Mums and dads love cheap baby clothes. There’s no question about that. Personally, I try to find suppliers (mums ahead of me) who pack bags full of designer baby gear, the clothes folded neatly into piles, smelling like cuddly and delivered with a smile as cute as their baby’s first teeth.

Of course, I try to be one of those mums myself. I can usually manage the piles and the smile, but often in a rash moment of declutter-mania, I miss the Cuddly and the designer part of this equation. Some mums are just good at this hand-me-down thang and bless their beautifully washed Bond socks.

These teensy toothless wonders (babies) are too precious with their dummy-sucking cutie-pie antics. I mean, who can resist smiling at a dummy-sucking baby hanging out in the supermarket queue for example? Anyone else in the queue, whether handsome, fashionable or famous can step aside. This baby had everyone in the queue at ‘gurgle-gargle.’

And mums and dads across the country want to harness every minute of this cuteness. Most would rather not spend these first precious months and years stressing about where the next nappy or pureed pea and potato jar of baby food is coming from.

No. A parent’s main goal is to be paid in cuddles and happy giggles. Period.

If you are a parent currently looking to stress less about money, while you get paid in cuddles and giggle, this short (but very money-saving) article is for you!

Show your cutie how it’s done!

Tip 1: Organise a supplier to secure cheap baby clothes

That’s for clothes of course. Make friends with a mum who’s baby wears designer gear and be ‘more than willing’ to accept hand-me-downs. Also find a mum with a little one younger than yours so you can return the favour and pass on those cool clothes and the favour.

Tip 2: Buy cheap baby clothes at baby markets and fairs

Mothers will almost give you the gear for free! Now there’s a way to save on baby! They just want that stuff gone! You can score some amazingly cheap baby gear at these markets. I purchased a perfectly good jogger pram for $40 and walked out of that market grinning from ear-to-ear! I am still using the jogger and every time I use it, I have a giggle at how much I paid for it!

Travel well

Tip 3: Get good at packing snacks to avoid excessive spending

The key to saving money when you are the mum of a newborn is to get good at packing snacks. If you know you are going to go out tomorrow organise ahead of time to save that ‘getting out the door’ stress on the day. Keep a checklist if you have to so you can stay organised. Don’t get caught out trying to feed baby on the run. Whipping into supermarkets to buy convenience food is both stressful and expensive. Try to have everything on hand at all times to avoid any unnecessary expenses.

Tip 4: Use cheat sheets and checklists to get organised

When my little girl was a baby I kept a cheat sheet in her baby bag. This came in really handy if she was screaming in my ear (very hard to think) when we were trying to ‘duck out’ to run errands. Check out the cheat sheets listed below and stick them to the fridge for quick reference. Save sanity and get the most of those precious years with baby.

Tip 5: Get super organised with meal planning

If you are serious and want to save on baby, get super organised with dinners for the family. Try not to cook extra for baby. Simply puree the veggies and meals using what the family are eating. Puree and freeze foods ahead of time and make your own instead of buying in-store. If you have purchased jars of baby food in the past, keep the jars! These are great for putting your own delicious creations in when you make them!