The amount of supplies and gear new parents have to buy can be overwhelming and costly. Although you’ll probably get lots of cute onesies from family and friends, you’ll still need to purchase a car seat, stroller, baby monitor, and more. If money is tight, check out our baby budget list, which will help guide your purchases. Below are the essential items you’ll need to bring your baby home from the hospital.
Baby Budget List for New Parents
1. Graco 4Ever Car Seat
Although this car seat isn’t the cheapest on the market, its convertible design ensures you can use it for years to come. It transforms from a harness car seat into a booster to accommodate children up to 120 pounds. With proper use and care, Graco claims that this car seat can last for up to 10 years, allowing you to truly get your money’s worth.
2. VTech Baby Monitor
It’s worth it to splurge on items you’ll use for a long time, such as a convertible car seat. However, since you’ll only need a baby monitor until your child starts sleeping through the night, a basic model will do the job. Made by trusted electronics manufacturer VTech, this baby monitor offers reliable performance at an affordable price. It features a long battery life of up to 19 hours, a clear 2.8” display, 2-way talk, built-in lullabies, and more.
3. Mama Koala Cloth Diapers
Next on this budget baby list are cloth diapers by Mama Koala. A newborn baby will go through as many as 3000 diapers in the first year, which can cost up to $900. Cloth diapers can be a cheaper alternative to disposable ones since they’re reusable. While you do need to wash cloth diapers, they pay for themselves after only 15 uses.
These Mama Koala diapers come with adjustable inserts to prevent leaks and increase absorbency. They also grow with your child and fit toddlers up to 40 pounds thanks to the flexible fasteners, making them even more cost-effective.
4. Budget Stroller
As a new parent, you’ll need to bring a lot of baby gear with you when you head out of the house. To help reduce some of the load, consider getting a carseat stroller combo like the Baby Trend Ez Ride Travel System. This model’s baby carrier securely fits into both the car seat base and stroller, so you won’t have to move your newborn to and from different seats. When your child outgrows the carrier, fortunately you can still use the stroller. It has a multi-position reclining seat that can comfortably accommodate toddlers.
However, some parents prefer a standalone stroller so they can leave their child’s car seat in their vehicle. In that case, the Century Stroll On 3-Wheel Stroller is a great option. It folds up compactly and weighs just 15 pounds, making it easy to transport. It also has a large adjustable canopy with a peekaboo window, two trays, a reclining seat, and locking wheels.
5. Graco On the Go Zip Playard
Everything your baby needs can take up a lot of space and they often grow out of things fairly quickly. As your newborn grows into a toddler, you will no longer need a bassinet, and will likely need to buy a playpen. The Graco On the Go Zip Playard is a great example of a transitional item.
The bassinet easily converts into a playpen to grow with your baby, saving space and money at the same time. This product follows AAP Safe Sleep Guidelines, so you can rest assured that your baby is secure. There’s also a toy bar to keep your baby entertained, and mesh siding to help you keep a watchful eye on your child.
6. Halo Newborn Swaddle
Many new parents believe they need lots of different linens, but you can actually get by with just a swaddle if you’re on a tight budget. This newborn swaddle by Halo is large enough to be used as a nursing and stroller cover, burp cloth, or changing pad cover in a pinch. It’s made of soft cotton and features a 3-way adjustable design for maximum comfort. There’s even an inverted zipper that allows you to change your baby’s diaper without removing them from the swaddle.
Wrapping Up
Although we’ve covered many of the items you’ll need, keep in mind that this budget baby list isn’t all-inclusive. If your health insurance doesn’t provide feeding supplies, you may need to purchase a pump. Plus, you’ll need hygiene items like diaper cream and wipes.
But hopefully this roundup has given you some ideas on how to save money on big-ticket items. Purchasing multi-use products like a bassinet that doubles as a playpen will help you save space and cut costs.
Although some items may need to be purchased new for safety or hygiene reasons, you can also save money by buying used when possible. Amazon Renewed is a great place to find gently used, refurbished products. Sometimes baby items also show up on Woot, which is Amazon’s discount site.
Do you have any money-saving advice for new parents? Share your tips in the comments below!
Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance writer who enjoys learning about and discussing the psychology of money. In her free time, she loves to cook and tackle DIY projects.
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