It might be tempting for expectant parents to buy all sorts of baby stuff. As Will and I prepared for the arrival of our little one, we discovered numerous ways to save a great deal of money. In today's post, I wanted to share what we had done and how you could also do the same to save money for your newborn.

Don't Be Afraid of Hand-Me-Downs

We were beyond gracious to receive boxes of hand-me-downs from family and friends as soon as we announced our pregnancy. These include onesies, wraps, clothes, swaddle blankets, towels and much more. So we actually didn't bother buying anything new for the baby despite how tempting it was. Both of us grew up wearing hand-me-downs and playing with old toys from our cousins so the thought to follow suit came naturally and was a no-brainer. Besides, we all heard that babies outgrow things, especially clothing fairly quickly.

Some of the bigger ticket items that we were able to get from relatives and friends include:

• Crib and mattress
• Baby swing
• Electric breast pumps
• Diaper genie
• High Chair
• Wagon
• Baby video and audio monitors
• Booster seat
• Potty chair 
• Jumperoo
• Baby bathtub
• Toys

Buy Second-Hand on Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji

Even if you don’t have hand-me-downs, you can still save a good chunk of your money by buying things second-hand. Facebook marketplace and joining local buy and sell groups are great places to hunt for gently used items. Since kids grow up so fast, chances are you can find stuff that other parents no longer needed. Some of the parents even give them away for free!

From my community groups on Facebook, we were able to snatch a good-as-new changing table with pad and cover for $30! We just needed to give it a good wipe and wash before use. It was definitely better than spending over $100 for a changing table alone and it might not be needed once the baby gets older. But we could justify this price point even if it was only used for a short period of time. You can also find second-hand dresser and nursing chair if you're not too picky with style.

Focus on the Essentials and Only Invest in Items Needed at the Moment

Speaking of items that might have a short usage, we chose to invest in things that were essentials and that we would be using a lot. Both of us are money conscious people and always want to make sure that the money spent is worthwhile in the long run. We chose to splurge on items that we thought were better new such as a car seat and a stroller for safety and personal reasons. We also refrained from buying things that we weren’t sure if they were necessary until the baby arrives like a playpen, bottle warmer and baby wipes warmer. These things could wait and be purchased easily if needed afterwards.

Before knowing our friend had a used crib to give us, we originally wanted to buy a convertible crib for the baby. The idea of being able to extend the usage and convert into a toddler bed and an adult bed fit our principles. But little did we know that we would have to buy a separate conversion kit to go along with the crib as well. If we wanted a guard rail in the future, that could cost us another $100 on top of the crib. If we wanted it to convert into a toddler bed, we had to make sure we also purchase the extension rails upfront. If we waited for the baby to grow out of the crib to purchase these items, the store that originally carried these accessories might no longer have them in stock by the time comes! In other words, we were looking at spending more money now without knowing if they would be useful later on.

Borrow Maternity Clothing From Friends

You might feel convinced to buy some new clothes to fit your growing belly but a check in your closet might just surprise you. Many of my clothes still fit me even at 34 weeks pregnant! So before you go out to shop for maternity clothes, always check your closet first. And if you really feel that nothing fits you, borrow from your friends!

I'm telling you maternity clothes can be expensive and only needed for a few months. A good pair of maternity jeans can cost as much as $90 and you might not wear them again unless you're planning to have a second baby really soon. Luckily for me, I've girlfriends who had been through this stage already and are kind enough to lend me their clothes for my pregnancy. These include jeans, leggings, shirts and most important of all, a winter coat.

Jump on Retailers’ Seasonal Sales and Cash Back Rewards

Our stroller and car seat travel system was the most expensive item we bought. But with the help of Black Friday and Boxing Day sales, we were able to save on this big-ticket item. Our travel system costed 15% less than if we were to purchase it at regular price. Any discounts helped at this point, no matter how little they were. We also took advantage of our credit card rewards and was able to get 4% cashback with purchase. Let’s say your stroller and car seat system cost you $1000, with the cashback you could be getting $40 back! That money could be put towards a pack of diapers!

