Money-Saving Mom Hacks // Baby on a Budget 

RAISE YO HAND IF YOU LIKE TO SAVE MONEY!

I’m 18 weeks pregnant (it’s my first) and thought on my shower invitations I’ll put something like “gently used clothing and toys are welcomed as gifts” instead of people feeling obligated to buy my new stuff and they will probably be more willing too.

My personal tips: 1. Multipurpose items are the way to go. Receiving blankets can be used for pretty much everything, and can be bought for pennies at consignment sales. Dont buy a cover exclusively for the changing table pad, and the grocery cart, and the car seat, and breastfeeding, and... (fill in cloth accessory here) Use a receiving blanket, a regular blanket, a clean cloth diaper, or even a hand towel. They may slip and slid, but your baby is going to be tugging on the specialty items and wiggling free of them anyway, so it's not that different. 1b. Dont buy all the stuff on the nursery "necessities" list you get online or from the store. They are only there as advertisements to make you buy more stuff. This is tied to the first point because I'd say about 7 out of 10 things on that list are superfluous or can be covered with a multipurpose item. 2. If possible, buy generic. The vast majority of the time generics are as good if not better than name brand. Case in point, my kids broke out in horrible rashes from Pampers and Huggies and Seventh Generation and a handful of other brands I tried, whether sensitive, natural care, or normal. The Up & Up Target brand was about the only thing that worked for my kids to keep them from having horrible rashes. Which leads me to my next point... 3. Dont commit to any brand without trying it out first. When I was pregnant, I read all the posts and talked to all my friends and decided exactly which brand of diapers I would use. I bought a huge pack because buying in bulk is cheaper per diaper... and then my son was allergic to it. I was in denial for a while and tried to soldier on, telling myself it must be something else because "the research said..." but it wasnt something else. It was the "perfect" brand of diapers I had chosen. Honestly the best research you can do for consumable items is get as many sample packs (or small quantity packs) as possible and try them out on your baby. That's why my go-to baby shower gift is 5 small packs of different diaper brands. I almost always get a stiff smile and an "oh, thanks..." because the momma-to-be has already researched and chosen her "perfect" brand, which rarely lasts more than 3 months. You may need to go through a period of un-learning everything you researched and thought you knew about babies because your baby is one in a billion and no anecdote or consumer report will ever fully apply to him/her. 4. HAND ME DOWNS!!! Sorry, I shouldn't yell, but seriously. I know she references this, but I will reiterate, get everything you can from friends and family. About the only thing I would be wary of getting used is carseats, unless you really know and trust the person. You dont know if the carseat has been in a crash and the structural integrity is compromised or damaged in some way. 5. Stock up during sales. This includes basics that only go on sale once every 3 months, but also future needs. Stock up not just for the size your baby is in now, but also the size they will be going into next. Because they will never hit their growth spurt at a convenient time for you to buy the next size up on sale.

Once I’ve learned about consignment shops i haven’t bought any new clothes since (except socks). I let the grandparents buy the new clothes!

Not a baby hack (I don't have one), but I learnt if you make ice cubes from coffee it doesn't water down your iced coffee. Btw, Miles is adorable!!!

Thrifting for baby clothes is an addiction for me! Lol I end up getting so much cute stuff she probably doesn't need because it's only a 1$ or 2 at the thrift store ❤️❤️❤️

Making the decision to cloth diaper has saved us TONS of money. I got all my cloth diapers from my baby registry and I made my own cloth wipes using dollar tree baby washcloths. We buy one small pack of diapers and one small pack of wipes every month as emergency for sickness or travel or whatnot, but overall not having to buy diapers and wipes regularly is saving us big time. Not to mention wayyyy kinder to planet Earth. A tip I would give is to register for items for the older baby/toddler as well. I registered for lots of bowls, plates, spoons, sippy cups, convertible car seat, sit up style bath seat, etc. That way, I wasn’t left buying everything for my older baby, who quite frankly needs more items than the newborn. Not everyone thinks to do that.

Tip for formula that I think is really important!! My son is on Similac Alimentum (insurance won't cover it) which is roughly $40 for a 19 oz can. Target does A LOT of sales. They'll do buy one get one 50% off or buy two get a $10 gift card. Along with those sales, you can stack Similac checks and coupons! We've purchased two cans, used two $10 Similac checks then 2 additional $3 Similac coupons!! Hopefully this comment helps someone save some cash!

Would love to see you do a video on making baby food!

