Mummies share your money saving tips please :)

blaque*angel

i'm quite new to this mummy thing, but would like to share a few moneysaving tips and hope this thread will grow with thousands of great tips from you brilliant mummies out there

the things i am doing so far:
save atleast £10 a week per child in a halifax regular savings child account 8% interest:beer:

before you buy anything check out your local netmums or freecycle you would be surprised howmuch stuff people are giving away or want pennys for it

www.netmums.co.uk

or yahoo's freecycle...

buy in bulk especially when things are on offer:

for example:
baby wipes 5Packets for £4 at ASDA *(they are great for sensitive skin)
HIPP ORGANICS Cereals all £1 EACH at ASDA so i have about 10 in my cupboards....

dont be afraid of the shops own branded items...

collect tesco clubcard points, boots advantage card points also

USE YOUR VOUCHERS!!!! the other day my shopping was cut down from £48 TO £23 because i had so many vouchers for baby stuff:o

if i think of anything else i will add it here,,please add your tips:A

mrcow

Make your own baby food and freeze it.
If you're after cereal, give your baby ready brek or similar. It's much cheaper and easy to make.

Use your local library for free weekly baby activities and borrowing books/DVDs.

Let friends/family know you're in the market for hand-me downs - you'll get loads as people always want to declutter and most of it is hardly worn.

Always do a shopping list and stick to it.

Buy baby/child presents from Argos in their 75% off sales throughout the year and keep them until Christmas.

alextufnall

Hi there

There are so many options out there for mums to save money. Definitely use all of your vouchers - you'll be inundated with them through your midwife/hospital/health visitor.

I also made my own baby food, like mrcow. I used to make mashed potato with loads of veg (and somtimes chicken). You can add in whatever you feel like - and whatever is ok for your baby at that age, and then freeze. Definitely saved me money compared to the little pots of expensive goo you buy in supermarkets! As my daughter got older I changed it to pasta, soup etc.

I use real nappies (currently use Tots Bots Flexitots and really love them - although I'm going to move on soon to the size 2s and might try something else). I bought them from the Clean Green Nappy Machine - where the link points to, and got 20% off for spending over £100. I can't remember the voucher code right now, but I've just been to the site and seen t hat they're doing 20% off everything at the moment. Not sure how long for, but the discount code is "winter", and the details are here ). I also spoke to a lady there who was really helpful and talked me through all the options before I chose my nappy.

Hope this helps:cool2:

tessie_bear

dont buy anything u can beg or borrow but i draw the line at stealing....make hm baby foof im sure this has saved me loads of money....thanx op what a good idea for a thread

Antispam

alextufnall new poster with 2 posts all same url

susiesue_2

if someone offers you clothes that their child has out grown accept gratefully. i saved loads of money that way.

breastfeed-healthier and moneysaving

make a craft chest out of boxes, yoghurt pots ect, get pva glue from a diy store and a lot of imagination and its hours of fun.

charity shops get given lots of good quality toys and books.

swap dvds with friends, or hire dvds from the library

elainew

If you only use wipes for hands and faces then buy flannels instead. So much cheaper to use soap and water.

Make use of the library-nice and warm and free too. Borrow their dvds and books.

We go to council run classes instead of private ones and are so much cheaper.

Make up an art box with glitter, glue , stickers etc--kids love making things.

fernliebee

I'll second the using flannels instead of baby wipes. I also use water and cotton wool, or re-useable wipes. I keep the water in a small spray bottle fo rwhen I'm out and about so not too fiddly.

Agree with H/M baby food too! Also things like raisins- you don't need the little kiddy boxes get a few packs of poundland tubs (5 for £1) and make a little pot of snacks up. Puddings- banana's are great, you can use it as a base to most puddings (add lemon juice if you want to keep it as it stops it going so black!) or if you want to freeze it stewed apple is better. I also buy the tubs of frozen fruits, you can add these to porridge for breakfast, or to stewed apple for puddings.

