Comments on: Baby Expenses IX http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/ Investing and Personal Finance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:34:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: meg w. http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-90771 meg w. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:42:25 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-90771 sophie, thanks! i was going to ask about the cost of reusables vs. disposable. i think i'm definitely going to try the reusable route (once we have a little one, eventually!) - i remember finding some of our old reusable diapers, and my mom told me she even made a lot of the inserts, flannels & wraps herself from old clothes they didn't wear anymore. how cost-efficient! sophie, thanks! i was going to ask about the cost of reusables vs. disposable. i think i’m definitely going to try the reusable route (once we have a little one, eventually!) – i remember finding some of our old reusable diapers, and my mom told me she even made a lot of the inserts, flannels & wraps herself from old clothes they didn’t wear anymore. how cost-efficient!

]]> By: Four Pillars http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-5497 Four Pillars Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:49:09 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-5497 Sophie - thanks for the kind words and great suggestions. Mike Sophie – thanks for the kind words and great suggestions.

Mike

]]> By: Sophie http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-5495 Sophie Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:28:22 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-5495 hello! I know this was posted ages ago, but I found a link to this series of posts elsewhere and thought I'd comment on how good they are :) Our daughter was born last June, so my comments obviously revolve around what we've done with her. A *lot* of our baby gear comes from Freecycle; as you say, buying new is a waste of time.. but if you don't have to pay at all that's even better. Another good source of second hand items is a nearly new sale, which is like a collaborative yard sale for babies/toddlers/kids. I presume they also exist in Canada. A more time consuming way to save money is to use real nappies, i.e. washables, and also flannels rather than wipes. It seems daunting to start with, but in the end it's just another case of putting the washing machine on. We have a set of 24 nappies and 8 wraps, which lasts 3 days. The only part that isn't reusable are the flushable liners, which catch baby's poo. Yes, it does increase water and electricity use, however I estimate that we've spent less than 25% of friends' disposable costs so far, with more savings to come. It is also, of course, better for the environment (even when you account for water/elec usage). NB. Some people spend the same on real nappies as they would on disposables, because they go for the beautifully embroidered variety. We use the really boring prefold type, which aren't so different to terries. Either way they'll be used on our second child, doubling our savings in one fell swoop! hello! I know this was posted ages ago, but I found a link to this series of posts elsewhere and thought I’d comment on how good they are :)

Our daughter was born last June, so my comments obviously revolve around what we’ve done with her. A *lot* of our baby gear comes from Freecycle; as you say, buying new is a waste of time.. but if you don’t have to pay at all that’s even better. Another good source of second hand items is a nearly new sale, which is like a collaborative yard sale for babies/toddlers/kids. I presume they also exist in Canada.

A more time consuming way to save money is to use real nappies, i.e. washables, and also flannels rather than wipes. It seems daunting to start with, but in the end it’s just another case of putting the washing machine on. We have a set of 24 nappies and 8 wraps, which lasts 3 days. The only part that isn’t reusable are the flushable liners, which catch baby’s poo. Yes, it does increase water and electricity use, however I estimate that we’ve spent less than 25% of friends’ disposable costs so far, with more savings to come. It is also, of course, better for the environment (even when you account for water/elec usage).

NB. Some people spend the same on real nappies as they would on disposables, because they go for the beautifully embroidered variety. We use the really boring prefold type, which aren’t so different to terries. Either way they’ll be used on our second child, doubling our savings in one fell swoop!

]]> By: The Perfect Gift For A Newborn Baby http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-4728 The Perfect Gift For A Newborn Baby Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:58:20 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-4728 [...] Clothes - I would stay from baby clothes unless they are specifically requested or unless of course they have the labels of the [...] [...] Clothes – I would stay from baby clothes unless they are specifically requested or unless of course they have the labels of the [...]

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-626 FourPillars Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:06:42 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-626 Lewis - you are right - the NHL (and NFL) stuff adds up :) What is an automatic pump used for? Mike Lewis – you are right – the NHL (and NFL) stuff adds up :)

What is an automatic pump used for?

Mike

]]> By: Lewis Empire http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-625 Lewis Empire Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:51:27 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-625 I think that the costs that really hit you with a first child are the ones no one tells you about! Renting an automatic pump - weird and pricey, the extra hundred spit-up cloths, all the NHL bibs and booties...it all adds up. I appreciated all the item lists I could find at the time. One recommendation: go for cloth diapers. It's WAY cheaper and much less disgusting than I thought. I think that the costs that really hit you with a first child are the ones no one tells you about! Renting an automatic pump – weird and pricey, the extra hundred spit-up cloths, all the NHL bibs and booties…it all adds up.

I appreciated all the item lists I could find at the time. One recommendation: go for cloth diapers. It’s WAY cheaper and much less disgusting than I thought.

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-624 FourPillars Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:14:21 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-624 CC - I didn't know that. I also accidentally cut my son's finger a bit and made him cry one time - I felt pretty bad! BB - $3000/yr! Wow! CC – I didn’t know that. I also accidentally cut my son’s finger a bit and made him cry one time – I felt pretty bad!

BB – $3000/yr! Wow!

]]> By: Brip Blap http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-623 Brip Blap Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:06:01 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-623 You can have some very, very unexpected expenses with feeding. My wife went to La Leche League and was totally committed to breastfeeding. Shortly after my son was born we discovered that he seemed to have severe reactions to breast milk, probably due to my wife's diet. After spending three weeks on a highly restricted diet to "flush" her system, and my son continuing to suffer with losing weight, etc., the doctor put us on a hyperallergenic formula that has cost us, on average, almost $10 per day. It's been 100% worth it and I would pay it a million times over since my son is now 95th percentile for height and weight and doing very well, but obviously spending $3000+ per year on formula was not something we anticipated considering we planned on breastfeeding. We didn't even have any bottles when we found out we'd have to switch, so that was a mad scramble. Anyway, just to show (yet again) that baby expenses can really flare up completely out of nowhere! You can have some very, very unexpected expenses with feeding. My wife went to La Leche League and was totally committed to breastfeeding. Shortly after my son was born we discovered that he seemed to have severe reactions to breast milk, probably due to my wife’s diet. After spending three weeks on a highly restricted diet to “flush” her system, and my son continuing to suffer with losing weight, etc., the doctor put us on a hyperallergenic formula that has cost us, on average, almost $10 per day.

It’s been 100% worth it and I would pay it a million times over since my son is now 95th percentile for height and weight and doing very well, but obviously spending $3000+ per year on formula was not something we anticipated considering we planned on breastfeeding. We didn’t even have any bottles when we found out we’d have to switch, so that was a mad scramble.

Anyway, just to show (yet again) that baby expenses can really flare up completely out of nowhere!

]]> By: Canadian Capitalist http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/comment-page-1/#comment-622 Canadian Capitalist Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:01:06 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/baby-expenses-ix/#comment-622 Newborn baby's nails are so soft that you probably don't need a nail clipper for a few months. You can simply peel off the excess nails with yours. The first time I clipped our boy's nails, I accidentally nicked his fingers. Not a good thing to do a baby who is only a few days old! Newborn baby’s nails are so soft that you probably don’t need a nail clipper for a few months. You can simply peel off the excess nails with yours. The first time I clipped our boy’s nails, I accidentally nicked his fingers. Not a good thing to do a baby who is only a few days old!

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