Whether you have a baby the traditional way, get help with experts such as those at California Cryobank, or adopt, there is no doubt that it’s going to be pricy. In fact, the expenses are just beginning. In the first year of life, new parents can expect to spend about $2,500 on items just for the baby, including diapers, formula, and clothes. Of course, that doesn’t include the cost of a nanny, hospital visits, and extra utility bills. Fortunately, there are ways to save money on all of these costs.

Health Insurance

Expand your health insurance coverage before the baby arrives. It may not seem to make sense to deliberately increase one of your bills, but you need to make sure the new baby is included on your insurance plan before a disaster comes up. Most problems with infants can escalate quickly, meaning that you will most likely find yourself in the emergency room during the baby’s first year. Save money by getting a low deductible plan until the child is past the first few years.

Baby Items

Carefully plan what you want to get. It might not seem like it now, but your child will not stay a baby forever. In fact, you’ll probably only get a few months of use out of expensive items such as a breast pump, crib or changing table. Instead of investing a lot of money into these things look for cheap, sturdy versions that are safe for the baby. Because things like cribs and pumps are hard to find used and in good condition, look for sales to buy them new.

Used Items

Buy some things used. Because so many want to buy certain items used, it can be hard to find high chairs and furniture at a good price in good condition. Smaller items, such as clothes and small toys, however, are easy to find at yard sales and thrift shops. Because your child will go through some sizes quickly (and just not be interested in some toys for more than ten minutes) it just doesn’t make sense to spend a lot on these items.

Excess Items

Avoid some things altogether. Billions of dollars of marketing go into convincing parents that they need items like wipes warmers, special diaper pails, or specialized walking training equipment. If you don’t know what you’ll really need, ask a friend who has more than one child what they really used and what they didn’t.