Part four and the last in the series on saving money when having a baby. Today’s post is about how we save money on clothes, toys and other miscellaneous things.

As always, it would be great to hear your tips on how you saved money when having a baby.

Living in a warm climate, I find the best way to save money on kid’s clothes is for them not to wear any. Eating something messy? Top off. Finger painting? Much more fun when you can paint your own nipples (I’m talking about the little fella here. It’s not something I’ve tried, but now that I think about it…) Mud pies? Bring it on.

And there’s less washing – an associated cost of wearing clothes.

Toys are another area where we don’t spend a lot of money, although we do have some favourites. Teddy is the most important toy in our house. The other night, the little fella woke around 3am upset. DH went in to settle him and find teddy, who had fallen under the bed. As DH walked out, I heard:

‘Daddy’

‘Yes?’

‘I love teddy.’

The other commercial toys that are very popular in our house at the moment are matchbox cars and Duplo. However, both these toys are much more fun when they can be played with in the dirt or if the little fella builds ramps and bridges with scrap wood offcuts.

Below are some more ways we save money on clothes, toys and miscellaneous baby items.

Clothing

As babies grow out of clothes so very quickly, second-hand clothing is great. $20 Target clothes at 20% off doesn’t feel like much of a bargain, when you can pick up similar for 50c – $1 at the op-shop.

A tip for op-shop buying is to get clothes in a range of sizes if you see some good ones, and put them away until baby grows into them. There’s stuff the little fella is wearing now that I bought over a year ago at 50c. And I have a few items stashed away that he’ll fit into next summer.

There are however, times when I’ve found Kmart clothes to be cheaper than the op-shop, so keep an eye out for end of season sales.

The other source of second-hand clothes, if it’s available, is friends who can pass down unwanted baby and kid’s clothes, or older siblings. If our bub is a girl, she’ll be wearing blue occasionally.

Lastly, I find Nanna to be an endless source of clothes. Nannas love shopping for baby clothes, between the two of ours, I don’t have to get much.

As a commenter mentioned in a previous post, brand-name / designer clothes aren’t that great. We’ve been given a few and I haven’t liked any of them.  Firstly, they are usually not designed to fit over cloth nappies. Secondly, as the clothes are designed to look pretty, there’s lots of zips and buttons and other annoying things you don’t want to be mucking around with every nappy change. Finally, they are often made of stiff fabrics or the design is constrictive and doesn’t allow for freedom of movement, which is very important in the first few years of life. Tracky-daks or cotton onesies from Big W are more comfortable for baby, they can move more freely and it’s cheaper and easier for you too!

toys

For the first few months, a baby doesn’t really need any toys at all. All those flashing, whirring, elevator-music mobiles over the cot…just make it harder for baby to sleep. On the other hand, ceiling fans are endlessly fascinating.

I was tempted by one of those play mats that have dangly things over the top; if I did it all again, I wouldn’t buy one. They aren’t bad actually, the little fella enjoyed it and I will use it again, but it’s just as interesting (and a lot cheaper) for bub to lie under / near a chair with a few things hanging off the chair (just make sure they are secure and bub can’t get tangled in them!).

Once bub can sit up, a treasure basket (see here and here for ideas) filled with things from around the house can keep a baby amused for ages. The items are free and more often than not, a child will be interested in them more than commercial toys. The old ‘prefer the cardboard box to the toy’ is very true. What’s more, open ended toys are not only more interesting, they encourage creativity, imagination and problem solving.

Since the little fella was about 8 months old or so, I would encourage ‘independent play’ in the afternoon after his nap – when he was at his best and I was at my lowest. That’s when I would pick up a book and read while sitting next to him and watching him play. Some days I would get in 10 minutes of reading, other days up to 1 hour. Now that the little fella is two, that time is an accepted part of our routine.

Here are some posts on frugal toys and keeping young kid’s amused:

• frugal toy ideas for baby
• best frugal toy we’ve ever bought (it still get’s played with almost daily, 1 1/2 years later in ways I could never have come up with myself)
• rainy day activities for young toddlers
• a roundup of ideas from other blogs

miscellaneous

We purchased a baby bath. I’m thinking of planting potatoes in it. It barely got used, it was a back strain and I don’t think we’ll use it again this time around. After a couple of months, we ended up lying the little fella down in a very shallow (inch or so) amount of water in the normal bath. This meant he could splash around happily and it was easy to wash his hair. We’ll do the same this time around I think, except use the laundry tub for the first few months – much easier on the back! It’s one of those things though, that you don’t know if you’re going to use it until you try it – some people (and babies) love baby baths. If you can, borrow one, at least for a little while. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to worry about where to store it.

