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All parents want to get the top of the range for their babies, particularly the first, but there is no harm in shopping smart and looking for thrifty solutions. Make sure you spend your money where you want, and consider other choices to keep your costs down. Here are our 10 best tips on having a thrifty baby.

1. The buggy

Don’t get blinded by bling buggies and consider how and where you will use your buggy. Small wheels do for city pavement, but choose bigger wheels for country roads. Buy a light buggy if you will pack it into your car often. Make sure your child can grow into it and consider getting one second hand.

2. Nappies

Try reusable nappies, there are several nappy companies that will rent or let you test their nappies. The new and modern reusable nappies available are practical, easy to use and wash, but do require a bit of organisation. You could always combine them with disposable nappies.
If you want to use disposable nappies be always on the lookout for two-for one-deals. Don’t automatically fall for brand names, try store names as well. We have not done a scientific test, but from the horse’s mouth, that is several mothers, Lidl nappies are cheap and as good as brand names. You will spend about €640 on nappies the first year, according to an estimate in the Irish Times done in September 2010.

3. Milk

A truly thrifty solution is breastfeeding your baby, as it doesn’t cost a thing. You don’t need to spend money on baby formula, bottles or sterilising equipment. Once you get a hang of it, breastfeeding is a practical and easy option; the milk is always the right temperature, clean and available. One expense would be to invest in a few comfortable and practical breastfeeding tops.

4. Feeding

When you start weaning it is easy to go for the option of baby food jars, but by making your own baby food you will save money and give your baby a more nutritious choice. Make sure you have a blender and small trays for freezing. Once your baby is weaned, he can eat almost anything you eat yourself. You will need to mash it up and avoid salting the food.

5. Clothes

Ask friends and family to give you hand-me-downs. Babies and small children grow very fast and use clothes a very short time. You will realise there are plenty of clothes you put on your baby, just so he gets a chance to use them before he grows out of them. Try organising a clothes swap day at a local crèche or parent and baby group. Also check useful websites like Babybay.ie http://www.babybay.ie/

6. Toys

Same rule as with the clothes, get hand-me-downs. Wash plastic toys down in hot soapy water and throw soft toys into the washer. If you want to buy new toys, do it slowly and buy few as different things interest different children. Be creative, because your child is. You will see children often playing with the box the toy came in and ignoring the flashy toy.

7. The must-haves

Go-slow is the thrifty motto of shopping for all the things you need. Get different opinions and relate them to your life and how you live.
You don’t actually have to have a Moses basket or a baby monitor. Most babies grow out of the Moses basket quickly and it ends up being a laundry basket. Many parents do fine without a baby monitor, they just keep checking in on their baby often. Same goes for much of the safety equipment, nappy tables and even cots.

8. Things to buy new

There are two things that are recommended to buy new, car seat and cot mattress. You can get a second hand car seat, but you need to be sure it has been handled well and not exposed to any bumps or pressure that might have damaged it.

9. Compare

Always compare prices, brands and utilities. Don’t get drawn in by the promises, but think about how the product fits in into your life and what you expect it to do. A product might promise the stars and the moon, but at the end of the day it might just turn out to be another bulky object in your home.
Become member of the supermarket’s baby clubs and get vouchers and deals available.

10. Drop the guilt

If you have come this far, realise that your baby will not have a worse start in life just because you didn’t buy the top of the range cot, buggy, nappies. Drop the guilt, there is plenty of expenses to come in the future, so put some money in a savings account instead.

Cost of a baby, the first year

While some of these costs are optional, they don’t include childcare, food, toys, baby wipes and more.

Source: Irish Times, September 2010