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Tips for Cloth Diapering on a Budget

Using cloth diapers is often better on the wallet in the long run, but what about the start up cost?

Here are tips for Cloth Diapering on a Budget.

Cloth Diapering on a Budget

One of the biggest reasons parents choose to cloth diaper their children is money savings. Of course, there are a lot of other benefits as well like better for the environment, less chemicals, better for their babies, but so often it really does come down to cost.

Choosing to use cloth diapers over disposables can save a family over $3,000 PER CHILD.

While choosing cloth diapers will absolutely save you a lot of money in the long run, the start-up cost can be a bit overwhelming to some families.

During this series, we’ve dove deep into ways that a family can choose types of cloth diapers based on their budget. We’ve even seen that it IS possible to start with as small of a budget as $110!

Yes, it is possible to cloth diaper a child for 3 years on a budget of just $110!

So far, in the Cloth Diapering on a Budget series, we’ve specifically covered:

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DIY Reusable Diaper Liners

The bottom line to cloth diapering on a budget really is get creative. There are plenty of ways that you can successfully cloth diaper on ANY budget.

My final thoughts on this series - almost any single way you choose to cloth diaper, you'll save money, no doubt. If you're looking for as many corners to cut, well, it's totally possible to cloth diaper cheap - really cheap.  I hope you've enjoyed this series as much as I have writing it!

What is a tip that you'd share for Cloth Diapering on a Budget?

Kandy P

Wednesday 25th of March 2015

I FULLY agree with your post! I just don't understand why every cloth-diapering mom has to go the expensive route! sure there are some low quality covers out there, but you can also find great quality covers for cheap online! i am 3 weeks away from having my second baby and have decided to cloth diaper this one purely for frugality reasons. I am going to use prefolds and covers and i posted a whole blog about how i got my stash (all new items!) for around $65 here

http://kandydpierce.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-realistic-and-affordable-cloth.html

i haven't gotten any wet bags yet and hadn't even thought of using a pillowcase so this will definitely help! i am thinking of using a wet pail in the bathroom, and i bought diaper pins instead of snappis. I am also in the process of cutting up old receiving blankets for homemade cloth wipes. thank you again for posting a great realistic way to cloth diaper for those of us who can't (or won't) spend hundreds on fancy new $20 diaper covers and bamboo prefolds.......

Amber P

Tuesday 8th of April 2014

Wow so many great ways to save money!!! Another tip for saving on drying costs (in winter or if you live somewhere humid or super cold, or just need you diapers dry fast) wool dryer balls really do cut down on drying time. You can make them easily yourself with wool yarn but if that's a little pricier than you would like you can use odd socks and make them into dryer balls to, and that is free. Or if you only have enough yarn for a couple dryer balls a combinations works well too. :)

Simple Jen

Wednesday 4th of September 2013

Great post!  I got my liners used but was thinking of getting another one, no way now though with this idea.  Pillowcases, what a great idea! 

Lindsey

Sunday 15th of September 2013

Thanks, Jen!  The pillowcase worked well for us for almost a year before I invested in a pail liner!  

Lynn B

Friday 23rd of August 2013

I don't use any kind of pail liner at all. I bought a tall, steel garbage can which has an inner plastic can for about $25 at Ross. Every time I wash diapers I rinse it out with hot water (and occasionally a little soap if it's super stinky) and I set it in the sun to dry with my diapers. I keep it in the laundry room where no one spends any time so there's no one to bother if it gets a bit stinky between wash days! When we're done diapering we'll probably just replace our kitchen trash bin with this one (we have the same kind in there but it got dented) so since it will be used beyond diapers I don't really see it as a diapering expense! Also my son at 18mo now thinks it's a lot of fun to take his dirty diaper to the pail in the laundry room! He has recently learned the word pail :-)

Lindsey

Friday 23rd of August 2013

Oh Lynn!  This is a GREAT idea!!!  I bought a good sized covered can just for the purpose of a diaper pail {I think $10} and I'm too lazy to wash it out each time, so I MUST use something - or at least I think I have to!  HA!  But, great idea for others who are on a budget!!!  Thanks for sharing!