Breastfeed- if you have problems ask for help, if NHS don't seem to help much (bit hit and miss at best!) talk to la leche league or NCT! If your determined most problems can be overcome!

Washable nappies! Only you will know if you can be bothered but they really are not any extra work! Again if you have problems ask for help, nappy lady or youtube vids on different folds etc. If you are determined you will make them work.

Don't buy toy's for them, people will buy them things, freecycle for them, charity shops, NCT, let them play with things that you have in your house already, they will much prefer it- they get bored with their toy's anyway!

Don't buy loads of equipment- they hardly need anything. If you find you need something specific eg we wanted a door bouncer as DD loved to stand up and we wanted a bit of a break for our arms while we got on with stuff- Freecycle! NCT! etc....

Accept freebies!

Walk to baby groups and find a local sure start centre. My surestart do free swimming for babies and parents, and under 1's group, and singing, and stay and play and sooooo much more!! We go to something most days!

Save all your sweety papers from easter and christmas etc in a little box it's not long til they get big enough to start doing sticking and have fun sorting the different textures to stick on their pics!

Persevere with water rather than juice. It saves money and is much better for them.

Library singing sessions and to borrow books!

Keep their trousers from size 12-18 month as they will probably fit again once out of nappies!

If you have storage keep things for "the next one"!

If not pass them on to someone who needs them or freecycle them! Not mse for you but it passes a saving on to another mummy!

Use their bath water to water the plants etc.

If you buy baby snacks etc see if it's cheaper to get adult versions. it usually is. eg rice cakes lots of baby mini ones are much more than normal sized ones and you can just break them up. Buy big bag of raisins instead of 'baby' boxes, buy normal spaghetti or pasta rather than baby sized pasta- if it's too big mash it up.

Probably think of more soon but anyway, you get the idea!

MoneyMission

Agree with all of the above.

When you have finished with the ice cube trays that you use to freeze your small portions of baby puree in, keep them in your craft box for painting days. A squirt of each colour in each space is just enough for one session.

Cloth nappy sites sell small washable wipes that we use all the time. Saved us a fortune over the years on wipes. And saved the planet too.

Even though we have a spare room, our kids share. Only need one CD player, one chest of drawers, one radiator on, one light on etc. They will eventually grow out of this especially as we've got one pink one and one blue one!!!

lolababy

Buy kids clothing on ebay. Most have been hardly worn or are new, Have a clothes party with friends . You can swop kids clothes and adults. Try the same for toys.
Buy hand towels instead of baby ones. That way you can reuse them. Buy pillow slips and use them in the moses basket. You can slip the mattress inside and then if the baby is sick in the night you only have to turn the matress. Of course only if its a small stain.
Use frreecycle. Dont buy before seeing if you can get it free. Dont buy beds only suitable for children. Best to buy a full size so it lasts longer.Dont buy furniture in a light colour . Paint childrens rooms. That way if they scribble on the walls ,you only have to paint over.Have a look in charity shops for childrens quilt covers and curtains.

clairehi

NCT nearly new sales are great for both buying and selling good quality baby equipment, clothes etc.

The sellers receive most of the price you pay, and the NCT takes a smallish cut. So there is plenty of good quality stuff on offer, it is not just jumble - but do get there early, or offer to help with the sale to get the best picks.

NCT also offer (paid for) antenatal classes, if not too late!, and coffee groups/meet ups for mums and babies/toddlers in many areas - a good way to get out of the house and meet people in the same boat. you dont have to be an NCT member (IIRC) but membership is not that expensive anyway.

Re HM baby food, making your own is nice but it does take a certain amount of time and effort. Top tip re ice cube trays - get the flexible rubber sort as it is a right pain getting frozen food cubes out of the rigid plastic ones.
frankly I couldnt be a*sed to peel enough apples for the the amount of apple puree my two got through, so just bought heinz tins. Also its all very well saying liquidise your own meal - thats ok if you have meat and 2 veg every night but how do you liquidise pizza or stir fry?

baby food in packets is a joke though, it is cheap but basically wallpaper paste - avoid.