Babies Don't Have to Cost the Earth

Author: Katrina Wilton

It’s quite normal to hear of couples delaying starting a family because they feel they can’t afford the expense yet. Well is it really so? Does having a baby have to be such an expensive thing to do? Well many magazines and advertisements will have you believe so and it certainly can be if you take that road. Personally, I believe there is no “right time” to have a baby. At some point, you must simply make the decision to have one and then you do your very best to take care of it, as so many couples before you have done.

Starting the baby shopping can be an overwhelming experience to say the least - when you first walk into a baby store, you can feel numbed by the vast array of products available. Many of them cost the earth and often you can’t even figure out what you’re meant to do with them! When you see these products, it’s easy to believe that your baby absolutely needs them and that you will be paying them off for a long time to come, but don’t be deceived by all this propaganda. So many of these items really aren’t necessary, or can be sourced by much less expensive means.

The moment a couple discovers that they are pregnant, especially when it’s the first child, it can be tempting to go overboard with excitement and all they can think of is what to buy for their precious little miracle.

As soon as your friends and family hear the good news, you will be flooded with offers of clothes, toys and other baby items that they no longer need. This is a great opportunity and one you should most definitely take advantage of if budget is of concern to you. Given how fast babies grow, many ‘pre-loved’ items will have barely been used, if at all, and will therefore still be in excellent condition. There is no harm in letting your loved ones help. Used clothes, toys, cribs, strollers can be a wonderful gift if they’re still in good condition.

Remember that you will, in all probability, have a baby shower at which you will undoubtedly receive many gifts. Things like baby clippers, bath tubs, cribs, towels will all be a part of this. Now how many of these do you need for a baby? Don’t go crazy buying baby clothes. Buy what you may need for the first month, onesies, cotton pajamas, a few items of basic clothing should suffice. Once the baby is born you are sure to get a lot of clothes – friends and family often can’t resist buying those cute little baby clothes they see when they’re out shopping, so receive this generous gifts willingly. Take stock after a month or so and then you can plan any more shopping you need to do. Remember the baby will outgrow their clothes really fast. Tempting as it may be sometimes, you certainly don’t need to spend on expensive, branded clothes.

Another effective and economic option for baby nappies is to use modern cloth nappies instead of disposables. Cloth nappies have evolved considerably since the old terry square cloths and are very easy to use. The added bonus is they are also environmentally friendly and come in all sorts of adorable colors and patterns.

So remember that you don’t need everything… A few essentials along with a whole lot of love, is all that your new baby wants.

About the Author:

Katrina Wilton is Director and Founder of Australian Company Fresh Buns, specialising in Cloth Nappies.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Babies Don't Have to Cost the Earth