I bought one of those bullet blenders for shakes. Every time I made dinner, I would put whatever we were eating in it and blended it up and Bam, baby food lol. My kids loved it. And it kind of forced us to eat at home and healthier too.

Miles has a permanent “On my way to steal yo girl” face 🤣 LOVE IT

I was at a baby shower recently where a mom mentioned that gender specific items for girls are actually more expensive than the neutral or boy items. So even if that pink version is way cuter, you can save by choosing the neutral option.

Gifted a “tired dinner” basket to a friend. Rice, broth, and an instant pot. Just add those frozen chicken strips and frozen veggie. Maybe some soy sauce? Tad da. A different gift to give. My friend loves hers. Also gifted a starbucks gift card and and a manicure gift card. I know for some moms it’s weird to ask for but gifts for mom before baby can save $$ after baby.

I literally LOL'ed when you showed those graphs! A picture is truly worth 1000 words :). Great video, super helpful.

Hand me downs from cousins and friends are also very helpful! Not just clothes but toys as well.

Thrifting is always a good way to save! And I always grab the extra nice items that might be a few sizes up. Because before you know it they grow into them.

Your editing is phenomenal! This video must have taken so much time and effort! Your hard work is so apparent and your videos are insanely entertaining/hilarious/helpful!!

I stumbled onto your account and I am very happy I did. You are not like a normal clean with me account where everything looks perfect. You have a real life and you are more relatable.

i save money on formula by using generic brands i can get twice the amount for the same price as the national brand and it is nutritionally the same thing.

I love the editing of this and the video itself! Thank you for the tips!!

I LOVE this video and how light hearted it is

We started getting our formula (Costco brand) and diapers (huggies brand) from Costco. Saved us a lot in the long run.

I had my daughter 10months ago and I felt so pressured to have everything in place and spend money for my baby all the time. It was exhausting. I can relate to going out with baby and buying coffee, it started to add up!!! You give great advice and definitely being a new mom myself, helped me just chill with your hacks. Thanks girl😎

You have such a fun and eloquent way of speaking/presenting. Keep it up!

I love how you say "you never know what your baby might need" when you're talking about formula. So many moms (myself included) feel like they're doing something wrong if they introduce formula. It's not about you, it's about the baby!

OMG! Miles is a doll! Great tips...even for grandparents! Gevalia is great too! Amazon has a mom program, haven't checked it out though. I sell my grandma baby stuff on FB or Craigslist & buy from there too. Selling clothes by the bag or box is a good idea & selling quality tennis shoes is a good way to recoup original costs. I provided 1st 2 years of diapers for each grandchild, but couldn't find great deals anywhere til I started couponing. Now I pay less than $5/pack. Meal prep the baby food & a couple meals for adults at same time. Lastly, exhaustion levels out around your 50's, but it depends on your activity level & whether those little babies grew up to be independent responsible adults too. Love ur channel!

I'm obsessed with the baby in the camera. The way he looks at it. I can't stand how cute he is

My brothers favourite 'toy' is an almost empty vitamin bottle with two pills in it that he likes to rattle. Probably about half the stuff he plays with isn't even toys it's stuff like a toothbrush, phone cases, keys, fridge magnets

I’m going to be a mom really soon and honestly your videos have saved my life! Also you have the best sense of humour.

"The yoga pants in my dresser have never been used for exercise!" bahahaha!

I love your videos! You’re so relatable and funny. Thanks for sharing all your tips!

I saved ALL of the samples I got while I was pregnant. Those samples come in handy when you run out and are too exhausted to even order from amazon! lol. Or when I would take day trips somewhere and did not want to carry around a full size bottle of diaper rash cream because we all know diaper bags are heavy enough 🙈

My all-time favorite video of yours.... even though my baby is almost 10-years-old. Love the humor.

I get a ton of stuff at Goodwill. Kids clothes are $1.50 per clothing item. I got a cuuuute pair of overalls (old Navy brand) for $1.50. 🙌 yaaas

Im currently 30 weeks pregnant and your videos are so helpful !💕

Omg can you make a video just about making the baby food? Spinach pancakes???

This video is 💯!! I have two kids and have learned these tricks early on, thankfully. As for the coffee, I was literally spending over $100 each month on coffee, until I started making it at home. Definitely a money saver!

Even though I plan on not having kids, I still watch this video to see Miles. ♥️

I agree too most of all my sons clothes have been hand me downs , clothes from marketplace/ offer up or thrift shops. Some I’ve bought full price

I absolutely love love love your channel and content! I recently gave birth to my 1st child and you have helped me so so much with all of your mommy videos!

