Baby cost-cutters that don’t skimp on safety

  You want the best for your baby, but you don’t have to spend a bundle on gear to get it. Here are three budget cuts you can easily make that won’t compromise your baby’s safety, which should always be your top concern.

1. Crib mattresses—nix the convertible option. If you're planning to convert your baby's crib to a toddler bed, "dual firmness" convertible mattresses are available at the top end (in the range of $220 for conventional mattresses, and $400 for natural mattresses). These mattresses are extra firm for infants on one side, and cushier, with standard foam or springy, "viscoelastic" memory foam on the other for toddlers. (You can flip the mattress after your baby's first birthday, when the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, decreases.)

But you can put the added memory foam feature in the "not necessary" category. Your baby will still be happy with a firm mattress when he becomes a toddler.

2. Shopping cart covers—feel free to skip this purchase entirely. It’s not a must-have. In fact, using one may be more trouble than it’s worth. Keep in mind that the covers themselves can harbor harmful germs—from blood as well as from mucus and feces on the cart seat or handle—longer than a bare cart handle because the germs can get embedded in the fabric. That’s why it’s important to wash a shopping cart cover in hot water and a bleach-based disinfectant and dry it completely after every time you use it.

Another reason we put shopping cart covers in the “optional” category: These days, many supermarkets supply sanitizing wipes for cleaning the cart handle and seat when you walk in, and the wipes can do a good job of reducing the germ load. If the store doesn’t provide them, keep a small supply of disinfecting wipes in your purse or diaper bag. Even after wiping, keep your baby from gnawing on the handle by bringing his favorite teething toy.

3. Disposable diapers—go with the store brand. Although our tests show that the name brands are the top-rated disposable diapers, because overall they tend to be more absorbent and fit better, you may find store brands more than adequate—and a cost cutter. In our informal research, we calculated a savings of 3 cents per diaper when we compared the cost of size 1 Parent’s Choice, Wal-Mart’s store-brand diapers, with size 1 Pampers from the same store. Saving pennies per diaper may not seem like much, but with 10 or so changes per day (which is reasonable with an infant), you’ll bank about $9 per month and $108 per year using the size 1 store brand diapers. Want to save even more? Consider reusable diapers and launder them yourself. For more information, see Saving money on diapers.

Comments

[EPS]

The only store brand diaper that worked for me was purchased in Germany when I was traveling with my 6-month old. I have yet to find a comparable store brand here in the US. To save money on diapers, I either get the good ones when they're on sale at the local grocery store or buy the store brand but only use them when we're home and I change the baby every 2 hours anyway. I use the name brand when we have to leave the house. I had an unfortunate recent incident where I used a store brand diaper just before I left the house to fly to San Antonio. Needless to say, it leaked and the baby's clothes were soaked. Luckily I had a change of clothing with me. Better to be safe than sorry --- use the good stuff.

[Juan Sanchez]

Store brand diaper quality varies depending on the manufacturers investment in technology and patents. It also depends on a retailers willingness to offer customers the best quality available, but at a slightly higher price than some lower end store brand diapers. We have been using store brand supreme diapers (upstate NY) on my 3 month old daughter since day one and the diapers have performed great, while also saving us money. If a store brand diaper performs well, then it's a simple choice and easy way to save money.

[Mike]

I'm assuming the author doesn't actually have a baby otherwise he/she would never suggest using the store brand diapers to save money. By time you're done with the extra changes, laundry costs from leaky diapers, diaper rash cream and whatever else I've blocked from my memory that you will need with the cheap diapers, you will have spent way more than you save. Better to dress the kids in hand me downs or clothes you bought used then to skimp on the diapers.

[Sling Blade]

The Diaper advice is the worst ever. Your up front cost may be less, but the time and cost doing extra laundry because the cheap diaper leaked will end up costing you more in the long run.

Stock up on diapers when they are on sale and participate in store programs where you get free diapers when you buy so many packs. This will get the cost down quite a bit.