3 simple tips to save money when you have a baby
Babies are expensive. There is no way around that…however, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars during your baby’s first year by following these three tips.
For being such little people, babies sure cost a lot of money. According to a 2010 USDA report, families spend an average of $12,000 on child-related expenses in their baby’s first year of life. What?! That’s almost twice the cost of my first car!
When I had my first child, I knew it would cost a lot. But holy cow! Between the hospital bill, all the baby gear, and going through an obscene number of diapers each week (seriously, why do they always poop right after you change them?), I was shocked by how much we spent. You don’t have kids because they’re a good financial investment; that’s for sure.
The good news is that if you’re savvy (and frugal), you can spend far less than the national average. I’m always on the lookout for ways to save money, and I’ve happened upon a few great tips that provide a lot of bang for your buck. Here are three simple ways I saved over two thousand dollars on basic baby essentials.
3 simple ways to save money when you have a baby
1. Pay your bill before you leave the hospital.
Did you know that many hospitals offer discounts if you pay your bill before you leave? At our hospital, we saved 10% off of our total bill by paying upfront. That’s not a lot when you’re buying a $10 shirt, but it’s serious money when you’re paying thousands to have a baby!
If you can save up the money ahead of time, it’s one of the simplest things you can do to save a significant chunk of money. Simply call and talk to your hospital’s billing department and ask if they offer any kind of discount for paying upfront. Our hospital didn’t advertise this deal, but by asking a few questions we saved several hundred dollars!
2. Get a breast pump for free through insurance
Somehow, I missed the memo with my first two kids that many insurance programs will actually pay for 100% of the cost of a breast pump. I bought one myself with my first baby, and it lasted me through most of my time with baby #2 as well. It started to lose power at the end so I knew wanted to get a new one for baby #3. My best friend had mentioned to me how she had gotten hers free through insurance, so I decided to look into it.
A quick call to my insurance company gave me all the information I needed. Mine does cover pumps 100%, and they explained two options for how to get a pump. First, I could order a pump myself through Amazon (or any other major company…not Ebay or second hand stores) that met the insurance requirements (under $470 dollars and not classified as “hospital grade”) and get reimbursed. Second, I could work with a third party company that specializes in coordinating the details between insurance, doctors, and patients to order my pump and have insurance pay for it directly.
I eventually decided to use a third party, mostly because by working with a third party I could be sure the pump I chose was covered by insurance, and it didn’t require any out-of-pocket expense. I have trust issues with insurance, so I didn’t want to deal with having to submit a reimbursement form. Two of the most well known companies that provide this service are Aeroflow and Edgepark. I used Edgepark, just because they responded faster to my initial email.
Different insurance companies have different policies, so be sure to check with yours before you assume anything, but it’s pretty common now for pumps to be covered 100%, which can save you $100-400 depending on the pump you choose. Oh, and FYI, this is the pump I got this time around, and I LOVE it. Super powerful and amazingly quiet.
3. Buy second hand
I’ve written before about why I buy almost everything for my kids second hand, and I stand by the advice. Whether you shop Craigslist, garage sales, or consignment sales, there are great deals to be had. Baby items are almost always outgrown before they are worn out, so you can get almost-new items for a fraction of the price you’d pay new in the store.
I saved over $1200 on items that I bought for my first baby’s first year…things like a high chair, exersaucer, swing, Ergo carrier, snow clothes, etc. There are some things I wanted to buy new (car seat and crib), but mostly we bought used items, and no one would ever know, least of all our baby.
Big Savings
Using these three tips alone (not counting all the money I saved by breast-feeding instead of using formula, making my own baby food, etc.) I saved almost two thousand dollars! It didn’t take a lot of extra time, but the pay off was well worth it!
What are your best money-saving tips for having a baby?
I had no idea you could save money by paying your hospital bill up front. Thanks so much for this tip!
It was a surprise to us when we found that out with our second child. I don’t know if all hospitals have this policy, but in my experience medical bills are flexible if you ask enough questions.
I echo all you have said. The biggest money savers for us have been buying used (almost EVERYTHING!). Secondly, using cloth diapers. An investment of around $300, diapers at least two babies from 1 month of age until potty training, before they need to be refurbished or new ones bought. We have saved a fortune by using cloth diapers. Huge savings!!
Cloth diapers are a big way to save for sure…I was just never willing to wash them all. How did you manage all the laundry it required?
Some great tips 🙂 I actually wrote a blog on the savings of cloth diapers and I also put my breast pump through insurance! Little things that no one tells you, glad you shared this!
The frugal girl in me wants to do cloth diapers, but the busy mom who has no desire to touch more poo than is absolutely necessary keeps buying disposable. I wonder if it would still be cheaper if I hired a diaper service to wash them…Hmmm?
Really nice tips! I can vouch for second hand – i done this a lot when I was pregnant.
Great tips! I did the breast pump through my insurance as well. I also heard you can rent from the hospital if you do not have insurance.
I haven’t looked into renting from the hospital; thanks for the heads up. I think a lot of insurance companies cover the cost of pumps now, though, which is great for moms!
Great tips. I have saved a ton of money getting my kids toys from thrift stores. We just got a double stroller from a Facebook yard sale page for $30 it would have cost me $150+ to get it new.
Way to go! I love a good deal.
I had NO idea insurance would cover breast pumps! I will be sharing that tidbit with friends, for certain!
I think it’s become significantly more common in the past several years. Hooray!
Great ideas! The breast pump through insurance was a lifesaver for us.
I didn’t even know paying at the hospital was an option! Too bad we’ve already had our last baby. But I’m all about the free pumps and second-hand stuff!
The hospitals certainly don’t try to advertise it!
Midway through breastfeeding my second child (and last), I found out I could get a pump through insurance. Sure wish I knew sooner because not only did the new pump work better, but it worked faster as well. ?
Well, better late than never! Glad you were able to get a new one.
Great tips. My daughter was able to get get a breast pump through insurance and it helped to save so much money. I also introduced her to consignment shopping through Just For Friends. They have big sales I think 3 times a year and we have found budget friendly clothes and toys in great condition. She likes how she finds so unique outfits for my granddaughter.
Yes! I just went to a consignment sale at a local church last weekend and got two pairs of pants and 4 shirts for 12 dollars!
Wow! Awesome! i really had no idea insurance could cover so much!
Second hand clothes saved us so much money! I was so grateful for all the hand me downs we received and all the consignment shops that opened up right around the time I had my daughter!
Yep, I’ve been so blessed to get a lot of hand me downs, too.
We saved a lot of money cloth diapering! I know it’s not for everyone, but it definitely help cut back on some expenses!
I was actually just reading your post about diapering. I still don’t know that I’m willing to go that route, but it was really helpful to see the details of how you make it work. Makes it almost tempting.
That’s crazy about paying before you leave the hospital. Why do they not let more people know about these things!
Aha! They want you to pay in full!
One note to add on the hospital bill, we have gotten a discount every time as long as it is paid in full within 30 days of the first billing date. And always negotiate for as high of a percentage discount as they’ll give…
Good points, Sara. I’m not much of one for bartering, but it’s probably worth it in this case.
Great points! I’m really trying to remember to buy second hand more often, especially the items you only use for a few months. Ive been finding that the second hand items you can find are still really good quality. The savings can be huge!
Absolutely. In a few cases, I’ve even been able to sell the used item later for the same price or close to what I paid!