Awesome tips! I need all the tips being a new mom of a two week old and currently in the cycle of trying to breastfeed, supplement, and pumping. I love shopping used or not getting everything right away. I completely agree get convenience foods for no cook nights. I am reminded to go check out a free kid stuff place provided by my city.

Love all your tips and fully agree with them. Currently pregnant with our 3rd baby. Although I will say, I loved and still love my nursing tops. I nursed both my girls till they were 18 months old and for night feedings those nursing tops with the clip saved me. I did however try the shirts with the hole in it, not a huge fan. I think I used it once and found it to be a bigger hassle than just pulling my shirt up. But for those mamas that want to nurse their babies; I used a nursing cover for both my girls (the Pancho type) and have yet to regret it. I tried using a little blanket, then a receiving blanket and our first would just pull it off each time without a fail. So I finally caved in and bought a nursing cover! Absolutely fell in love with it, I was easily able to use it to cover the car seat and my self when I needed to pump on the go. Since then, I have continued to use a pancho nursing cover. I typically buy them pre-loved. A lot cheaper, or if you're crafty you can always make your own

You're seriously the cutest and your charts were fantastic!!! Thank you for being you and all you do! :)

I know you aren't there yet, but as the mom of a teen, I can tell you that most of these tips still apply with my 15 year old. Just tweaked a little.

Yes, please do a video on the best things to buy on Amazon!!! Enjoyed this one a lot!!

I have told my kids about consignment because I used it for them as well! I bought clothes new as well, but some items you just can’t beat the deals on them! Also, can I just say MILES IS THE CUTEST?? 💙

Love the consignment shop tip! I just discovered Once Upon a Child by selling some old baby clothes. We also just started doing the toy rotation too! So helpful!

This was incredibly helpful and you’re exactly the type of mom I need to incorporate into my first time mom network. I relate to that humor as a coping mechanism so hard 🤣

Ik this video is old..but thank you for these tips!!I just found out I was pregnant today and me and my boyfriend Are scared about the cost of things but these tips make me feel so much better !!♥️🥰

I buy lots of stuff used or even new on Facebook market, 5 miles, offer up and let go. I paid $25 for a bouncy reg. Price $89.99 brand new in box that way. Also I have found Facebook groups in my area called buy nothing (city name/area) ex: Buy Nothing Central Houston. And I took up extreme couponing, still learning though. My fav tips were the toy rotation and the frozen dinner ideas. My son is in Tball now and it takes time from cooking dinner and getting him in bed in time for school. So I’m a stock up on them as well! Thanks a bunch! I love your videos you have such great, fresh and helpful ideas! Your baby boy is adorable May God bless him!

You did an AMAZING job on this video. I am a mom of three and I can say this is wonderful advice.

I went to a resale pop up recently and bought so many outfits for a fraction of the cost! My daughter is set on 12-18 month clothing!!!

This video was helpful and to the point and super catchy! Your energy is great and some of this I had no idea about so I may be subscribing to Amazon for my new baby boy who is due in June! Thank you 😊

I have always used consignment sales to buy/sell my kids clothes. I would easily make about $300, but then turn around and spend it for the next season's clothing. My oldest is 17 now and still prefers to thrift her clothing.

I appreciate this video! I’ve got 3 daughters and my 4th daughter 🤰🏼 is coming in November! They’re ages 5 and under. I need all the savings I can get! 💕

For formula- my son had to be on a special formula because he had allergies and the insurance company had a program that would ship it to my house monthly. this formula was like $30 for one of the small canisters and I would get something like 15 a month or something (this was almost 10 years ago now, so I can't remember super specifics). But if you encounter that, look into your insurance company! I believe we had to get a dr note, but still.

That’s a happy baby right there 🤗🤗

The intro literally has me laughing out loud! I just love following you.

I have an 8 year old daughter and loved this video! Great tips for anyone 👍

You’re so cheery and make your videos fun! Subscribing now ☺️ I’m a first time mom, 4 months pregnant and your videos are definitely helping!

Thank you for being honest about what you thought breastfeeding was going to be like verse how it really turned out with you having to use Formula. Great money saving tips!

Would love for you to do a video showing your baby food prep!

We buy our diapers, whipes, and formula at costco! It is so much less expensive and i actually prefer their diapers to pampers and the formula ingredients compare 99% to major brands! Their tubs are bigger than major brands and here in MI only $16!

