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Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Should You Save Clothes for the Next Child or Get Rid of Them?

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Three kids in winter outfits in a snowy landscape

When we had our children, we were on a tight budget. We bought many of our kids’ clothes at garage sales, consignment stores, and through steep sales. Buying clothes that were cheap yet looked nice was challenging, so after the kids outgrew their clothes, we opted to save clothes for the next child. For us, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

Should You Save Clothes for the Next Child or Get Rid of Them?

We had several reasons why we chose to save the clothes.

Why We Saved Clothes for the Next Child

Clothes Are Expensive

As I mentioned, clothes are expensive. Once we secured them, holding on to them made financial sense. We had to buy some clothes after our first child, a boy. Our second was a girl, and after the baby stage, most clothes we had were boy clothes, so we had to buy some girl clothes. When she outgrew her clothes, we kept both our son’s boy clothes and our daughter’s girl clothes. Our third child, also a girl, wore her big sister’s clothes for years because we continued saving the outgrown clothes. We saved a lot of money by not buying clothes for each kid.

They Have Little Retail Value

The problem is that kids’ clothes are expensive, but once your child outgrows them, they have little resale value. So, why not hold onto them? When we were done having kids, we sold some of the outgrown clothes to a consignment shop (and made little money), and we gave the rest away.

We Had Storage

We always had a basement where we lived, so we could easily store the clothes in plastic tubs until the next child came along. However, if you’re in a small apartment with little room, you may decide storing outgrown clothes is not the best use of your space.

Tip: Try to Buy Gender Neutral Clothes

Two gender-neutral baby outfits in white and orange

One of our strategies for the infant stage was to buy gender-neutral clothes so boys or girls could wear the clothes. For instance, our three kids all came home from the hospital wearing the same yellow outfit with a duck on it.

When Saving Clothes for the Next Child Doesn’t Work

We had two instances when saving clothes for the next child didn’t work.

First, we only had one boy, so even though we saved his clothes, we used very few of them with our girls. We donated the clothes when we were done having kids.

Second, your kids may be born in different seasons or be different sizes, so wearing saved clothes isn’t possible. For instance, our first daughter was born in the fall, and our second was born in the spring. Initially, I couldn’t use the first’s baby clothes on the second because they were cold-weather clothes, and our second needed warm-weather clothes. However, as they got older, this was less of a problem, and we could take advantage of hand-me-downs.

Final Thoughts

If you have the space and inclination, you can save clothes for the next child to save time and money. Of course, keeping clothes doesn’t always work out, especially if children are different sexes or born in different seasons, but if it does work, you’ll get to enjoy some of your kids’ favorite outfits for a second (or third) time, and you’ll have more cash in your pocket.

Read More

Here Are the Best Online Shopping Sites for Affordable Kids’ Clothes

How to Have the Best-Dressed Child without Going Broke

How to Save a Ton of Money by Trading Your Kids’ Old Clothes

Basic Baby Tools Reviewed

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A crib is one of the things you need to buy when expecting a baby

Photo on CAPL

Funnily enough, 2010 seemed to be the year of the babies. I have so many friends who welcomed their bundles of joy last year and so many who got pregnant and are expecting this year. It really is beautiful to see the beginnings of a life, to see the joy in the parent’s faces, and to see all my new mommy-to-be girlfriends fret over all the baby things they think they need.  This is especially true (and fun to watch) with my friends who are going to be first time mom’s.

I remember very well what I thought I needed when I was pregnant with my first child.  I remember it was a few months in chaos listing all the things magazines and sites were telling me I needed.  And, being the anal person that I am, I got MOST of these items.  Only to find out later that I didn’t really need half of them.  Good thing was I was able to use them for my second child. Wonderful how some baby things just don’t go out of style.

Anyway, I thought about doing a list of things you really need after you find out you are expecting and a basic time chart for when to get them. It might be helpful for all the first time mom’s out there.

6 months before D-Day:

By this time, I think it is OK to start getting the big stuff. This is because you will have had enough time to save up for them and because you will still have enough time to pay them off should you decide to get these on installment.

1. Crib

OK, you can choose whatever crib you want here but I personally think that if you have no baby cabinets yet, then get the ones with the drawers and the ones with the bed that can take the baby into the growing years.  There are some cribs that are cute and may fit a little nook in your room, but for practicality and for budget’s sake, these are not the smartest choices.

2. Stroller/Car Seat/Bassinet

OK, there are sooo many choices in the market today and some ranging from the reasonably expensive to the outrageously expensive.  The things I would say to look out for are the material of the stroller and car seat, the quality of the belt and the fasteners, the padding around the bars, the size and quality of the wheels and the shocks of the stroller.  Any brand that presents above average standards for all these is a thumb’s up for me.

4. Bottles and sterilizer

Now, if there were many crib and stroller choices, there are even more bottle choices.  And the manufacturers have made these bottles so complicated that  it almost feels like you need a degree to choose the right one!  The rules I followed were two things: that they were designed to produce a non-colicky baby, and that they were made from material that does not leach BPA or bisephenol, which is a harmful byproduct of plastic that can go onto the liquid in the bottle if it is heated above 175F.  The thing is a lot of the really cute and popular bottles use Polycarbonate plastic despite this fact because it is lightweight to bring around and for the baby to hold and offers flexibility in design of nipples and bottle.  But there are a lot of bottles made from safer and greener plastic that are just as pretty. It really is personal choice here.

