Celebrating your baby’s first Holiday Season is a very special moment that every parent wants to share. The perfect way to share this special occasion is to have customized baby Christmas cards made. We’ve all seen the classic picture with the adorable little bundle of joy gently tucked in a Christmas stocking with the precious angelic grin stretching across the cutest little baby cheeks.

Whether you personalize your baby’s Christmas cards with pictures you upload from your personal collection or use template designs provided by your preferred card store, baby Christmas cards are a great and easy way to share winter birth announcements, send Happy Holiday wishes, and even send your loved ones the perfect Holiday thank you cards.

Online coupon registries, such as Savings Solutions, are a great way to receive the perfect savings opportunities for cheap baby stuff. You will come across great offers for cheap baby clothing and cheap or even free baby food and formula. But remember to keep your eyes peeled for the best offers on picture packages. You want to create the perfect baby Christmas cards on a pocket friendly budget.

Since many of us are so busy with the hustle and bustle that this time of year brings, companies are even offering to ship your personalized baby Christmas cards for you! But before you take advantage of discounts for placing online orders and offers for free shipping and handling – make sure that you are getting the best deal.

Savings can range from cheap portrait packages, to free sitting fees, to a free 8X10 or a free sheet with your already cheap picture package deal. Don’t be too modest. This is the best time to take advantage of these wonderful Holiday deals.

Popularity: 52% [?]

Cheap Baby Gifts. Everybody wants to come up with something original and super fantastic for the baby shower or the baby’s first gift.   Perhaps it’s baby’s first birthday and you want to give them something unique and memorable, but you don’t want to spend a fortune. Cheap baby gift ideas are not hard to come by. And we’ve done the leg work to find some great bargains out there! We’ve scouted a few great buys, online sale racks, and virtual clearance tables to help you with ideas for your special new baby.  Below is a selection of cheap baby gifts to choose from, as suggested by fellow frugal moms, dads, and friends of babies.

No matter what type of gift you choose, or what you have in mind, remember the important thing is to make your “cheap” gift special and personal.  Nobody is ever impressed to get a gift that is obviously cheap and thoughtless.  Yet, it is perfectly o.k. and quite appreciated to get a thoughtful gift no matter what the cost, even if it was free!   Don’t make the mistake of giving a cheap gift you didn’t put any thought into and just picked up on a whim at the corner Walgreens…  bad dog!  There are plenty of “cheap” baby gift ideas out there to keep giving and letting them know that you care.  Take a moment to consider what the baby’s parents and family are really like.  For example, if the baby’s family is into the great outdoors, maybe consider a fun outdoor baby carrier or a baby shade tent to protect from the sun.  Your special consideration for the gift will definitely be appreciated and once you have a clear idea of what type of gift you want, then you can search for the deals and zone in on the online clearance spots.  Consider some things that might be a good fit and then search for your bargains.  Don’t get sucked into the cost so much as the gift idea itself.  You can still put some thought into your gift and be cheap at the same time.  A terrific cheap baby gift can cost $20 or nothing at all. Some of the best gifts we can receive are probably free anyway.

Consider some of these freebie gifts that you can create yourself.  If you have kids yourself that are old enough to do arts and crafts, consider having them create something for the new baby in your life.  This is especially thoughtful and shows that you value the family’s connection together.  You can buy cheap supplies online or any local hobby store to make a clay dish.  Clay dishes are quite simple to make and you can even design them with a nail hole to hang on the wall and paint it with fun colors or the baby’s name.  You can also buy an inexpensive recycled cardboard gift box to paint and decorate for a memorable gift box for baby’s keepsakes and photos.  You can find these online or at any hobby store as well.  Another great “cheap” gift idea is to buy a $2 picture frame and decorate it with the baby’s name.  An extra touch would be to create matching photo frames for any other kids in the family too.  For about $2 each, you can get creative and include more than just the new baby in the family.  However you chose to go with your cheap baby gift idea, just be sure to take your time and make it count.  It’s certainly not the price that counts.