Alternatively, if you like shopping online, you can consider installing a browser plug-in to help you save money online. You could find a great deal for items such as a Baby Brezza formula dispenser.

Consider Renting Baby Gears that You Aren't Sure About

While I didn't personally try this option, I still wanted to include this as one of the ways you could potentially save money on. Baby gears are not cheap and we all know that every baby is different. Sometimes babies get tired of things easily or they might just outgrow faster than you had imagined. So it can be hard to decide whether the item you're looking to buy is going to be useful for your child. But with rental services available like StockSupply, you could rent out baby gears that you want and you get to decide how long you want to keep it for. I can see this useful for things like a bassinet or a baby carrier, in which you might only use for a short period of time.

Sign Up for Brands’ Free Product Samples

Did you know that there’re a lot of brands that are giving away free samples for you and the baby to try? I signed up to a few major brands that carry baby products. Some required me to review their products on their page but some just gave samples away in the hope that you would like the products enough to buy them in the future. One thing to be cautious of is look out for sites that might be a scam and only sign up to those that look legit or from a brand that you’re familiar with. A little google research and reading people’s comments could help. I was able to receive these products from different companies for free:

• Nursery diaper organizer caddy 
• Pacifier clips
• Bibs
• Packs of newborn diapers
• Baby wipes
• Baby monitor
• Humidifier
• Nursing pillow
• Manual breast pump
• Baby back seat mirror
• Sleep sac
• Milk bottles
• Diaper bag organizer insert
• Lots of coupons for nursing needs, formulas, maternity wear etc

Some of the samples/products that I received from different brands/companies

Samples from Nestle and Similac Club

Samples from Babies R Us Swag Bag

To help you, I've compiled a list of trustworthy brands that offer free samples, coupons and rewards for expectant parents living in Canada:

• Enfamil A+ Family Beginning Club
• Best Buy Baby Samplers Club
• Nestlé Baby Club
• Similac Club
• Thyme Maternity Bump Benefits Program
• Huggies No Baby Unhugged Offer
• Pampers Diaper Rewards
• Cetaphil Parents Club
• Baby Box Co. 
• Babies R Us
• Amazon
• Buy Buy Baby

Take Advantage of Your Insurance Benefits and Local Programs

Supplies like breast pumps and compression socks might be covered by your insurance benefits from your employer. Compression socks and pantyhose are pricey but they help ease swelling and leg cramps. They came in handy when we decided to go on our babymoon. These compression socks need prescriptions from the doctor. So make sure your doctor prescribe the ones for pregnancy.

Hospital rooms whether it being semi-private or private for your overnight stay are often covered by your work benefits as well. If you're planning to hire a private lactation consultant who is also a registered nurse, the cost might also be covered. Make sure you call your insurance provider to find out what’s covered, how much is covered and what needs to be on the claim form.

Supplement costs could add up easily especially when they were needed during and after pregnancy. We were able to save on the cost for my prenatal vitamins with our work’s benefits. PregVit seemed to be the only prenatal vitamins that are covered by insurance companies and you would need to get a prescription for them from your doctor.

If you don’t have insurance coverage, Sobey's Pharmacy offers free prenatal vitamins and nutrition advice when you enrol in their Baby Be Healthy program. You could check out the details here.

When I signed up to my prenatal classes and childbirth related programs at my hospital, I was offered a free sample bag with newborn diapers, baby wipes and a sleep sac. While these freebies are not guaranteed at your hospital, you can also ask to see if they have any to give you if you're considering signing up these classes.

There're so many ways to save money on baby items. Take advantage of them because this is just the beginning of your child expenses. Hope you enjoy this post and find it useful. Let me know what other ways out there that helped you save!

Check out my other money-saving posts!

Pregnancy Journal: Third Trimester (Week 28-36)

Pregnancy Journal: Second Trimester (Week 14-27)

Pregnancy Journal: First Trimester (Week 1-13)
How to Look Stylish During Pregnancy