Other things you might want to consider (good to put on your baby shower / nanna list or wait until after bub is born to see if you really want / need them):

• an extra towel or two (or use ones you already have)
• cot sheets – if you’re handy, you can make your own from old bed sheets
• nappy bag (you can see the one I made here along with the nappy stacker, change mats and burp cloths)
• wraps – some babies do, some babies don’t.
• Burp cloths – we made a few from terry nappies
• portable cot – we actually use ours quite a bit
• sunshades for the car windows
• nappy rash cream – wait till baby is born to see if you need it. The little fella got thrush from me taking antibiotics to try and get my milk to come in. Now I swear blind by Daktozin – cleared things up within hours! Paw paw ointment was never effective for us.
• a thermometer can be useful – we got an inexpensive digital one, which works fine for a baby, not so good for a squirming toddler. An in ear one can make life easier.
• Baby proofing stuff. What you get will depend on your home. Good for keeping little fingers out of the sharp knives drawer while you’re having a cup of tea with your feet up doing the vacuuming. We purchased stair gates, which we no longer need to use (at least not until the next baby starts crawling). They do come in handy at night though, in case the little fella wanders around in the dark while we’re asleep and he’s asleep (sleepwalking is genetic and DH is a sleepwalker).
• High chair – I love our high chair! It’s fully adjustable up and down, folds away, the tray is removable (the little fella eats at the table with us now, but sits in his highchair so he can reach), it can be tilted back for comfort… and it cost us $15 from the op-shop. If I had to buy one new though, I would get your basic, inexpensive, plastic-moulded chair – much, much easier to clean!!

Things I wouldn’t buy:

Pretty much everything else on the market .  Because I feel babies will sit up / crawl / walk in their own time, and it can be better for their body not to force them into positions their muscles aren’t developed enough to cope with, I never got a bumbo or walker etc.

My only caveat to that is we did find a baby bouncer invaluable! A light, inexpensive one, like the old-fashioned wire and string ones, is all we needed (ours did vibrate – we never used that option). It meant the little fella could look around (which he always liked) while I vacuumed and I could put him in it while I had a shower or hung the washing outside.

Every now and then, you will come across an article in the paper, or in a magazine, stating how expensive it can be to have a baby. It doesn’t have to be expensive at all. For the first few months you will probably have free milk. Cloth nappies are inexpensive. A lot of baby gear can be purchased second-hand (most of it is only used for a little while anyway). Most of the rest isn’t needed. 

What are your best tips on saving money when having a baby? What are your must-have items and the items that you regret buying / wouldn’t buy?

Have you read these articles?:

1. saving money when having a baby part three–asleep and on the go
2. saving money when having a baby part two–the other end
3. saving money when having a baby part one – feeding

You should always take fashion advice with a large does of salt when it comes from a chic who gaffer-tapes her shoes up when they break, rather than buy new ones (in my defence, they are perfectly good shoes except for one small tear).

On the other hand, it’s safe to say that my clothing budget is fairly minimal.

I have acquired clothing every way mention below (although I have only swapped kid’s clothing, not clothes for me). You don’t actually need to be a clothing minimalist like me to have a fashionable wardrobe for less if you’re savvy with your shopping. Here are a few ways to save money on clothes.

Buy less

Apparently the 80/20 rule applies to clothing also: we wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. So before you buy that top, ask yourself: “do I really need it?”

How many pairs of shoes do you need? How many pairs of jeans? How many dresses? Yes, even I, the fashion failure, feel good when wearing a new outfit for the first time. But I can get that feel-good feeling other ways too.

If temptation is just too much, shop without your credit card in your wallet and write that ‘must have’ item down on your wish list. It doesn’t matter how tempted you are if you don’t have cash to buy it.

The other side to buying less is to make your clothes last by taking care of them and mending them. Ok, so gaffer-tape may not be your style, but replacing buttons, darning socks, stitching up small tears and holes and altering length will make the clothes you have last longer without going for the ‘distressed/grunge’ look. So too will caring for clothing by reading the care label, washing gently and line drying.

Buy second-hand

I’m not the biggest fan of op-shopping for clothes (kitchen items are my specialty), but occasionally I snag a gem. Recently I bought a lovely Target brand doll-style dress that works perfectly as a maternity top and looks like it’s never been worn…for 50 cents. I have practically lived in it ever since.

When shopping for clothes in op-shops a two pronged approach is needed. First, have a list of things that you need on hand, so that you can keep an eye out for those things. Know that it may take you some time to find just the item you’re looking for.

It’s also a good idea to keep an open mind and be prepared to make the most of surprises and unexpected bargains.

Kid’s and baby clothes are great purchased second hand, after all, they don’t wear them for very long. When the Salvos had 50 cents on kid’s clothes, I purchased items in several sizes, putting the larger sizes away for when the little fella got older. His ‘best’ shirt for special occasions was a 50 cent purchase.

Garage sales, local ‘buy, swap and sell’ Facebook pages and eBay are also a great places to pick up a bargain on second hand clothes.

Buy in the sales

With shops in constant sales cycles these days, there’s no reason to pay full price for anything.

Again, keep a list of things you need (and in what sizes if you’re shopping for the whole family) and keep an eye out for when they go on sale.

To keep up with the sales, sign up to have the catalogues emailed to your inbox unless this is too tempting for you . Remember the motto: ‘a bargain isn’t a bargain unless you need it.’