Cheap Baby Gifts To Check Out:
Baby Einstein – Baby Beethoven – Symphony of Fun

Baby Bargains, 8th Edition: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Gear, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More!

Girlfriends’ Guide to Baby Gear (Girlfriends’ Guides)

Little Super Star Classical Stacker

How To Create A Super Baby

The Belly Book: A Nine-Month Journal for You and Your Growing Belly (Potter Style)

Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe 100% Cotton Knit Small

Baby Einstein Octoplush

Baby Einstein Color Kaleidoscope

Baby Einstein – Baby Van Gogh – World of Colors

Baby Einstein – Baby Da Vinci – From Head to Toe

Baby Einstein – Baby Beethoven – Symphony of Fun

Popularity: 29% [?]

Discount Baby Products and Where to Find Them!

Discount Baby Products. Where do I find the good stuff for cheap? For starters, you can use this FrugalBabyTips.com as a resource guide to learn all the different ways you can save when it comes to discount baby products. We’ve done the leg work so you can search easy. And you don’t have to break the bank when you need things like car seats and cribs.

We all know how expensive some of these things can be. It’s not uncommon to see strollers for $500! Now, don’t freak out! You don’t have to spend that kind of money when it comes to cruising around with your kid in style. Of course, safety first. But did you know that there’s tons of cheap baby stuff online? You can find discount baby products online.

Discount Baby Products are something every parent wants to know about. There are some baby items worth spending money on, but not everything has to be “top shelf” when it comes to the baby essentials. You can find cheap baby products at sites like Amazon.com, BabiesRUs.com (clearance pages), Walmart.com (clearance pages), Target.com, and Craigslist.com (baby/kid stuff section).  Another favorite online spot for big savings is BabyMallOnline.com. On the Clearance pages of BabyMallOnline.com, you will find cheap baby products and great deals like a 3 pack of long sleeve baby onesies for $3.99 or a pair of plush baby booties for $1.99. They also have deals like baby’s 1st pair of shoes for $5.99 or the infamously funny baby body suit that reads, “Poop Happens” for $3.99. Who can resist?

Frugal Finds & Discount Baby Products:

Here’s another good one, check out Freepeats.org. For a one time $4.95 membership fee, you can offer your free items on Freepeats.org for someone else to come pick up and also use the site to find free stuff that others are willing to give. Everything is free and it’s local. $4.95 for unlimited free opportunities sounds like a pretty good deal for cheap baby items.

Is $4.95 too much for you? You can find the FREE version at Freecycle.com. This is basically the same type of service site with a few differences in audience, but without the membership fee. I don’t know about you, but for $4.95 I think it’s worth taking a peek at both.

A lot of parents find that it’s helpful to maintain chats and exchange info through online blogs and forums. It’s a very common source of information now in this age. People no longer consult their professionals, they go to the web! Blogs like the ones you’ll find for parenting magazines are great! You can go to the “community” pages on sites like www.parents.com to see forums on parenting and tips on all sorts of things, including how to save money while on vacation, save money while traveling, shopping, saving money with schooling, education at home, ect. There are all sorts of topics of discussion out there. When I set out to talk about Saving money with baby products, I didn’t know a quarter of the info I began with. I’ve learn a great deal about discount baby products, where to find them and how much you can save using different avenues. I hope this site can be a resource for other parents out there looking to share tips on living frugal with a baby.

You can also score cheap baby items locally if you’re lucky enough to have a DollarTree store near you. At the DollarTree, everything is just $1. Here, you can find cheap baby clothes, hats, baby care products, wipes, soaps, shampoos, and especially sippy cups, bottles, snack bags, toys and seasonal items. These stores are perfect when looking for cheap baby products. For $1 per item, you can stock up on party supplies, paper cups, plates, gift bags, wrapping papers, cards, novelty toys, ect. Not to mention those cheap serving platters, which are perfect for sharing your cupcakes and not your prized serveware. Cheap baby stuff is not hard to find if you know where to look. Garage Sales, Church Bazaars, Goodwills and other Thrift stores can also save you tons! Realistically, a baby grows way too fast to enjoy wearing one outfit more than 3 times before growing out of it. It’s a fact that many mother will testify to. Most moms would shamefully admit buying several outfits that never got worn. Do yourself a favor, along with searching for money saving baby tips, also consider simply buying less. Have fun with your cheap baby product search. Being frugal can be a challenge, but it can also be fun. Good luck!

