Home and Organization

Ecological and practical tips to save money when you have a baby

Now that there’s a baby in the house and expenses are mounting, your family budget needs to be kept in check. Here are some tips to save money and respect the environment while still guaranteeing your child what he needs.

Not even long ago – let’s talk about when our grandparents were our age – families tended to save money and had no particular concerns for the environment. This is because perhaps at the time there weren’t so many disposable products and what families had was generally made with natural and long-lasting materials.

Today, however, we are going through a period of economic crisis such as to force everyone not only to save money , but also to be attentive to the environment and therefore also to adopt eco-compatible behaviors (most of the products we buy are in fact used and throws).

Eco tips to save money when you have a baby

Often when we read about ecological advice about cleaning the house or even saving money after the arrival of a baby, we come across things that discourage us even before starting. Saving while respecting the environment is actually a commitment that requires determination and good will. To help you in this task, I have collected some simple and easy-to-implement suggestions useful for saving while keeping an eye on the environment.

1. Use used clothing

I know it’s a delicate topic and not everyone likes it, but using used clothing for children is a good idea to save money and also ecological as the garments are not thrown away but put back into circulation. Where can you find used clothes for children? You can buy them in specialized shops (they are in excellent condition and at very affordable prices), you can find them in local or online exchange groups or you can accept clothing given as gifts by friends and relatives who have children who no longer fit those garments .
Think about it, that’s a really big savings.


2. Use used baby equipment

There are so many equipment and accessories that are needed when there is a child at home. As with clothes, you can also turn to the second-hand market for equipment or, better yet, ask friends and relatives if they have anything to give us. Surely having children older than ours, they will have somewhere a cot , a stroller , a changing table , a high chair or a car seat that they no longer use. In short, let’s put aside any hesitation and ask for the accessories we needto whom, among our acquaintances, we know that they no longer need them. In this way we will save a lot of money and help extend the life of objects that are still in good condition.


3. Do green cleaning

Using little or no detergents or personally producing some household cleaning products is a practice that more and more people are adopting. It is certainly less expensive than buying commercial products and, moreover, homemade green detergents with natural ingredients (for example vinegar, bicarbonate, lemon, citric acid, borax, steam) are less aggressive and harmful. The child and everyone in the household will benefit, both environmentally and financially. To learn more, read  how to clean the house with children without using detergents or even how to clean the house with steam .


4. Do your laundry the green way

Children alone are able, between milk stains, regurgitation and poo, to produce a mountain of clothes to wash in a short time! For this reason, doing the laundry in an eco-friendly way and trying to save money are two closely related aspects. While not giving up on hygiene, it is possible to wash the baby’s layette without waste and in an eco-friendly way. In fact, you can produce excellent natural homemade products but you can also wash without detergent or use very little, whiten your clothes in a natural way, do not use fabric softener. Here are some more tips → how to wash children’s clothes in an eco-friendly way .


5. Use ecological diapers

Using washable diapers is certainly an ecological choice and one that saves a lot of money. For this reason, more and more families decide to use them. Washable diapers can be bought but also sewn at home if you have the opportunity to do so.
To wash them there are no real rules to respect, other than to follow the advice that each manufacturer writes on the label. However, to find out more, you can read our advice


6. Use washable nursing pads

One of the simplest ecological tips to follow is to use washable nursing pads. The classic disposable breast pads are, in my humble opinion, a waste of money and truly avoidable waste. A very valid and appreciated alternative solution by mothers are washable breast pads . It’s not just a question of savings – which is truly remarkable in any case – but a practical, ecological and safe choice for the skin. The washable cups can be purchased in specialized shops or even online ( HERE you can find a wide range ), but they can also be self-produced at home by purchasing suitable fabrics. For example here is a useful → tutorial that explains how to make nursing pads at homeand here→  how to readapt nursing clothes.


7. Purchase bulk products and those at zero km

Buying bulk or draft products is one of the ecological tips that guarantees more advantages both from an economic and environmental point of view. The draft products that are most commonly found on the market are detergents , but many foodstuffs can also be bought in bulk . For example, you can buy many types of flour, fresh and dried fruit, legumes and cereals that will allow us to prepare many good and healthy dishes for children. Furthermore, bulk products avoid waste of packaging and take up less space in the house.

Wanting to be even greener, you can buy zero km products. This means that in addition to saving money and doing an act of love for the environment, we will be able to bring healthy and seasonal food to the table. And this is very important when it comes to raising a child.


8. Create a small home garden

Another thing you can do to save money and contribute to the health of the environment is to have a small balcony garden or organize  a serious garden in the garden where you can keep not only aromatic plants but also fruit plants, vegetables and legumes for the whole family. Here you will find all the information to organize one → how to make a vegetable garden with children . This will allow children to have an unforgettable experience as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn many things about nature and will allow you to have fresh and organic vegetables all year round without leaving your home. 


9. Learn DIY

In a period in which any type of intervention at home can represent an extra expense for the family, learning to do it yourself is certainly a good idea to save money and be green parents.
There are no limits to DIY : you can try your hand in the kitchen and learn how to make bread, you can save money by producing household cleaners with natural products or you can use a needle and thread and make the layette , sew dresses , repair and personalize her dresses , create curtains  and fabric object holders for the bedroom ,  create fabric toys .


10. Buy wooden toys

Wooden toys promote intellectual and creative development because they leave children room for imagination and initiative. But the value of wooden games is not only this. In fact, wooden games  respect the environment , as wood is a natural and renewable material, robust and timeless. So while wooden toys may seem more expensive than plastic ones, they are meant to last a lifetime. They can therefore be kept and passed on to brothers and sisters without going out of style and this saves money.


Here, these were just some of the simplest ecological tips that can be followed to save money and respect the environment, guaranteeing children what they need.
And what habits and practices do you use to avoid wasting?

Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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