Buy factory seconds

Buying factory seconds can be as hit and miss as buying second-hand. You will often find designer label seconds, so you do save on designer labels, but still pay a small fortune compared to ‘no-brand’ clothing.

Also, clothes in factory outlets can be off-season; again, it’s a good idea to go prepared with a list of things you need, especially if you’re going to be buying next season’s clothing.

Sign up for store cards to get special offers

If there are brands or stores that you particularly like, sign up for their membership cards to receive special offers.

I’m a strong believer that a bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t need it, but occasionally the planets align and sale falls at a time when you do actually need something. Membership to certain stores keeps you informed as to when these special sales occur.

Buy online

Shopping online for clothes is becoming more and more common. On one hand, it’s more convenient shopping from the comfort of your home. On the other hand, it can be less convenient not being able to try clothes on before you buy.

When it comes to buying clothes successfully online, here are a few tips:

• Take your body measurements accurately (get a friend to help you) and look at clothing measurements rather than sizes, particularly if you are buying clothing from overseas.
• Styles and cuts matter more than sizes. Depending on your body shape, you may be able to fit into a pair of shorts in a size 12 in one style and need a size 16 in another (story of my life – ‘hipsters’ and me are not friends). Make sure you understand the style and cut as well as the measurements before purchasing.
• Look for sites that have lots of pictures as well as a full description of each item.
• The type of fabric used will affect the look and drape of a piece of clothing. So will lining or the absence of lining. Compare the fabric with other items you have in your wardrobe or other items in the store to get an idea of how the fabric choice of an item will affect it’s fit.
• Save on shipping by buying several items from the same store.
• Understand the returns policy before purchasing.
• Sign up to get the emails from your favourite online retailers to find out when they have sales.

Buy quality when it counts

I’m a big fan of purchasing quality items in ‘timeless’ styles that are going to last a few years, like a good pair of jeans. Even though you may spend more upfront, you save in the long run and you don’t end up looking like a fashion disaster wearing last season’s trends (not that that’s ever been a concern of mine).

On the other hand, you can get good clothes from discount retail stores much cheaper than ‘brand’ clothes. If you’re after a plain t-shirt for instance, a Target or Big W top is going to do the job just as well as an Esprite one, for a small fraction of the cost.

Borrow

Do people still borrow clothes? I have a friend who offers to lend me outfits for special occasions like weddings. Borrowing clothes can be a great way to expand your wardrobe without spending any money, especially when it comes to special occasion clothing that you may only wear once.

Swap

A clothes swap can be something as simple as swapping clothes with friends who are a similar size as you. Even if you don’t have someone to swap your clothes with, you may know other mums to swap kid’s clothes with!

Or you could participate in a more organised group swap, either run with your friends or through a formal organisation like a community group.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a fashionable wardrobe. Savvy shopping and knowing what you will need before you need it, giving you plenty of time to shop around, will save you from paying full retail price ever again.

Incidentally, it’s been over six months since I ‘fixed’ my shoes with gaffer-tape. I’m still wearing them almost daily.

This month Aussie homeowners breathed a sigh of relief as the RBA announced a rate cut of 50 basis points, the banks passing on an average of 35 basis points to mortgage holders.

I have to admit, our interest rate is fixed, so we don’t benefit directly from this month’s rate cut – that’s how it is when you decide to fix your interest rates. It’s interesting that the banks are cutting their savings account interest rates by the full 50 basis points, so I guess where a little worse off than what we were a few weeks ago.

But if you’ve got a variable rate then you have several options for what you’re going to do with your extra cash in the kitty.

1. Pay extra towards your mortgage

The first option is to maintain your mortgage repayments at the higher amount, and by doing so pay extra off the principle of your loan, pay your loan out earlier and reduce the total interest paid on your loan.

For instance, on the average $400,000 mortgage with a 6.70% interest rate, a rate cut of 35 basis points will reduce your monthly repayment amount from $2,751 to $2,663, saving you $88 per month. Continue to pay $2,751 per month and over the full life (ie from day one of the loan, savings will be less the further down the repayment track you are) of the loan you will save around $34,000. You can calculate how much you could be saving on your loan by using an online calculator.

More on paying off the mortgage: Small change making a big difference

2. Pay extra towards other debts

If you are struggling with credit card debts, then a better option may be to apply your rate cut to your credit cards in order to pay them off quickly.

Again, by paying more than the minimum monthly repayment on your credit card, you will pay it off sooner and save money on interest. This calculator will help you work out how much you could save by paying extra on your credit card.

More on paying down debt: Free eBook on getting rid of debt for good

3. Pay it towards your savings goals

Saving for your next holiday just got easier. The third option is to use your rate cut to save extra towards one or more of your savings goals. Maybe you are building your emergency fund? Maybe you are saving to invest? Or renovate the house? Or pay for the car registration?

With the help of compounding interest, increasing your weekly or fortnightly savings will see you reach your goal that much sooner.