If you’re in the market for discount baby products and items, then you will likely be interested in not just saving money, but maybe making some too!  Have you ever considered entering a few photo contests or sweepstakes for baby products or even cash prizes?  One of the best out there is the infamous Cute Kid Contest.  Apply Here for The Cute Kid Photo Contest!

Popularity: 28% [?]

Coupons for Baby Formula. All new and expectant mothers are certainly aware that babies are wonderful and fun little bundles of joy. These little angels also cost a great deal of money when it comes to purchasing baby food, baby formulas, and baby diapers. The cost of all of these products is going up almost daily it seems. You want your baby to have what it needs and you do not want to sacrifice quality for quantity. The question is how to buy your baby products like diapers and formula, and still stay on a reasonable budget? Luckily, there are ways to do this and you can start saving money today on your next purchase of baby food, formula, or diapers.

Saving on Baby Diapers can be simple. One of the biggest daily costs for your baby will come about through the purchase of baby diapers. Many parents choose to use disposable diapers for their little ones because of the convenience involved. Eco conscious parents who wish to be green in their daily activities will choose reusable cloth diapers for their babies. Either choice will mean that there is a substantial outlay of cash because both diapers and diaper cleaning services will cost money. Even if you use cloth diapers and wash them at home, you will still be spending money for the diapers and the products with which you clean them. By using coupons that give you refunds and rebates or money off the purchase, you can see those costs drop. In some cases, you will get coupons that let you pick out cloth or disposable diapers absolutely free, and that is a savings that everyone appreciates. Whenever you can find a sale on the diapers that you like and you can whip out some coupons to use you will easily double your savings. Always be on the lookout for the stores that offer double and triple off coupons on certain days and buy your diaper purchases in bulk then… and use those coupons. You can even write to the company that produces your diapers. Address your letter to customer relations and let them know that you use their product. Tell them truthfully if you were pleased or not with their company product and tell them why. In either case, they will be happy to send you some coupons or even issue you a refund. They are always glad to hear good feedback from happy consumers.

Saving on baby formula. Babies eat and they eat a lot. These little guys and girls are hungry and if you are not breast feeding you will soon be putting a lot of money into baby formula to keep them satisfied. New mothers can tell you how expensive baby formula is. Powdered formula is your cheapest bet when you are making the purchase. You can use the powder to make lots of bottles of formula on an as needed basis. Coupon clipping can help you rake in some great savings on the baby formula that you use. All of the manufacturers have coupons available if you know where to find them. You can start with your pediatrician. He will usually be able to provide you with free samples and some coupons for either free cans of baby formula or for money off of your purchases. These baby product coupons are provided by the formula companies who hope to turn you and your baby into loyal and faithful baby formula customers. You can also find some great coupons in your weekend newspapers and in the grocery stores. If you don’t see the coupons in the baby product aisle, ask the manager….don’t be shy. Managers usually have the coupons, but sometimes forget or neglect to post them. If you see a vendor stocking the baby formula, you can ask them for coupons too. They will gladly give you some. The vendor is totally different from the store stock boy. Also check to see when the store is scheduled for a sale on the formula and try to make your purchases then. Baby books and magazines are wonderful sources for coupons on baby formula and many other baby needs, such as baby food, diapers, and snacks.

