How to Save Money on Cloth Diapering
Cloth diapering is an excellent way to save money, but it does require an investment. There are many ways to save money on cloth diapering supplies and needs and here are some of those ways.
Don’t buy your diapers all at once. This is one of the biggest errors many new parents to cloth diapering make. There are so many types of cloth diapers out there as well as brands and people who make them handmade that you never know what kind will work best for you, your baby and your lifestyle until you are there. Instead, buy a few of each brand and style until you find the perfect fit. This way, you won’t be stuck with a bunch of diapers you can’t or won’t use.
Skip special detergents. There are plenty of special detergents out there for cloth diapering and really, they are not much more than a convenient way to buy. You can use a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar to not only rid odors but also disinfect as both of these ingredients together do this. Baking soda and vinegar cost pennies per use.
Don’t use a diaper service. This is yet another thing that is out there for the sake of convenience. It really is not necessary and if the idea of washing the diapers gets to you and that is why you are using it, you will find that it really isn’t was bad as you think especially if you install a sprayer on your toilet to help remove solid waste.
Check on sites that allow for sales of cloth diapers and supplies such as Cloth Diaper Trader. You will find many used diapers in singles or sets at very reasonable prices. Buying used cloth diapers isn’t as bad as it seems. They are clean and usually well cared for and you can often ask questions and see pictures.
Check Etsy shops. Some people hand make cloth diapers and sell them on this well-known craft site. You can often find them for less than what you would in store and since they are handmade, they are often of higher quality.
Use less detergent or cleaning products when you wash your cloth diapers. You don’t want to use too much anyway as it will cause a buildup of detergent in the diaper and make it less effective in holding in liquids. Also, only wash full loads and throw in other things with it such as rags you use for cleaning as long as they are not full of harsh chemicals, bleach or oils.
Buy less to start with. If you have the time to do a load of them a day, you won’t need more than 12-14 of them for babies up to 6 months. After you find the ones that work best for you, just buy a dozen or so to start with.
Skip the newborn sized ones. Babies grow out of them within weeks and are often in the regular sizes by month 1. Instead, do disposables for that first month. You will spend less on newborn disposable diapers those first couple of weeks than you will buying a bunch of newborn sizes in cloth diapers.
Buy cloth diapers that grow with your baby. These include the ones that have Velcro or many snaps that allow for adjusting.
Elise @frugalfarmwife.com says
Totally agree with skipping the newborn sizes and buying one size diapers. I used mostly Smartipants one size pocket diapers with both of my newborns, and was really happy. I don’t think I ever had a “blow out” when they were wearing cloth. 🙂