More on savings goals: How to save towards multiple savings goals

4. Spend it

Finally, as the rate cut is a response to inflation and a rising cost of living, you may be breathing a sigh of relief – a little extra in the kitty each month to help pay for groceries, bills and other necessities. Or it might provide the means for a little indulgence.

More on saving money on the groceries: Eating healthy food on a budget

A rate cut announcement is always good news for the average Australian family with a mortgage. Use your rate cut to get on top of debt, increase your savings or to just help make ends meet.

Have you read these articles?:

1. taking your small savings and making them bigger
2. Small Change Making a Big Difference
3. Compounding Interest And Debt Reduction

This recipe combined two ingredients that I had left over: almond meal left over from making almond milk, and whey, left over from making cottage cheese. I also had plenty of apples that needed using up and a kilo of homemade yoghurt in the fridge, and that’s what frugal cooking is about really, making things out of what you have on hand.

And I have to say, these have to be the most moist and delicious muffins I’ve ever made, definitely my favourite – I’ve made them several times since taking this photo.

If you prefer you can grate the apple, although I dice it fairly finely and little bursts of apple is quite nice. I leave the skin on; anything to cut down on work, and all the nutrients are in the skin anyway. For a different flavour, add a little cinnamon to the batter.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time.
3. Sift in the flour and baking powder, adding the husks to the bowl. Add the almond meal and stir to combine.
4. Add the milk, yoghurt and apples and stir until just combined.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin tin and bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Have you read these articles?:

1. homemade almond milk and almond meal
2. Quick Apple Crumble
3. wholemeal apple pancakes

The May / June newsletter will be emailed out on Sunday evening. This addition is all about sustainable living. In it you will find:

• Ideas for getting started in sustainable living
• All about creating a household management binder and how it can help you live more sustainably
• Myth busting some common obstacles to sustainable living
• Links to the blog
• Links to other great blogs and articles on sustainable living

If you’re interested in subscribing, you can click on the button in the sidebar (on the right) or the link to find out more about the newsletters and view the archives of past newsletters.

Also, from June onwards, the posting schedule on the website will be a little different: articles will be posted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the remainder of the year. Less is more, as they say.

I hope that if you’re a mum, you have a lovely Mother’s Day on Sunday.

Have you read these articles?:

1. site news–revised posting schedule and a question
2. site news–the absence edition
3. site news

Today’s article is the third in the series on saving money when having a baby as I count down to ‘labour day’ for baby number two.

Today I look at sleep and transportation. As always, it would be great to hear in the comments your experiences, products you would swear by, others you would avoid, things that worked for you, things that didn’t.

The third major way to save money on bub that I mentioned in part one, is to buy as much as you can second-hand. Before getting into sleep and transport options, I wanted to go over some tips for buying second-hand with particular emphasis on ensuring you are getting products that meet today’s Australian Safety Standards. Second-hand gear is great – babies grow out of things so fast! It does pay to keep safety in mind when purchasing goods, both used and new.

Some general tips on buying second-hand:

• When it comes to buying second-hand baby products, you want to make sure they are both clean and meet current Australian safety standards.
• Inspect all second-hand goods well for wear and tear, possible hazards and cleanliness.
• Get the brand and model number of the product you intend to buy and do a search online to make sure it hasn’t ever been recalled. We were going to purchase a second-hand cot and after some investigation online, found that model had actually been recalled as unsafe!
• Look online also for reviews and comments on the second-hand product you intend to purchase.
• Look for sellers that kept the tags, manuals and safety information. If you are buying a new cot and intend to sell it second-hand later, keep all tags and manuals to show prospective buyers.
• Obviously, you have to be more rigorous with items that are required to meet safety standards like cots and prams than with things like clothes, which are great second-hand.
• Another option is to choose to buy second-hand goods from a friend or someone you know and trust. While I wouldn’t buy a second-hand car seat (you never know if it’s been in an accident and it’s recommended that they not be used after an accident), if I had the option to buy one from a friend who I knew well, then I wouldn’t have the same qualms.

Sleeping

When it comes to sleeping there are many options, the best option is the one that is right for you. Options include: co-sleeping in the parent’s bed; co-sleeping with a ‘sleeper’; using a bassinet or similar either in your room or a separate room; using a cot either in your room or a separate room, putting baby on a mattress on the floor for the first few months, either in your room or a separate room. If you’re not sure which is the best option, try some and see.

Obviously, the cheapest option is to co-sleep with baby in your own bed [here’s an article I found really interesting on co-sleeping. I’m not generally the biggest fan of Dr. Sears, but the article was definitely food for thought.]

We chose to buy a cot and our little fella slept in our room next to our bed for the first six months of his life. I have to admit that all three of us slept much better once he went into his own room, however, we are going to use the same arrangement again with our next baby.

We chose to skip the bassinet / Moses basket and go straight to a cot – we felt in was an unnecessary expense to buy a basket that he would grow out of so quickly. I think the little fella would have gone to sleep easier in those first few weeks, if he had the closeness and security that the baskets offer.

