Save money on baby essentials
1) Get free baby equipment
Friends and family are obviously a fabulous resource for outgrown baby things. Don't be afraid to make use of social networks like Facebook and Twitter when appealing for baby stuff, too!
Freecycle and Freegle list items people no longer need and are happy to give away for free to a good home.
Baby items in perfect condition often come up, so it's well worth joining your local group. If you're on a low income, you may also be able to get help from the charity Care Confidential. Here's a list of centres offering free clothes and baby equipment.
From recipes to rhymetime sessions, we also have a list of regularly-updated freebies out there in our article Fabulous baby freebies.
2) Get the best deal when buying new
If you're buying baby stuff new (which in most cases, isn't necessary) always use a product comparison site such as Kelkoo and PriceRunner to shop around.
Good old Which? magazine has loads of tips and reviews on buying new baby products.
You could also do a search for voucher codes on sites like hotukdeals.com and vouchercodes.co.uk which you can use to get money off.
And don't forget to check out cashback sites such as Quidco, TopCashback and GreasyPalm to see if you can earn some money on your purchases.
3) Find second-hand baby gear
Ask nicely in charity shops and the assistants may agree to put aside relevant stuff as it comes in - so you'll have a whole bag of baby clothes to choose from the next time you visit.
The National Childbirth Trust runs hundreds of nearly-new sales every year, all over the UK. Find your local sale here.
Don't forget eBay, eBid and other auction sites. And the ‘baby and kids' section of Gumtree is also worth a look.
4) Don't get carried away
Try not to buy tonnes of baby clothes and equipment straightaway. You'll probably be given lots of gifts by family and friends, and end up with two or three of everything!
If you're happy to be given used baby clothes and equipment, make sure you let people know. If you don't, people may assume you don't want their 'cast-offs'.
5) Choose your nappies carefully
‘Traditional’ nappies are, generally speaking, cheaper in the long-term than their disposable equivalents. Estimates suggest you could save up to £600 using them on your first child – and even more if you use the same ones for your other children.
With that in mind, it's worth checking out Babykind's trial offer for washable nappies, and investigating whether your local council offers any kind of incentive scheme for reusable nappies.
If you go for disposable, try out some different varieties. You may find that the cheaper versions are just as absorbent as the bigger, more expensive brands.
6) Check out your nearest toy library
Toy libraries let you borrow all sorts of toys for a minimal charge - sometimes even for free. And they’re a great way of finding out what toys your child likes before buying them yourself.
7) Sell it on
Of course, you could make a bit of money back by selling your child's clothes, toys and equipment when you no longer need them. So try using websites such as eBay or eBid to get you started.
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