Baby stuff is EXPENSIVE. That’s no secret. With how fast little ones use and outgrow things (hello diapers, wipes, and clothes!), a lot of the mainstream stuff that makes it onto registries isn’t the most eco-friendly either. When we were prepping for the arrival of our little twins, I knew this would be doubly true, so I’ve tried my best to save money while also sticking to my eco-consciousness wherever I could. So what are my top five ways of being kind to my wallet and the environment at the same time?
{*Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. I’m a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and its affiliates. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps me to keep the blog running! We appreciate your support!*]
And hereeee we go:
1. Cloth Diapering!
Did you know that one baby will go through over 2000 diapers in the first year?? And that’s just one baby–let alone twins! We’d be blasting through at least FOUR THOUSAND of those bad boys in just the first year. So when it came down to making the decision of how to diaper Amélie and Lucien, it was a no-brainer.
Most of our family and friends thought we were crazy at first, that cloth diapering twins would be “too much work”. But this couldn’t be further from the truth–HUGE innovations have been made in cloth diapering over the past few decades, making it easier than ever. Plus, who doesn’t love the cute colors and prints available now??
Not only will you be making an eco-friendly choice by keeping all those diapers out of landfill, you’ll be saving tons of money in the process as well. If we had gone with Honest, one of the leading “eco” disposable diapers, we would be spending about $0.37 per diaper–for twins that’s at least $1,480/year–and that’s if we go through just 2,000 per baby, the lower end of average diapers used per year! In comparison, the few hundred dollars invested in our cloth stash is much more affordable.
If you’re unsure where to start, my two favorite brands I’ve come across are Nerdy Mommas and Lil Helpers! Both companies have very different types of diapers (keep an eye out for an intro to cloth diapering I’ll be posting soon for more on that), so try them all out and see what works best for you!
2. Use cloth wipes & make your own solution.
I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds! You can either buy cloth wipes–or if you want bonus points in the “recycling/reusing” category, you can even make your own out of old fabric. Making wipe solution is also insanely easy–the combo I use is just three ingredients (you probably have at least 2/3 of the ingredients in your house already): Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Castile Baby Soap, olive oil, and distilled water. Check out this page for more solution ideas!
For what it’s worth, these are two of my favorite wipes we’ve bought so far: simple white flannel wipes and those from Mama Bear Baby Wear’s Etsy Shop. When I get a bit of spare time (I’m not holding my breath with these little twins though!), I hope to experiment with making my own wipes with old tshirts and sweatshirts. If anyone has tried/is planning to try that route, let us know how it went in the comments below!
3. Make your own baby food
Though tons of fancy baby food makers are out there on the market (I’m not gonna lie, I have and love my Beaba Babycook gifted to me from our registry), you really don’t need one to whip up homemade baby food! At the end of the day, as long as you can cook and blend (if you’re doing purees) up some tasty fruits, veggies, and proteins you’re good to go! So far the biggest hits in our house have been yellow squash and a beet & carrot puree.
Just by doing this, you’ve saved A TON of money. Using Gerber’s Starter Fruits as an example–one 2-oz serving will set you back about $1.20. I can make about eight 2-oz servings of baby food for $2.29 using a bag Trader Joe’s organic frozen peas. On top of that, you’re eliminating buying into the amount of packaging that comes along with pre-made baby purees! It’s a win-win.
4. Buy and sell used clothing & toys.
Make consignment sales your best friend, especially with little ones constantly outgrowing their clothes! I joined a parents of multiples group in my area, which has AMAZING consignment sales twice a year where I buy and sell. Even non-members can shop at the sale, so look up similar groups in your area–and you’ll almost certainly run into a fair share of sales. We’ve found so many super nice clothes for Amélie and Lucien for a tenth of their original cost–reusing and saving money feels oh-so-amazing!
5. If you’re pumping, use small Mason jars to store breast milk–and then reuse them later for storing baby food!
I know storage bags are super popular for storing breastmilk–but their price tag adds up and it’s also not great for the environment. While I do understand they are more space-efficient than jars and get their popularity–if you have the space, give these tiny 4-ounce jars a shot! We’ve used them since day 1, and I absolutely love them. And now that the twins are moving on to eating solids, I also use them to freeze surplus purees!
Even after the babies have outgrown breastmilk and purees, I’ll be able to use them for spices and storage for odds and ends around the house–really saving a ton of money and limiting our use of plastics in the long haul.
So that’s it–my favorite easy and cost-efficient ways of being a bit more environmentally-friendly as a family with two little ones! Obviously there’s no hard-and-fast rules, and even implementing some of these practices part-time helps! I’ve definitely bought baby food while out and in a pinch, and I’m okay with that. Don’t feel bad about slipping up here and there–sometimes it’s all we can do to simply get through the day with babies in tow!
Have you tried any of these? Comment below with your favorite money-saving, eco-friendly tips!