We purchased the cot brand new and on sale with a new mattress for $130 in total from a baby store. Because it was the New Year sales, we managed to get a significant saving off the ticket price. If you are having a baby and looking at buying a cot, start looking early and keep an eye out for sales.

Second-hand cots are another valid option – check the tips on buying second-hand at the top of the post to ensure you are buying a cot that meets current safety standards. You may or may not prefer to buy a new mattress.

Speaking of mattresses, I think a mattress on the floor can be a great option, depending on your circumstances. If baby rolls, there’s nowhere to fall. As the guidelines for co-sleeping safely recommend avoiding a soft mattresses and to be carful baby can’t fall down between the wall or bedhead and mattress, a firm mattress on the floor or even two – one for you and one for baby – can be a great way to co-sleep comfortably.

If you opt to have your baby in a separate room or eventually move bub into their own room, you may want to consider a monitor, especially if there is some distance between your room or your living space and their room. Again, keep an eye out for when these go on sale or purchase one second-hand. You don’t need a state of the art monitor, a simple radio one is enough to let you know that bub needs your attention.

As well as something to sleep on, your baby will need something to sleep in. Swaddling wraps are great for the first few months and make a great baby shower gift. They come in handy later on as play mats, breastfeeding covers and something to wipe up spills.

As the little fella grew older, I found the baby sleeping bags to be excellent at keeping him warm and covered. Again, we either used second-hand sleeping bags or purchased them on sale. A tip on keeping up with sales – ‘LIKE’ baby stores on Facebook. We purchased our baby sleeping bags at 50% by keeping up with sales via Facebook. Also, if you’re like us and don’t get junk mail, you can subscribe to store catalogues and keep an eye out for sales that way.

Transportation

Car seat

A car seat is essential…if you have a car. There are several options available.

You can choose to hire a car capsule. The QLD Ambulance service hire and fit a baby capsule for newborns up to 6 months old for around $90. The upside to these carriers is that you can remove the carrier from the car, rather than the baby from the carrier, if bub is asleep.

You can also choose to purchase one of these outright from a store rather than hire it.

A third alternative is to purchase an all-in-one, convertible type car seat that starts out as a rear facing seat for baby (often with inserts for small babies) and then turns round to be front-facing for older toddlers. The upside to this option is that it’s cheaper than buying or hiring a separate capsule and then another seat for when baby gets older. The downside is that you have to take baby out of the seat rather than leave baby in the carrier if he/she is sleeping. We hired a capsule last time; as an infrequent car user, I didn’t feel it necessary this time.

While I wouldn’t necessarily buy a car seat second-hand (see tips above as to why), this is another item to have on the list early and keep an eye out for sales. We recently purchased a car seat, getting the toddler to eight year old model (with built in MP3 speakers would you believe, lol) on sale for a significant saving (and the baby will get the hand-me-down convertible car seat). The sale, coupled with some gift vouchers from Christmas, made it a much cheaper purchase.

Prams

Last time I wrote about saving money on our first baby, I was unsure whether or not we would get a pram.

Well, as we are a single car family and as I walk just about everywhere, the pram was probably one of the best investments we made! It gets a lot of use. Daily. The alternative – using the car more – would end up costing much more in extra petrol than the pram investment.

If you drive a car, stay at home a lot or prefer to use a baby carrier, a pram may not be a worthwhile purchase. What we did (and what we are doing now in regards to possibly getting a double pram) is we saved up before bub was born to purchase a pram, and then waited until after the baby was born to decide whether we needed one or not.

We purchased a pram on sale from Target. It’s not a state of the art pram but it has all the necessary features like a cover and a basket underneath (good as I usually walk rather than drive to the shops).

A good alternative is to purchase a pram second-hand either through eBay, through your local classifieds or your local Facebook buy, swap and sell group, or through the Baby markets.

Baby carriers

I really like the idea of baby carriers, I just didn’t have a lot of success the first time around.

After doing a lot of research, we opted for the wrap type carrier. I have to say, these are very comfortable and I’m a big fan. We purchased one of these wraps off eBay brand new and fairly cheaply.

The problem was, all that material wasn’t great for our climate. Both the little fella and I got quite overheated wearing it. His birth weight was also 4kgs and I was both quite unfit and had a lot of pregnancy arthritis and other pain, so I found carrying him to the shops and back was a strain.

This time around I intend to give the wrap another go – a winter baby will make a difference to the overheating problem. Also, I’m much fitter and stronger this pregnancy, so I’m hoping we will make do with a single pram and a baby carrier rather than one of those unwieldy double prams (we’ll see how we go).

When the baby is older and if baby carrying is working out well, I was thinking of getting one of the Ergo carriers. Has anyone had any experience with these? They look comfortable for both mum and baby (no dangly legs) and you can wear baby easily on your back, which again I think would be more convenient, once bub is older, than having one of those double prams.

If you’re wondering about the different carrier options, Stephanie at Keeper of the Home has a great post about her experiences with the different variety of baby carriers.

To save money on baby carriers, purchase second-hand, buy online or on sale or make your own.

