4. Use Regular Detergent
Though detergent doesn’t seem that expensive, you don’t need to waste money on buying baby brand soap. Switch your entire family to the free and clear detergent, and you can wash all your clothes together. You will not only be saving money on buying 1 type of detergent in bulk, but you will be saving water by combining loads. It’s rare you will have enough baby clothes to wash for a full load, because you’ll find that you will need those blankets and burp cloths faster than you can say “laundry.”
5. Be Conservative on Gifts for the Holidays and 1st Birthday
It’s tempting to go all out for Christmas and baby’s 1st birthday by piling on the gifts. I’ve seen some kids’ hauls that are almost embarrassing because of their grandeur. Your young children do not NEED lots of toys! If it’s your first baby, then you are going to be amazed at how generous your family and friends will be. It’s ok to buy 1 or 2 nice things, but your kids will get plenty of other gifts from family. And let’s be honest, they are just going to play with the boxes and paper anyways!
6. Take Your Own Newborn Photos
Fancy newborn photos that adorn equally expensive birth announcements are very popular right now. Newborn photography sessions are pricey and unnecessary if you are concerned about saving money. You will be surprised how you can turn one of your own photos into a beautiful portrait of your new baby, all on your own. Most phones have great filter options, and the modern digital camera has amazing capabilities- even the cheap ones! You can even find tons of online photo editing programs for free!