How to save money on nappies
Here are some ways in which parents can save on the cost of nappies and other essentials for a baby or toddler. These solutions are perfect for anyone who cares for a baby or toddler now, is expecting to have a baby soon or wants to give a gift for expectant parents.
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Many people would be feeling sensitive about the cost of living. There are some expenses that we can’t control and others we can reduce.
I gave my child cloth nappies for a long time. I likely saved on the cost of nappy cream because the natural cotton terry, within modern covers, may have been more sensitive than the chemicals that are found in plastic disposables.
Cloth nappies
Cloth nappies can save money in the long term. If you are facing potential months or years of nappy phase for your young one, reusables just might save your wallet. They also help the planet too. When we reduce our own costly waste, we save the world from some excess waste. But we’re focusing on the cost of family supplies right now.
Reusable cloth wipes
You could save a lot of money on baby wipes. You need something that serves this function when changing a nappy. But the disposables are pretty much like throwing money away.
I quickly looked at a supermarket web site to find the best deal. When sorted by unit price, I found a bulk pack that’s actually quite a lot of money. There was a ‘carton’ containing 24 packs of 80 wipes for $108.6. How long would that last? A year? Half a year? How long will a baby really wear nappies? 2 years? Maybe 3 years? I should mention, that load was discounted at the time of writing. It was originally $181. For baby wipes. Gosh. Family life can be expensive enough. Why spend so much on wipes instead of other things?
There is an alternative. Use cloth face washers or dedicated soft baby wipes. Designer Bums lists a variety of reusable muslin cloth wipes for $29.95 at the time of writing this article. We can imagine how long those wipes may last.
Reusable wet bags aka nappy bags
Everyone should have reusable wet bags, especially parents. These are handy for nappies, swimsuits, period stuff and anything else that should be contained in this way. This piece is about nappies. I just get excited about how versatile a wet bag can be. Anyway… the savings. Let’s realise the savings.
In another comparison to the disposables in the mainstream, I found a pack of 50 nappy bags for $7. That looks like a small cost in the short term. But how long would it last? You could end up bagging 29200 nappies in a year. As an estimate. Do you feel like spending a few hundred dollars per year on nappy bags? You could buy other things for your child with that money instead.
If you’re wanting to shop for nappy bags, have a look at Designer Bums. The mini wet bag fits one nappy or little accessories. So after the cloth nappy journey, you could inherit the washed mini bags for your own personal supplies. There are larger nappy bags that could fit multiple nappies or a swimsuit if needed. The extra large wet bags could hold all sorts of things. Because in parenting, life gets messy.
Swimming nappies
Get swim nappies cheaper now in winter, before they could have a different cost in summer. They are also useful if your family might swim in a heated pool at any time of the year.
EOFY discounts
Designer Bums have “nothing over $50” for a while in June. Get in quick! You could start with a trial pack.
Second hand
When you no longer need nappies for your child, donate or sell your cloth nappies for another family to sustainably use.
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