I go back after a few days to check my basket 9/10 times I no longer want it and do not purchase it.

Shop around and compare prices

You can get many brands for less at different stores. Do not jump on the product straight away. Check for price comparisons online first to see if you can get the product cheaper.

Go for second hand

There should be no shame in second hand items. Mole has had tonnes of second hand items from clothes to her Jumperoo. We love it! It has helped me out so much that friends have been able to gift us with what their baby no longer needs. Plus, Mole would never have been able to tell the difference if it was second hand or brand new anyway.

Re-sell anything you no longer need

Selling your baby’s items that you no longer use is a great way to make some money. I love to sell Moles preloved clothes and I think its amazing knowing that another baby out there will be wearing her outfit. It is recycling clothes at its finest.

All the money I earn back from selling her items I use for her next clothes. It has been really fun selling her items. There are so many ways to do it now it makes the process so much easier.

I have a Depop site where I sell her clothes: @zjwaite. But there are many other ways such as Facebook Market Place.

Avoid baby clothes shopping

It is so easy to flitter away your saving when you shop for baby clothes. Try to avoid the baby clothes section when you can. Obviously if your baby needs new clothes then you can get what you need. I always do this when I go shopping, I end up picking clothes out for Mole even though her wardrobe will be full.

I have found to really look for good quality in her clothes now. I tend to avoid the really cheap shops as I know how much I wash her clothes they will not last and I end up buying more to replace them.

I love to count out exactly how many pairs of leggings she has then I know how many tops she will need. That way, when I am shopping, I don’t get distracted in buying another pair of leggings lets say when she already has more than enough.

Do not stockpile

It is extremely easy to stockpile on baby products. Whether it is their food or nappies. It is always a good idea to have spares in the house but when the wardrobe is bursting at the seems with spare nappies or your draws are becoming draws just for baby wipes then you need to stop.

If you’re trying a brand for the first time, do not go and buy more than one of their products as you might find you do not like them and you could have used the money on your favourites.

Join baby groups for freebies

Joining as many baby groups as you can, you will be sent vouchers or free samples. These can really help you save! Check out what baby group your local supermarket has!

Shop neutral

Shopping neutral will be ideal if you are planning on having any more babies. You will be able to hand down their clothes or nursery items no matter what the sex is of your baby. It saves you from having to buy lot’s of items twice. Items you will? fall in love with too will be able to stay in the family for longer. It’s a bonus that it will save you money in the long run.

Spend with cash

Now we have contactless payments and our wages are paid through online banking, we rarely have cash. This is a downfall as we can not physically see how much cash we are spending. If you took your spends out in cash rather than on your card, you are likely to spend less.

I love to withdraw a budget then once that cash has gone I can not spend anymore on baby products I don’t need. It’s also fun challenging myself to a spending budget and rewarding when I find the bargains.

?Prepare your baby’s dinner from scratch

Food has to be one of my biggest outgoings at the moment for Mole. Especially during her teething phases I find that I open up more than one shop bought pouch at dinner times to see if I can get her to eat anything. But with most ready made shop bought pouches of baby food costing around ?2.00 each now, this all adds up and gets pretty pricey.

I have set the time aside and bought fresh produce or frozen from cheaper stores like Lidl or Aldi and prepared her food myself.

I am saving so much money doing so. Any spare meals I have for her can go in the freezer too. I remember doing this when she first started off weaning and I was saving around ?8.00 a week!

What are your favourite saving tips?

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