Today, the average pregnant woman spends a fortune on her baby. There’s nothing wrong or unusual with wanting to spend all that you can afford on your new child, but it’s important to remember that you probably have a budget to think about.
The financial demands of having a child can kick in a lot earlier than you would think, particularly when you’re dealing with the lower income that you get on maternity leave, or you’re planning for a life where only one parent goes back to work. Here are some of the ways that you can prepare for the future now by saving money on your baby shopping while pregnant.
1. Find the Best Freebies
Most of the time, many of us will avoid signing up for VIP memberships with companies, because it often means getting bombarded with promotional emails. However, when you’re pregnant, it helps to have access to as many freebies as possible. You can always keep your emails to a minimum by creating a new address that you specifically use to gather amazing deals from great companies.
There are plenty of options out there from leading brands like Boots, Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s. What’s more, don’t forget to take advantage of the freebies that your friends and family have to offer too – like free babysitting or childcare.
2. NHS Free Treatments
The NHS is one of the most valuable things that we have in the UK. Pregnancy is likely to bring you closer to this group than ever before, so it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your national healthcare provider. For instance, remember that you should be eligible for free prescriptions and dental checkups when you’re pregnant, which is a great way to save some much-needed cash.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the NHS can also help you to find free antenatal classes too. Although these classes might not be as advanced as some of the more expensive options, they will give you the information that you need.
3. Don’t Over-Spend
We all want to make sure that our children have everything that they need to live a happy and healthy life. However, that can sometimes mean that we end up going over the top with emotional spending on baby clothes and toys. As gorgeous as a new pack of baby shoes might look – your child probably isn’t going to wear them. Additionally, you probably don’t need to spend a fortune on toys and books when you can get everything you need from a library.
The chances are that your friends and loved ones will give you a lot of the items you would want to buy for your baby during your baby shower too – so relax and stop overspending.
4. Reduce Your Maternity Wardrobe
The cost of maternity clothing can be ridiculous, particularly since you’re only going to be wearing these items for a few months. Rather than overspending on a huge selection of items, try investing in something that will help to expand your existing wardrobe instead. A bump band, for instance, will cover the waistband of your trousers, so you can continue to wear the clothes that you already have for a little while longer.
Additionally, once the time comes that you can no longer fit into your regular clothes, try getting over-sized normal clothes instead, or asking for hand-me-downs from friends and other people in your life that have been pregnant before you.
5. Stick to the Essentials
Finally, make a list of the things that you absolutely have to buy, and force yourself to stick to it. A lot of the spending that mums do when they’re pregnant happens as a result of the nesting instinct. We feel like we need to spend thousands of pounds or take on credit when looking to create the perfect environment for a baby to be born into – but the truth is that you don’t need as much as you think in those initial months.
Focus on things like nappies, a place for your child to sleep, and a pushchair so you can get around. You can also look for a handful of onesies and babygrows – but remember to stay away from designer brands – since they’re probably not going to last more than a couple of wears anyway. For everything else, make a list of gifts to give to the people who are throwing your baby shower – trust us, they’ll thank you for the inspiration.
*Collaborative post*
Leave a Reply