Smart Savings Guide For Parents
In the first 12 months of a baby’s life, parents will spend on average $10,000 to make sure they have provided what’s best for their baby. By tweaking shopping habits and making simple, smart product investments, new parents can save thousands of dollars in the first year, without compromising their baby’s health.
“As a mom of two, I know how overwhelming and expensive it can be to raise a child, but what parents need to know is that they can still get high quality, safe products for their infant and spend less,” says Sandra Gordon, national baby products expert and author of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, 10th edition.
Here are Sandra’s tips for helping parents navigate the baby product categories, and what items they can save on, while still providing quality and safety for baby.
Infant Nutrition:
- While breast milk is best and the most economical choice, for moms who choose to formula feed or want to supplement breast milk with formula, store brand formula is nutritionally equivalent to national brands and costs 50% less. “As a mom and pediatrician, I recommend to those who choose to formula feed, to check out store brand infant formula,” said Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, M.D., a New York City pediatrician and author of The Smart Parent's Guide to Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses and Accidents. “All infant formula sold in the United States, both national and store brands, must meet the same nutrient requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so there is no nutritional difference.” Visit www.storebrandformula.com for more information and nutritional comparisons of store brand and national brand formulas.
Designer Clothing:
- What parent doesn’t love showing off their baby? However, babies grow fast, so when buying designer clothing remember they won’t get to wear those expensive clothes for long. Watch for sales and scout for baby designer wear at secondhand shops, which can also be a great place to find the perfect outfit for those holiday photo opportunities.
Baby Bedding:
- One tempting item parents can remove from their baby registry is a crib set. Although it may seem nice to have beautifully coordinated crib bedding, certain accessories included in a crib set can make your baby’s crib unsafe. A good rule of thumb when it comes to crib safety is “bare is best.” A tight-fitting crib sheet is all your baby needs and if you’re looking to provide your baby with warmth, skip using a crib blanket and opt for a sleep sack.
For more information more information and saving tips, visit Sandra’s blog at www.babyproductsmom.com.