Join a Forum. Make a difference in how you view and use coupons by signing up to join a forum. These forums are composed of new and expectant moms just like you. They are eager to share coupons and tell others where to find the best savings. You can find online sites to go to and sign up for coupons that you can download or get through the mail. You will be able to use any of the coupons at your favorite stores. Many of the forum participants have years of couponing experience and they can share their favorite cost cutting tips and ideas with you and send your savings even higher. If you have been wary of using coupons or just are not sure how to maximize these money savers, there are always people in the forum who will be online to help you learn the tricks of the trade. You will find out where to go for the best coupons and how to get refunds or rebates through the mail. If you want to join a baby coupon forum, it is easy, fun, and quick to do. It will cost you nothing but the time it takes to sign up and you can have some money saving coupons in your hand in just a few minutes. You will also be making friends with other moms and sharing your own tips and ideas along the way. You can read articles by others who have saved huge amounts of real dollars at the grocery store. When you begin pulling in your own refunds, rebates and dollar savings, you may want to post an article or two yourself.

Have fun while you save. Forums are great ways to share ideas about babies and how moms are saving money. These are two things that are dear to all new moms throughout the country. It is always fun to share with others. And what better tips to share than proven ways that can save you lots of dollars and help you care for your little angels? Join a coupon forum today and you will instantly save on your very next purchases for baby.

Similac Formula Coupons. One of the most popular methods to save money on baby formula is by using coupons, which can save you anywhere from a few cents up to to $5.00 or more. Most retailers accept these coupons and just deduct the coupon from the retail price of the product. The trick to coupons is to make sure that you have a coupon when you need it. There are a couple of ways to get formula coupons and make sure you have them on hand. You can get the coupons you want and have them on hand anytime you need them. Have a special place in your car to keep your coupons. Try to make a habit of asking yourself “do I have any coupons for this trip,” before you even walk in the store.

Second, you can sign up to get formula coupons, including free sample diapers and free formula coupons. Registering for free coupons is a great idea, but you will get a mix of coupons and discounts on a designated schedule. In other words, you may get formula coupons for Similac, but you’re also going to get it for other formula manufacturers. Plus, you don’t control when you get the coupons. Regardless, free is free, so register and use what you can.

Third, some companies have coupons online that you can print out. It is a wide range of products, including infant formula, baby food, and groceries. It’s free to get these coupons. Formula coupons may not always be available, but there is usually a lot of coupons and you can use something and save money. The two coupon websites that I really like and have a good mix of stuff you really use are:

CouponBar -Download our FREE CouponBar to get quick and easy access to dozens of name brand coupons!

CoolSavings -Print REAL coupons from your computer at CoolSavings! Just click here!

Finding Infant Formula Coupons. With all the other things you have to do as a new parent, hunting for coupons can sound like a waste of time. But you can reap considerable savings with just a few clicks of the mouse; do the more time consuming tips when you get settled into a routine with the new baby.

Formula Clubs. One of the fastest and easiest ways to get coupons is to sign up for a formula club. These clubs are free, provided you fill in all of your information and maybe answer a few quick questions. In return, you will get email newsletters that often have coupons right in the email itself or links that take you to a special deal. Clubs may also send sample/coupon packets through the postal mail after your baby is born.

Enfamil, Similac and Nestle Good Start all have formula clubs.

Coupon Swaps. Joining a moms club provides you with plenty of other women who will need coupons or be receiving coupons they no longer need. Have a “coupon swap” once a month where you exchange unwanted coupons for ones you will use. You can limit it to formula or include other baby care items, too. These get-togethers typically turn into coupon giveaways rather than swaps.

Members of clubs like Freecycle.org and Freepeats.com, may also find they can swap coupons within their groups.

Coupon Blogs and Websites. A number of websites and bloggers are dedicated to finding the best deals for you and your new baby. They often provide links to printable coupons, information about coupons in printed circulars or provide coupon codes for purchasing formula online. Not to mention, finding out about special sales and other deals makes it worth your while to visit.

Check the parenting, kids/baby or family section of general money saving sites for formula coupons. You can also follow blogs and sites that cater specifically to moms and babies, like Baby Cheapskate and Freebies4Mom.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Cheap Recipes for Baby Food. We all know that babies need to eat. But, the cost of buying commercial brand baby foods can quickly mount up. For the frugal spender, and especially with a new family addition, it seems almost impossible to keep up with the demand when it comes to buying those jars of baby food and canisters of baby formula. Even when you can buy it cheap with coupons and club cards, the cost of purchasing pre-made foods (especially the baby formula) far exceeds the cost to make your own baby food. If you choose to follow these tips, not only will you be saving money for your family, and knowing exactly what you eat now, but you will also be reducing waste, simply by consuming less.

