Some Frugal Living Tips With A Baby
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All parents want their children to be well dressed, well educated and well behaved. If the parents have sufficient resources they can buy anything and everything for their children. The problem arises in case of the parents with limited resources. They also want their children to look like the children from richer section of society. For this they need to plan and raise the baby in a frugal manner saving money wherever possible.
Feeding the child is very important and involves considerable cost. When young, the baby is dependent on milk. Formula milk is quite costly. The best option is to feed the child on mother’s milk. This is a cheaper and healthier alternative. Research has proved that the children who got regular feed of mother milk grow up tough and fall sick lesser than the children on formula milk. If mother’s milk is not sufficient try feeding the child with toned sterilised milk of some good manufacturer. It will be cheaper than packed powder milk.
When the child is of the age when he requires cereals, instead of buying tinned cereals you can make solid food for the child by mixing some cereals like rice, wheat and oats etc. Boil them properly in clean water and mash them in a mixer. You will get perfect paste for the child. To this, sugar as per the requirement can be added. The child can also be given mashed fresh fruit and boiled vegetables.
Children generally outgrow clothes very quickly and so are least worn out. You can buy some clothes from the second hand market or stores selling used child products. Here you will also be able to buy some used toys for the child saving a lot of money. If there are some friends or relatives around who have slightly older children as compared to your child, you can tell them to keep the clothes etc. which do not fit their child for your child. You can offer to make payment for them but in all probability you will get them for free. Similar can be the case with baby toys, prams and bassinets.
Diapers are quite costly. Disposable diapers have to be changed at regular intervals. Do buy a pack or so for use by your child when you are going out but for home use you can use cloth diapers. These can be made from some soft cotton cloth and are reusable. If you are using used cloth ensure to disinfect it properly in boiling water. Similarly you can make paper disposable wipes for your child at home.