Feeding Baby on a Budget  

Feeding a new baby can create a dent in your wallet.  From formula to baby food, the cost adds up.  Here are a few tips to help ease the burden and save a few dollars in the process. 

The easiest way to avoid a food bill early on is to breastfeed.  Women have been doing it as long as there have been babies.  Breastfed babies get much needed nutrients and an immune system boost from mom’s milk.  Another benefit of breastfeeding baby is the close bond mother and baby build during the time spent breastfeeding.  

Can’t always be there when baby needs to feed due to work or other things?  Have no fear, breast pumps are a mom’s best friend.  They allow mom to store reserve milk for several months at a time in the freezer to feed baby when she returns to work or has to be away from baby.  Baby can continue to enjoy the benefits of mom’s milk after regular breastfeeding has stopped.  With breast pumps, the cost of formula becomes a non-issue, even when mom can’t be there in person. 

If you can’t breastfeed or choose not to, you can still save money on baby’s milk.  Money saving baby formula coupons are regularly given out at the hospital along with other freebies when baby is born.  If you have a computer and Internet access, several free websites for moms and babies offer promotions that include coupons sent through email and the post office for discounts on formula and jarred baby food. 

Sign up for all the free promotions that you can find.  Some survey companies will send free trial size items through the mail just for answering a few questions.  Don’t throw away those store coupons that roll off the machine every time you make a purchase.  They are specific to the store and often offer better savings than newspaper coupons. 

When baby is ready to eat solid foods, consider making your own baby food.  You will have to spring for a food processor or a food grinding mill, but after that, the only cost is vegetables, fruits and containers.  The cost of the processor or grinding mill will be recouped before you know it and can also be used for other things for the whole family.  The containers can be reused whenever you make more baby food. 

Fruits and vegetables can be purchased from farmer’s markets or the grocery store.  The produce at the farmer’s market is fresh from the garden to you in most cases.  If you are knowledgeable about growing things, you can even start your own garden.  Growing your own fruits and vegetables lowers the food bill for the rest of the family as well as baby. 

Need to save some money when it comes to feeding baby?  Try these ideas and before you know it, you’ll be coming up with your own too.  Not only will you save some green, but you’ll learn a few valuable skills, that will serve you well throughout your child’s life in the process. 

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