Popularity: 60% [?]

Make Your Own Baby Food. When you make your baby’s own foods, you can save money and reduce waste. You also can choose more nutritious options and know exactly what your baby is eating. Fresh foods are typically more nutritious than canned and don’t contain those preservatives that can be harsh on baby tummies. If you can, purchase organic food and consider preparing your baby’s food early (meaning before they come).  Keep it simple.  Blend up some spinach and apple puree.  Sound gross?  Try it.  You’ll like it!

Not in the mood for spinach slime?  Try a sweet nutritious blend of strawberries and bananas.  Most babies drool for this one!  Just blend it up with some ice cubes or just water.  Some mixtures can even be blended with breast milk for easing dry foods into the diet like baby cereal.  Baby cereal and a bit of formula with some bananas and you’ve got a meal on the cheap.  Have fun and get creative.

Keep it light and simple.  And always remember the 4 day rule when it comes to introducing new foods into the baby’s diet.

Making baby food doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. In fact, the easiest and cheapest way is, in fact, making your own baby food.

The easy way to making your own baby food:
1) Don’t bother with buying one of those baby food grinders. They’re hard to clean and too much hassle.  Instead get one of those mini Cuisinart grinders that also chops with a two way blade.  Here’s a link to see what I’m talking about.  Amazon.com has amazing deals!  See Cuisinart grinder (baby food maker).

2) If you wait until your baby is 6 months old to start solids, you can just mash it up with a fork to the desired consistency.

If you’re breastfeeding, you can even wait until baby’s “pincer grasp” is developed and offer him small finger foods like peas, and bits of grated apple. The pincer grasp is developed when baby can pinch small objects (like those bits of carpet fluff or food on the kitchen floor!) in between his thumb and first finger. In fact, if you have a family tendency towards food allergy, waiting longer to start solids may be preferable. No matter what baby’s age, always offer one food at a time and wait several days to watch for signs of allergy before offering another. Take it slow.  No rush.

3) Start with fresh single ingredient foods like:

• Banana
• Steamed carrot, turnip, potato, yam
• Avocado
• Ripe pear, peach, melon, plum
• Cooked squash
• Grated apple- raw or steamed
• PeasWell cooked beans
• Hard cooked egg yolks (avoid the whites until 1 year)

Some of these foods could be served raw. Others are lightly steamed (steaming retains more nutrients than canning), to make them softer for baby.

4) It’s not necessary to make a big deal of preparing baby’s food.

If you want to take a lot of time blending your baby’s food and freezing, then think about using ice cube trays or small plastic cups that you can easily bend or defrost from. Getting int the habit of preparing “slightly larger” portions at one time, and freezing half of what you make will definitely save you some money in the long run.  ..Not to mention turn out to be a huge time saver.  ..That’s when mom’s get to put their feet up.

Although you do want to avoid giving baby salt and sugar (and spices that may upset the tummy), you can usually just take an ingredient from your own menu and “make” baby’s dinner.

For instance, if you’re steaming veggies to serve at dinner, take a tablespoon of them out of the pan before you add butter and salt. Put this in baby’s plate and mash away. Voila! Instant baby food with no extra work. Or take a bit of beef from your roast and mash mash mash until it’s very soft.

Even when you’re at a restaurant, you can either bring an apple with you and “grate” it finely with a spoon at your table, or bring along a banana or other portable food. Any restaurant with a salad bar would have cooked beans or avocado. Or give baby a bit of your baked potato (before you add the goodies on top).

Life with a new baby is challenging enough. Keep starting solids simple!

Popularity: 32% [?]

Baby Coupons are something every mom and dad are constantly hunting for. Let this site be a resource for finding the best baby coupon deals on the net! One favorite idea is going online. Manufacturer’s and company websites in particular offer the good stuff.  Why not head straight to the source!  Are you looking for discounts and  baby coupons on things like baby formula, baby gear, shoes, strollers, baby carriers, toys on clearance, groceries, clothing, free baby portraits, Disney movies, Disney cruises, or dental care?  Then this site can help you.  *See also: “Baby Food Coupons” on this site.