You don’t need to buy a $700 cot with matching bumper and quilt cover for baby, nor do you need an expensive pram (or even a car seat with built in MP3 speakers – it was the only one there, I swear ). You just need a safe place for baby to sleep, and way to get from A to B comfortably, safely (and legally). In other words, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune when having a baby.

Now over to you – what worked for you in the sleep and transport category of baby rearing and how did you save money on these things?

Have you read these articles?:

1. saving money when having a baby part one – feeding
2. saving money when having a baby part four–clothing, toys and miscellaneous
3. saving money when having a baby part two–the other end

It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday. This will be my third Mother’s Day. Does the picture give you an idea as to how I hope to be spending my Mother’s Day .

A good book (or, ahem, dear, an e-reader) and time to read it would be nice too.

I’ve written in the past on ideas for Mother’s Day gifts, rather than reinvent the wheel, I thought I would share the links here:

• 18 Frugal Mother’s Day gift ideas
• A Few kid’s craft ideas for Mother’s Day
• Mum on Mother’s Day (written by my mum)

Also, here are some links for handmade gift ideas – things to make for your mum:

• Food gifts
• Home and garden gifts
• Bath and body gifts
• Accessories
• Bags
• Aprons

Finally, I came across this idea a while ago for creating a lovely gift – a gift from mum to the kid’s. If you’re a scrapbooker, then you could incorporate this idea with scrapbooking.

How do you hope to be spending Mother’s Day?

Have you read these articles?:

1. A few kids craft ideas for mothers day
2. 18 frugal mother’s day gift ideas
3. Mum on Mother’s Day

I am currently in the process of making a cover for our lounge. While the lounge is structurally sound, the fabric cover has seen better days. Stains, tears, fading, wear… it doesn’t look so good.

When I’m done, I’ll write more about how I went about recovering the lounge. Today is all about the zippers on the cushion covers.

I had originally intended to buy a couple of zippers. Instead I had a brain wave in the eleventh hour and decided to reuse the old zippers – the free alternative.

To remove an old zipper, grab a seam ripper and cut through the stiches holding the zip in place. In my case, I chose to sew up the seam left by removing the zipper. You can see by the state of the cushion why I had no qualms tearing out the zippers.

One of the zippers had separated long ago. If you’re wondering how to fix a separated zipper, here’s a YouTube video that explains it quite well. Try as I might though, the zipper would not go back together and after further reading, I found out this was an issue with the slider. Sure enough, a pair of pliers and a few attempts later, the slider broke in half.

This was not the end of that zipper though! I was pretty determined to get that darn thing fixed (after all it is the perfect sized zipper for the cushion and it is free).

You know that packaging you get when you buy sheets or mattress protectors or a whole host of other things?

I cannot bring myself to get rid of these bags. They are great for storage as well as a source of free zippers – just cut the zip to length and sew across each end to stop the slider from falling off. In this particular instance, I cut off just the slider and attached it to my zip.

Voila! Zipper fixed!

As for the rest of the vinyl bag, I can cut off the handles for to use in other sewing projects and I plan to use the plastic to sew a see-through pencil case for the little fella,with a zipper reclaimed from a pair of beloved (but torn across the bottom) shorts.

And here’s the zip in it’s new home – a good match colour wise too.

And the work in progress lounge cover:

If you are wondering, the fabric for the lounge cover is a painter’s cotton drop sheet from Bunnings, but more on that when I’ve finished the cover.

Have you read these articles?:

1. tip tuesday – wash your plastic bags
2. tip tuesday–desk drawer organisers
3. tip tuesday – starting a craft box for the kids

Almond milk is something that I’ve been wanting to make for a long time, but it wasn’t until I took an online wholefood course that I finally got up the courage to try it. It is actually quite easy to make, only takes a few minutes and tastes great, especially in smoothies, hot chocolate and hot chai tea.

There is a generous amount of almond meal left over after making the milk and this almond meal makes baked goods taste moist and fabulous (at a fraction of the cost of store bought almond meal). I have baked with it as it is once the milk is extracted, and I have dried it in the oven – both work fine although as there is more moisture in the un-dried meal, so you may need to adjust your baking recipes slightly.

Method

1. Place almonds in a bowl to soak over night. In the morning, add the dates and let them soak for 10 minutes or so until soft (you can soak these overnight as well if you like – they look absolutely terrible in the morning but are quite edible).
2. Strain almonds and rinse. Place almonds in a blender with the dates and 4 cups of water and blend on high for a few minutes until liquid and the almonds have been ground to meal. Depending on your blender, it may need a motor rest or two during blending.
3. Place a strainer over your bowl and a clean tea towel or nut bag in the strainer (cheesecloth isn’t fine or strong enough unless you double or triple fold it). Draw up the sides of the cloth and then gently twist and squeeze the milk into the bowl. Continue to do this until you have the milk separated from the meal (you may find it easier to do this in batches). The milk can be refrigerated for 2 – 3 days, it will need a bit of a shake before drinking as there is some settling.
4. The meal can be used as is, refrigerated for a few days or frozen. You can also dry the meal. To do this, set your oven to it’s lowest temperature, spread the meal onto a tray and leave it to dry for a few hours (I dried it for about 5 hours). If your oven doesn’t do low, you can heat it slightly every half hour or so and then turn it off to keep the temperature low. Alternatively, if you have a dehydrator, you can use that.
5. If you prefer, you can run the dried almond meal through a coffee or spice grinder or blender for a few seconds to get a finer texture. Refrigerate or freeze meal.

