If this is your first baby, you’re probably so confused that you’re not really sure what’s going on half the time. And this is completely understandable – the amount of excitement can cloud your judgement significantly and there’s no shame in that.
However, you need to come to your senses before the baby is born, especially if you’re on a budget. This is your family’s future we’re talking about and you need to be smart about it before you run out of money.
I know that a huge factor here is cuteness overload – baby stuff is irresistible and people who can stay indifferent to it have one really icy heart. The thing is that you should learn a skill or two from those night walkers because they can really teach you how to make a difference in your baby’s life and have your child want for nothing. Well, nothing they can’t live without anyway.
1. Avoid Brands
This is one old trick, but somehow, people tend to forget it. I know that most of you trust brands because they have a huge audience and they have been proving their quality for a long time – I don’t want to argue about that. However, I believe and I think that you might agree with me, that there’s no good reason to get a baby bottle that costs $500 when you can get a perfectly good one for about twenty bucks.
This rule should be applied for all baby items. If you do your research properly and make sure that things you get are made out of materials that are durable and that will not in any way damage your baby’s health, you’ll be able to equip yourself properly without spending a fortune.
2. Stick to Necessities
Not all baby things in a baby store should be on your list of necessities – many of them are simply made-up. I never quite understood why having a changing table made it to this list – you can change your baby’s diaper anywhere. Besides, if you don’t have much space in your home, this will only take room – it doesn’t seem that practical now, right?
It’s the very same thing with baby shoes – the fact is that your child will grow out of them within a month, and like other baby things, baby shoes can be unreasonably expensive, so this isn’t a thing you should waste your money on.
3. Coupon Up
New parents who aren’t financially stable need to compensate that lack of money with hours of additional research. It’s quite simple, really – you can get everything you need significantly cheaper if you search for it long enough.
Obviously, my advice here is to start collecting coupons, not only when the baby comes, but also during your pregnancy. It doesn’t involve any hard work and, considering the fact that you should spend a lot of your time in a comfy bed as a pregnant woman, you can use that time for online browsing and discovering new sources of coupons.
4. Second Hand Items
Baby clothes and other necessities don’t really have time to get worn out, because they grow out of them very quickly, which is why you shouldn’t have any doubts when it comes to getting used items for your child.
There’s another thing you should have in mind and that can come in handy – exchange. By joining in a parents club of some sorts, you’ll be surrounded by people who share your experience and your list of necessities, and exchanging advice along with items is a highly profitable two way street.
5. Bulk & Double Bulk
The first year will be all about diapers and you can’t really have enough of them, so when it comes to things like that, you should bulk up. First of all, getting things in bulk will earn you a certain discount by itself, but if you combine that with a valid coupon, you should end up with a great deal.
6. Breastfeeding Instead of Formula
I know that this is your decision, but you should look at this situation budget-wise. Breast milk is healthy for your baby and it’s recommended that you feed your baby naturally as long as your body allows it. The other piece of this equation is that formula billing will affect your costs at the end of the month, so my suggestion is to revise your decision here.
7. Family Babysitters
Once the first month of not sleeping is done, it’s healthy for you and your partner to spend some time out of the house, a couple of hours per week at least. This will help you gain some perspective, relax for a bit and enjoy doing nothing.
Instead of trying to find a babysitter you’re capable to trust with your baby and paying for their time, you should have your loved ones take care of your child – I’m sure that they will be thrilled to spend quality time with your cute newborn.
8. Start with DIYs
Parents learn how to practice magic in time, and they develop these extraordinary skills and learn how to make something out of nothing. You should start with your school of wizardry before the baby even arrives, as far as I’m concerned, and start by conducting DIY projects.
This will most definitely pay off in the long term and perhaps this reveals a hidden talent of yours in the future. If that happens, you can even make money off it, but first thing’s first – try knitting or crafting your baby’s first toys and see where you go from there.
This is just your base. You’ll be able to find many smart shortcuts by yourself in time – it will only take a while until you get inside the parents world, and everything will be a lot clearer when you finally arrive. I can only further advise you not to panic and don’t make any rash decisions. You’ll be just fine.