It’s easy to find these sites too.  Read below and see some popular responses for baby coupons online.  If you use a certain product continuously, why not go to their site and see if they have any samples or special offers.  Some of the larger companies also offer scholarship funds for certain contests.  For example,

One of the best ways to compliment your baby coupons is the occasional cute baby photo contest or sweepstakes.  For example, there’s TheCuteKid.com, which offers great grand prizes of $25,000 for the cutest baby/kid photo (you can pretend your check is one giant coupon!)  And HuggiesHappyBaby.com hosts a monthly sweepstakes.  Currently, you can enter to win Free Diapers For A Year! How great would that be?

Some of the better coupon sites out there are Coupons.com, CouponMom.com, CouponBug.com, FamousCoupons.com, UPromiseEcoupons.com, and Print.Coupons.com.  They offer great baby coupons from makers like Pillsbury, General Mills, Kraft, Betty Crocker and more!  Coupons include General Mills cereal, Kraft cheese, Kraft kid snacks, Dannon, Ritz, Triscuit, Velveeta, Crystal Light, Johnson and Johnson, Burts Bees, Earth’s Best, Gerber, Enfamil and more!
One of the best baby coupon clipping sights out there might be Print.Coupons.com

Also be sure to check the Sales pages at your favorite online retailer.  Places like Target.com Weekly Ads Page, BabiesRUs.com, LeapFrog.com Clearance Page, BabyUniverse.com Clearance Page, BabyDirect.com, Fisher-Price.com, BabyGap.com, and TheChildrensPlace.com.   PotteryBarnKids.com is currently offering a beautiful Organic Tree Duvet Cover for $14.99 and plush suede baby boots for $8.99.  They also have other baby/kids decor on clearance too.  This is a place to pick up some great pieces for the babies room and save some money on the way.  There’s no reason why you can’t shop the online clearance isles of the trendier companies as well.  So when you’re looking for baby coupons, don’t forget the main goal is to save money, no matter how you do it.  If you can find baby items, baby furniture, and baby gear for 75% off retail, then you’re doing good!

Raising a baby can be expensive, but, with a little online savvy and some help from your friends, you can save bundles and even find some free baby stuff. Here’s how to save money on baby and find the best baby freebies on the web.

Baby Freebies Online. Just as having a baby can be an expensive proposition for you, it can be a profitable one for retailers and manufacturers. Many companies will give away things to expectant and new moms in the hopes of earning your business for a long time to come.   Here’s how to get free products, samples and coupons from the most trusted baby brands. You can typically find free samples and discount coupons by navigating your browser directly to a manufacturer’s website. To find these websites, do an online search for your favorite brands of formula, diapers, and baby foods.

You can also often get free trial subscriptions to leading parenting magazines. At the time of this writing, you can get a free 6-month subscription to American Baby magazine and a free 12-month subscription to Baby Talk magazine directly at the publications’ websites.

A word of caution about signing up for baby freebies, newsletters, and sweepstakes. Make sure you read the fine print, as well as a site’s privacy policy before you enter your name and email address on the company’s registration form. Each time you are signing up for something, you are probably being put on a mailing list. You may want to have a secondary email address that you use only on registration pages and, if the page asks you if you would like additional mailings from partners, opt out.

It’s a good idea, too, to check the URL of the freebie’s registration page before you fill it out, to make sure you are on the website of the manufacturer or publisher. Third party sites, especially sites devoted to providing freebies, may be in the business of collecting and selling your personal information.

Savings on Diapers and Formula. These are two items you will probably spend the most money on before your baby becomes a toddler. Breastfeeding is, of course, the cheapest way around buying infant formula, but it’s just not an option for everyone. Here are the best ways we have found to save.