Have you read these articles?:

1. choc caramel and almond slice
2. easy homemade cottage cheese
3. What’s Your Favourite Meal?

Last week I looked at ways to save money on feeding a baby, this week I’m covering the other end…with nappies.

Using cloth nappies rather than disposables is the second major way of saving money on having a baby (along with breastfeeding). Below are a few ways that we used to reduce the cost of nappies.

As usual, I’d love to hear about your savings tips and nappy experiences in the comments below.

Cloth v Disposable Nappies – a cost comparison

Using cloth nappies is almost always cheaper than using disposables. I say almost because if you buy the most expensive modern cloth nappy or MCN on the market, wash in hot water, use brand-name detergent, and dry using a dryer, then yes, you may end up paying more for cloth nappies (although the initial capital outlay is offset if you have more than one child).

On the other hand, if you buy cheaper nappies, wash in cold water and line dry, the cost of cloth nappies is much, much cheaper than disposables.

And of course, the environmental impact of cloth nappies is much less than disposable nappies.

When the little fella was younger, I ran a cost comparison between our costs, based on our usage, and the cost of disposables, I’ll reprint it here:

We use the flannel flat nappies which cost $1.70 each. I wash every two days and each nappy gets worn approximately three times a week. Over the course of the first year, the  amortised capital outlay is less than 1 cent per wear (the little fella is still wearing these nappies at two and they will be used for the new baby, so actually, the capital cost is much less, but we’ll stick with 1 cent for simplicity).

We soak the nappies in commercial nappy soaker, wash in cold water, make our own laundry detergent and line dry. Electricity is around 4 cents per wash (calculated as per our electricity bill), water is around 6 cents (as per our water bill) and detergent and soaker around 20 cents for a load of 14 nappies. This makes the cost of each wash approximately 30 cents – 2.14 cents per nappy (incidentally, costs have risen since I first did this calculation, it is probably closer to 3 cents per nappy now).

We also use a liner in our nappies for convenience, which adds another 3 cents to the cost of each wear.

Adding together the amortised capital cost, the cost of washing and the cost of a liner, the total cost per wear is 6 – 7 cents for the first year (again, a little less if the same nappies are used for more than one year or for more than one child, which is our case).

To compare: Woolworths homebrand disposable nappies are around 30 cents each. Huggies brand nappies are around 70 cents each. Assuming we average about 6 nappies per day throughout the first year, we save around $500 in the first year compared to purchasing homebrand nappies or $1,380 compared to the Huggies brand.

Saving money on cloth nappies

I know that a lot of people swear blind by the Modern Cloth Nappies – we tried both the MCNs and the old-fashioned flannel flats and actually preferred the flannel nappies.

The upside to the MCN is that they are easy and quick to use– their design being very similar to that of a disposable. If you get the ‘all-in-one’ design, then you don’t have to worry about separate pilchers. Depending on the material, they can also be quick drying. The downside is that they can be expensive and depending on the type you purchase, you may have to buy different sizes for your growing bub.

Flannel flats are a lot cheaper (as stated above, around $2 each, compared to around $10 – $30 each for an MCN if purchased new). We found the flannel nappies to be easier to use, one-size-fits-all and easily adjustable to suit bub’s (and now toddler’s) size and shape, easy to wash and very quick drying. They are also multi-functional – we cut some up to use as bum wipes and burp cloths, clean nappies (as they are) are good for vomit spills and burp cloths, they’ve also become part of play as tents and blankets for teddy and the little fella can help me hang them on the clothes horse (I’ll talk more about pilchers and fasteners below).

[For more information on our nappy system see: In one end and out the other – cloth nappies six months on.]

So, if you’re looking for the most inexpensive option, flat flannel nappies are the way to go.

However, there are ways you can reduce the cost of MCNs. You can purchase them second hand at baby markets, eBay, Gumtree, or other dedicated websites like this one.

You can also make your own MCNs using recycled materials. I’ve written an article in the past explaining the different types of nappies available (because it can be a bit confusing – at least I found it was), different materials used and tutorials on making your own nappies. You can read about making your own nappies here.

Another option is Elimination Communication (not using nappies for either some or all of the time). We used this method with success for the first few months until the little fella was more interested in crawling around than sitting, at which point we reverted to solely using nappies – it was easier both for us and the little fella. You can find out more on EC and our experiences here.

The final option, which I haven’t explored myself and maybe if you have, you might tell us about your experiences in the comments below, is a nappy delivery service. I once knew people who ran a nappy service and it was very popular and profitable (although a lot of hard work). The Eco Mum (a great blog) also runs a Modern Cloth Nappy service in Sydney (soon to expand to other regions), if you are interested in looking at how these services work.