3 months to go:

1. Bedsheets, clothes, blankets

I cannot stress how many of these you will think you need in the first two months after the baby is born.  You will want sheet replacements in case you need to change the sheets, and change you will need to do often.  You will want clothes that can come off and go on the baby as easily as possible and these usually are the ones that you tie up front. For tropical countries, it is important to have cotton clothes to keep the baby cool and it is essential to have changes of clothing to keep the baby clean and fresh. I has a set of 6 tops that you tie in front, 6 that you button on the shoulder, and 6 wide neck ones.  I used them all.  Blankets and towels are equally important as they cover the baby, keep the baby warm, and is what the baby will be wrapped in for chnks of hours over the day.  I had 6 of these although I know of others who had a dozen to be safe.

2. Washing/changing station

If you are old fashioned like me, you will do with a regular tub with a dipper in the bathroom.  If you are more mod, you may want to use a changing table that can convert into a washbasin. This is entirely a personal choice.

3. Breast pump

Now, if you do not intend to breastfeed, this is a moot point. But, if you do, finding a good pump will be a lifesaver.  Like most things, a pump has a price range.  I didn’t try all but I have tried a few to be able to make some kind of recommendation. I’ve also thrown in comments from friends for good measure.

  • Medela- This range of breast pumps is, as far as I’ve heard, the Ferrari of breast pumps. It is strong but not painful and really gets the milk out. Plus it has some sort of suction imitation thing that keeps breast milk in production even if the baby is not breastfeeding from the breast all the time.  This is pricey though.
  • Avent- very very well known for quality bottles and pumps, I had the opportunity to use the manual breast pump. It was very good. No need for an electric pump at all. It was virtually painless to use, had good suction, and was easy enough to use for a few hours straight. The only thing I found a bit off putting was that it was rather large to use and hold (for me at least) but this really depends on the woman’s grip and hand size.  I would recommend this breast pump if your budget allows as this is also a bit on the pricey side.
  • Pigeon- this is the more budget friendly brand and I was able to use the manual and electric varieties. The manual one was great. It was small enough so it was not cumbersome, the pump was soft enough to use for a few hours straight, it was virtually painless as well. I would definitely recommend this pump. I used the electric one as well because i thought i could get a lot of milk minus the manual pumping. It was very painful. I stopped using it after two tries. I do not recommend this at all.

4. Diapers

You will need to change the baby around eight times a day in the beginning and will only taper off when the baby is well withing the first year so stocking up early is not a bad idea. Diapers do not have an expiration date but they do have sizes so stock up on some newborn diapers and small ones first.  Research on how often you need to change the baby and how fat they grow on average to get a rough computation of how many pieces you might need. If you want to use cloth diapers, you will need about 2-3 dozen of the small to medium ones first.  You will need some baby friendly soap and a good washing machine and dryer as well.  Have a basin with some water mixed with detergent handy so you can soak soiled diapers immediately.  This makes them easier to wash and prevents staining.

5. Diaper bag

You can have two to three of these ion different sizes.  You will need a variety as the amount of things you will bring around will change depending on where you are headed. make sure to have bottle holders, a changing mat, other dividers and an insulated area.  It would be great to have an outside or other pocket for your personal things so you don’t have to carry a handbag but this is optional.

These are the most basic things you will need to have before you welcome your new baby. Of course, there is a whole novel full of other things you will want to have but those you can stress less about.  Having these basics will at least get you through the first couple of weeks.

What are your favorite tools for caring for your baby?

How to Make the Most of Your Baby Registry

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Ideas for what to list on your baby shower registryOne of the most exciting things about having a new baby is preparing for their arrival. Suddenly, you have to prepare your home, as well as yourself and for family, for an extra person. The best tool that new parents have at their disposal is the baby registry.

Whether you have been looking forward to this moment since childhood or find it a tacky practice, a baby registry is an excellent way to get the things you need. People want to give you gifts, whether you like it or not. Think of a baby registry as if all the people who will buy you gifts got together and decided to get things that matched, things you wanted, and just enough of what you need.

A baby registry can be a lot of fun, but if you fill it with impractical things, you will get less of what you actually need. Here are some tips to make the most of your baby registry:

Figure out what you’ll actually need

There are lots of adorable and completely impractical things for sale in the baby aisle. These are things that you and your partner can buy the baby yourselves.

Furniture

You will need a place for the baby to sleep, for example. Don’t forget crib sheets and bumper sets. You will also need a car seat (you often can’t leave the hospital without one) and a safe place to set down your baby during the day.

Clothing

Only register for the bare minimum. Some people will not buy off of your registry. Those people will buy you clothes. If you register for as many clothes as you’ll actually need, you’ll end up with a lot more than you need.

Diapers

This includes wipes, diaper cream and other diapering aides. Decide on a brand, and register for a couple bags of each size.

Food

Whether you plan to breast feed or to bottle feed, you will need some stuff. Bottles, nipples and formula are basic for bottle-feeding, and breast feedings moms might need a pump and storage containers. Once the baby is used to eating solids, Hipp baby food and similar products are also something to look out for.

Start Researching Early

You’ll want to have your baby shower a month or longer before you are due. You’ll want to give your guests at least four weeks to buy a gift. And it might take you a month to decide on all the brands you want. So you should start this process as early into your pregnancy as possible.

When deciding on what store to register at, there are several things to keep in mind. You want a store that is accessible not only to you but to your loved ones as well. Online shopping is handy as well. A large chain store might be your best bet if your family is spread out.

Talk to Other People

Ask for suggestions

A pregnant woman is inundated with “helpful” tips by nearly every other woman on the planet. It becomes hard to keep track of who suggested what, but try to steer these conversations towards what you should register for. Fellow moms will help you remember the little things that you might not realize you need: like a bottle brush or gas relief medication.

Tell People

The whole purpose of having a registry is to tell people what you need for the baby. So you have to make sure you tell the people where it is! Have family and friends spread the word for you, post it on social media networks, and add the information to your baby shower invites.