Search Online. See if you can find products cheaper online. Do a search on froogle.com for bulk groceries or formula. This site, run by Google, allows you to comparison shop across lots of different sites with just one search. And check prices at Amazon Grocery, too, which will ship these products to you, just like any other Amazon purchase. Shipping is often free for orders of $25 or more.

Join the Club. Ask at the customer service desk of your local grocery store to see if they have any kind of Baby Savings Club. Some of the leading grocer chains offer additional savings for these types of purchases.

Discount Baby Furniture and Gear. When it comes to baby furniture and baby gear, you can save a lot simply by knowing where to look.

Let Your Friends Know What You Need. The best way to get free baby stuff is to ask your friends and family for anything they might be hanging onto that they don’t need anymore. Even your friends whose kids are a bit older may still have some items in the attic.

Have a Baby Shower. You’ve probably bought several baby gifts for your friends and family by now, and now it’s your turn!  This is your big “pay back” moment.  Baby showers are a great way to get exactly what you need for the new baby. Even better, your guests can share more ways on how you might be able to save money on baby items in your particular area.

Join Moms Groups. Join parenting groups both in your local area and online. These are fantastic resources for free information and a daily or weekly dose of sanity. Plus, once you get to know other moms in your area, you can swap secondhand baby clothes.

Join a Freecycling Network. Freecycling.com allows you to give away things you don’t need while taking things you do. Do a Google search to find a Freecycle Network in your area, or visit Freecycle.org and browse the groups or enter your town into the search box. Once you find a local freecycling group, you can usually post your own needs and you find a lot of good things, completely free.

Shop for used items. Local consignment stores, thrift stores, and garage sales are a great place to find gently used baby furniture or gear. Check the newspaper for this weekend’s garage sales or monitor an online garage sale announcement service. Go to Yahoo Groups and enter your city and “Garage Sale.”

A note about buying baby items secondhand: If you buy used toys or baby gear, make sure they still have safety labels attached. Also, it’s a good idea to always buy a new car seat for your child. You don’t want to take a risk by getting a secondhand car seat that may have been in an accident.

Simplify. The most important thing for our family when our kids were small was to consider carefully what it was we really needed.  Think about it.  When we were excited about having our first child, we felt like we wanted one of everything. But we found that some gear was not necessary at all, and some of it just got in the way.

The simple approach is sometimes the best, so take a little time with each buying decision.  Do you really need it?  If there is a piece of furniture or a baby item that you feel you really need, see if you can get it gently used. It’s better on the pocketbook and the environment.

It’s also tempting to invest in things the baby will need when he or she has grown older. You can save money by waiting until your baby actually needs a bigger, better stroller, for example, to see both what you can afford and what kind of features are truly the most important to you at the time. It helps me to look at it this way: When you save money by not buying things you really don’t need, you’ll have more money to put aside for your child’s future or those important things you DO need.

With babies, as with life, the simple approach is often the best.  It’s o.k. to live a life filled with less.  By being less of a consumer overall allows you to not only enjoy the money you’ll be saving, but it also gives you the gift of simplicity.  Your kids don’t need that 2nd Gameboy and that 50th DVD.  They need food, shelter, and love.  Love is free, right?

Popularity: 37% [?]

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After you have had a chance to do some local research, you may come to the conclusion that hiring a nanny is simply not going to fit within your family budget.  If this is the case, try to find baby day care some other way.  Sometimes, local communities have mommy and nanny babysitting co-ops.  Each member agrees to make themselves available during certain hours to a limited number of kids or babies and in return, someone offers that person babysitting or nanny services for their child.  It’s a give and take honor system most times.  It’s an old-fashioned concept that’s making a big come back.  With the increase of our population and the demand now for both moms and dads to work, people are in need of baby and childcare during their office hours.  Let’s face it, we all need help and whether you’re lucky enough to have parents and grandparents local to help you with the baby, or whether you have to pay for it, we all need a little help.  Get creative when you’re searching for a new babysitter.  Ask your friends for referrals and even contact your local church or school for a responsible teenager that maybe lives in your neighborhood.  Lots of young teen age girls babysit to make some extra money and you can bet that this is going to be your cheapest option.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Popularity: 15% [?]