Saving money on disposables

At around 8 months of age, we found that the cloth nappies were leaking at night and we were changing clothes and bedding several times a night. We tried a few MCNs without any luck and decided to use a single disposable nappy for over night.

If you have any suggestions for cloth nappies that don’t leak at night and that keep baby dry when they sleep through, I would LOVE to hear about them in the comments below (I found one that looked promising but is not available in Australia). We would really prefer to go back to a cloth nappy for the night times also.

When it comes to disposables, we found the homebrand ones to be just as effective as the more expensive brand variety, for half the cost. Other mothers I know swear by Aldi nappies, although I haven’t tried them myself.

I’m a little hesitant when it comes to bio-degradable or ‘eco’ disposable nappies, mostly because we can’t afford them, but also because generally for something to bio-degrade, it has to be exposed to air, water and critters, not buried in a plastic bag deep beneath the earth. On the other hand, they may use less chemicals and have less of an environmental impact during manufacture, which is the other important factor to consider when it comes to disposables and the environment.

Aside from buying homebrand nappies to save money, you can keep an eye out for specials and discounts and stock up during sales. Discount chemists are also a good source of cheap nappies and sales as well as discount stores like Big W. When comparing brands, don’t forget to look at how many nappies come in a packet and go for the smallest size range that fits your child, because as they get older and the nappies get bigger, there are less in a packet and therefore more expensive per nappy!

The extras

Wipes

We use a combination of homebrand ‘chux’ cut up into little squares, and cut up flannel nappies that can be washed and reused, for wipes. A little squirt of natural soap on a chux square helps clean a dirty bum when bub is older (we just used water for the first couple of months).

You can make your own wipes with chamomile or other scented natural products, but I neither had the time nor did I think that stuff was necessary.

When out and about, I always carry a bottle of water for myself (and now the little fella), so I can use that to dampen a chux square. Plain old toilet paper is a good alternative if necessary.

Liners

Liners are completely unnecessary but convenient for poo disposal. As the little fella is fairly regular, I don’t always use a liner. We use homebrand liners, although these are not flushable, Eenee has flushable, bio-degradable liners. I like Eenee products – not so keen on the cost of their postage (they are in Tasmania). Biome Stores also stock their products, which is more convenient if there’s a store near you.

The little fella went through a stage of doing a poo as soon as we put on his (disposable) night time nappy. Using a liner (and changing it immediately) kept the nappy clean so we could continue to use it rather than using two each night.

Pilchers and Fasteners

If you use flannel flats, you will need pilchers and fasteners.

You can buy plastic pants very, very cheaply from Kmart or Big W – they last about 5 seconds before tearing.

I found the best ones are the Eenee plastic pants – they are supposed to last 100 washes and can be tumble dried as well as being ‘breathable’. So far, they have lasted very well for us. Although much more expensive than the cheapo plastic pants, as the Eenee ones last longer they end up saving us money (and less waste!) in the long run.

Old fashioned nappy safety pins are very cheap from discount stores or chemists. For convenience, I found the Snappi to be an excellent alternative and also inexpensive. I used to be able to buy the Snappi in Kmart, but they don’t seem to stock them anymore. Any suggestions on where to find them (apart from online) would be welcome.

Change table and change mat

A change table is one of those things that comes down to personal preference. My friend is a chiropractor and is eternally aghast that I never used a change table.

We used the bed (or the floor) instead. It was just as convenient. When bub was little and I was changing way more nappies, I just knelt down to prevent a sore back. I did make a vinyl change mat from recycled materials, which was invaluable for the early months when accidents happened, but now we just use either an old towel or a clean flannel nappy as a change mat.

Buckets and Soakers

To soak or not to soak? We experimented with both options and found soaking the nappies kept them cleaner, smelling fresher and the little fella suffered from less rashes (he gets eczema, and ironically, un-soaked nappies would actually make it worse).

We have tried soaking in vinegar and this works a treat, but if you are (ahem) lazy and leave the bucket for a few days, it does get pretty nasty in there.

Homebrand nappy soaker is much cheaper than the brand alternatives (see ingredients here) – this is what we use. Alternatively, you can use eco soaker, but it costs a small fortune – try vinegar (and bi carb) first.

A bucket (or two) with a tight fitting lid is invaluable if you decide to soak nappies. A regular cheap bucket is useful to put nappies in to carry to the laundry.

Finally, a good pair of rubber gloves saves hands (I also get eczema) as well as reduces ick factor when rinsing ‘number threes’.

That’s it for our nappy experiences and how we saved money over the last two years. As you can see, I’m a big fan of cloth nappies, both for financial and environmental reasons.

What are your tips and experiences on saving money on nappies? I would love to hear about them in the comments below.

Have you read these articles?:

1. saving money when having a baby part four–clothing, toys and miscellaneous
2. saving money when having a baby part one – feeding
3. saving money when having a baby part three–asleep and on the go