Saturday, September 28, 2013

4 Money Saving Tips for Cloth Diapering (Even When Purchasing New)!



You’ve probably heard that using cloth diapers can save you some money, which is very true! In general, using cloth diapers is cheaper than purchasing disposables again and again. However, a lot of people think that to really save money you need to purchase used diapers or use prefolds and covers, and frankly those options just aren’t for everyone.

Thankfully, there are other ways to be kind to your wallet, and here are a few of them.

1)     If you can’t see yourself using prefolds (can’t figure out the Snappi?), look into an all-in-two system. All-in-twos can save you both time AND money, as covers can be re-used, and there’s no need for Snappis or stuffing. You will need as many inserts as diaper changes before washday, but far less covers. The Flip system is a great solution, especially because covers are one-size (one-size systems in general will also save you money) and will fit babies of all ages, and the insert can be folded to fit any size. The Bummis prefolds can also simply be laid into covers rather than ‘Snappied’ on which is more manageable for some families.

2)     I would also recommend having a consultation. It’s free, and most families find it very helpful to be able to see, feel and learn about the different types of diapers before purchasing. This will help you to save money because you know you’re buying something that you’re going to use. Sometimes diapers seem easy to use after reading about them online, but if you buy a lot and then end up not using them, that’s a waste of money, even if you are able to sell them later.

3)     Make sure that you do your research, and try to find brands that have good resale value. These may be more expensive to buy upfront, but if they are well made – it may be a good idea to look into North American products – they are going to stand the test of time and you will recover quite a bit of the money you spent when it’s time to sell your diapers. Some brands of diapers even release “limited edition” diapers once in a while, and these special diapers actually become worth more than retail when they are discontinued. For example, many of the AppleCheeks discontinued colours will sell for more than twice their original retail value, even used.

4)     And finally, look into purchasing your diapers in a kit, or for bulk discounts. Little Tree Hugger offers bulk discounts on most of our cloth diapers.

Keep in mind that while you may be spending more money upfront, the savings will be worth it in the end. Happy shopping!

----  Jennifer Lazarski is an Independent Cloth Diaper Consultant for Little Tree Hugger in Milton, ON  ---
email: milton@littletreehugger.ca
www.facebook.com/miltonLTH 

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