Bump on a Budget- Month of December

Signing up for email lists can be great; you can get coupons, free samples, and lots of valuable information.  However if you sign up for too many emails you run the risk of getting your information sold to other companies and then the 5 emails you signed up for daily become 50 or 100 emails.

Before even getting pregnant consider creating a separate baby coupon email using Yahoo or Gmail.  If you get too many emails you can simply just ignore them or close the account when baby comes.  You also don’t have to worry about your personal account getting flooded with emails that you didn’t ask for and don’t want.

Coupons & Sales

SurePredict - 15% our 50 Pregnancy Tests Combo Pack with the code ‘Z3SDGT8V’.  Ends 12/31/2014

Amazon Mom - 20% off diapers if you join a free trail of Amazon Mom

Fisher Price - Free Rainforest Bundle. Details Apply

ViaCord - Enter to win free diapers for a year

Gerber – Free 15 minute phone call with a lactation consultant

Other Money Saving Tips

Say ‘Yes’ To Baby Showers – If your office, your sister, and your mother in law all want to throw you separate showers, let them.  Not only are showers fun, but you can get gifts that will save you money later on.

Shop Secondhand – You can grow out of your maternity clothes quickly so instead of buying a whole new maternity wardrobe, buy a few key pieces from secondhand shops.  Also invest in Belly Bands. For newborns, they grow out of their sizes quick so stock up clothes in a variety of sizes.  Try garage sales (sometimes they sell new clothes or very gently used that the baby only wore a few times), flea markets, and the clearance rack during your pregnancy. Ask your doctor to help guesstimate baby’s size.

Get samples from your OB/GYN – Ask for samples of formula, diapers, and other baby items.  Even a little bit will help you. 

Start clipping coupons – As soon as you find out you are expecting, start clipping coupons for diapers, formula, and wipes.  Stocking up with just a few every month will help you when baby comes and you go through a pack of wipes in one week. 

Avoid buying everything – You don’t need to buy everything for your child right away when you are still pregnant.  Make a budget and try to stick to it the best you can. 

Borrow from friends and family – If you have friends that are pregnant or were pregnant, see if you can borrow maternity clothes from them.  Same goes with baby goods.  Hand-me-downs can go through many children before being worn out since most clothes only get worn a few weeks to a month before being outgrown. 

Learn to love freezer meals – Start making freezer meals during your third trimester (or before if you are too tired to cook while pregnant) and then just pull them out and heat them in the oven when dinner time comes.  This will be healthier and save you tons of money on takeout when your little baby arrives.