How-to Guides » OLD GUIDE Cut the cost of having a baby

Save money on baby essentials

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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 is a free mailing list which allows you to post Wanted advertisements and get stuff for free. There's now an alternative called Freegle, too.

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

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 to shop around.

And 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. 

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 straight away. 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) Go for reuseable nappies

‘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.

Read Moneysaving tips for new parents for more frugal nappy advice!

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) Save money on the top 10 essential items

Here at lovemoney.com, we've compiled a guide on how to save money on the top 10 essential items every parent needs.

These include pushchairs, car seats, moses baskets, bedding, feeding equipment, monitors, babygros, change bads and change mats.

Check it out before you buy anything. Read our guide now.

8) Sell it on

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. 

Get a free guide to Child Trust Funds

Watch our video guide on how to cut the costs of having a baby!

Want some more tips on how you can save on your baby essentials? Why not ask a question using our Q&A tool? You may find that other members of lovemoney.com have experiences they can share which will help you.

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