I honestly really love that coffee ☕ I bought it bc it was on sale so i gave it a try and fell in love

LOL, love the graphs

I can't even deal with how cute your baby is. Like just objectively insanely cute. I'm past the baby stage now but enjoyed this and will use the toy switch out trick! I already hide the annoying noisy toys because I'm that mean lol

your tips are soooo helpfull ALL THE TIME! Thank you so much

Hahaha, your charts are so true 😂😂 I'm also sipping on my gevalia coffee as I watched this 😍

Great video!! Loving the graphs 😂

I just saved 50% on Nestle Good Start with Probiotics formula... since they are repackaging/renaming, a lot of stores are marking the "old" ones down :) Another mom informed me when we were out shopping and I had it in my cart, she was like "Go to Save On! They are $14 for that same brand and size of formula" Needless to say we went the next day and there were only 2 left, but when my husband asked if there were any more in back an employee offered us a raincheck.

I have NEVER even tried to understand the subscribe and save. I guess I’ve just never been that interested and it didn’t seem like that good of a deal but I feel like a whole new world has been opened up and there are so many things that I need to consider doing this for. I have wasted so much money on prenatal vitamins and coffee and so many things. OMG why did I not know about this sooner? Where have I been? Thank you for sharing the insider view of your amazon account.

I love your videos! You gave some awesome new info with this one! Girl, thank you! Raising babies is hard work... Lol

I don't have a baby. I always watch your baby videos though to see that cutie Miles!

I'm pregnant with my first baby and I love how poignant and direct you are, always making sure to give real-life examples for the advice you give / product you use. No pandering apologies just straight up fun education. Thank you!

This is the first video of yours I’ve watched, you’re so funny!

You're looking good, Kallie. ☺

We did baby lead weaning and feeding her essentially what we are saved so much!

It's so much easier shopping for used kids clothes. Plus with daycare then I don't care as much if it gets stained or ruined. My daughter became jaundice because she wasn't getting enough of what she needed from me even though she was latching. But at the time being a new mom I felt so stressed out and wasn't taking care of myself and I think that played a huge factor in not being able to produce enough. I just wish I would have stopped trying sooner and switched to formula.

Such a funny and helpful video! Loved it!!

Your son is so precious 🙂 great video with great tips.

Another good resource for saving money if you qualify is WIC and food stamps!!! I also love consignment for my sons clothes. Once he grows out of a size I’ll take it in to sell and use the money towards the next size up.

Holy shit, I didn’t think Gevalia existed outside of Sweden? That’s so cool!

Infant formula is one of the most highly regulated items in the food market so you can and should buy the cheapest brand possible because it is just as nutritious 😊🥰

Another tip about formula: the generic is a lot cheaper and the ingredients/nutritional values are exactly the same.

Gevalia is the BEST! If you haven't already, you should try the hazelnut-so good!

To help with diapers before our little one was born the guys had a "diaper party" which is like a baby shower for the guys. They all brought a box diapers and then they got to drink and do guy stuff lol. It helped us out so much! Also if you use formula I wait until target does a baby essentials sale and can usually get $15 back off of $100. I also use that sale for wipes and whatever else I may need at that time plus using my red card I get an additional 5% off everything.

This was one of your funniest videos.

My boy is 2 month old and we bought nearly everything second hand. In Germany we have some cool Apps to use. We saved so much money 💸✋👌but I don't acree with is eating pizza and convenient stuff... Because ✋ environment... I mean Plastic etc is a huge theme nowadays... So me or my hubby cooked just huge portions or noddle gratins and I made homemade canola bars for something on hand everytime. BTW love your channel

You are hilarious 😂😂 newer sub here and I love your sense of humor!! I’m due for baby #1 in February, definitely gonna use these tips ❤️

Also don't forget you can nursing tops or tanks used. So much cheaper. Iiked them for church and areas I need privacy. Usually less than 5 dollars.

The first 30 seconds 🙌👏

To make baby food even easier, just take a bit of the veggies you’re making for dinner and throw them in the blender (before adding spices and such). This doesn’t take much time, baby gets fresh food and the rest of the family eats a little healthier because there’s sure to be veggies at every meal.

I always find brand new with tags on clothes at 2nd hand shops

Aaawww so precious

randomly popped across this video but I love gevalia coffee.

Omg I love Myles 😍

Have you done a review on the Amazon diapers and wipes?

Love thrift stores! I bought some gently used maternity pants for only $6 ea.! Felt so proud of my haul.

It’s the graphs for me!! Lol

So happy to find your channel :))