Pregnant and Broke! How to Have a Baby on an Extremely Tight Budget

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You can have a baby on an extremely tight budget. The key is to stay focused on what you absolutely need. Most baby items are wants or convenience items. You don’t ACTUALLY need them. Even some of the items I am including on this bare minimal list are not needs such as a stroller.

However, an item like a car seat is a need unless you live in an area where you don’t have a car and use public transportation.

Let’s get right into the bare minimum you need to have a baby on an incredibly tight budget.

Feedings

Your baby is going to need to eat. The most affordable option is to directly breastfeed your baby. The only items you are likely to need with this method are a nursing cover, nipple balm, and breast pads for leakage.

What is crazy is none of those items are absolute musts. A lot of women are comfortable or able to breastfeed in public without a cover. You could also get really good at simply using a blanket.

You could use something like Vaseline on your nipples between feedings to keep them healthy. Just make sure to wipe it off before feeding your baby. Nipple balm though can be purchased for only a few dollars.

Breast pads can be disposable or reusable. Most women only need them for the first 3 months while their milk is getting regulated. After that, you don’t typically leak. You could easily create your own with an old T-shirt or blanket that you could cut into pieces.

For more reasons to choose direct breastfeeding you can check out The Top 17 Advantages of Direct Breastfeeding Over Bottle Feeding.

The next best option is pumping milk and feeding your baby via a bottle. Most insurance companies will cover a breast pump for a new mom. You will then need to have something to store the milk in. If you are creating a freezer stash you will likely want milk bags. If you pump directly into bottles you avoid spending money on milk bags. You can also store a little extra milk in the fridge in a glass jar or pitcher.

We always want to follow safe breast milk storage practices of course.

If you are pumping milk you will need bottles. My recommendation is to get 5 bottles that are the large 8-ounce size. Do not get 4-ounce bottles because you will quickly have to replace them.

This goes for formula feeding as well.

The final option is feeding your baby formula. It is going to cost you the most, but for some families, this is the only or best option.

If you go the formula route there are a few things you can do to make it affordable.

First off stick with what I said previously about only getting 5 bottles and getting the large 8-ounce size from the start.

My next recommendation is to purchase formula the first couple of times in small to medium size tins. Make sure the formula blend works well for your baby.

Once you know the formula works well start buying it in the largest size possible. Often buying in bulk gets you a better price.

If you want you could keep those small or medium tins and transfer the formula from the large container into smaller containers. This could be helpful if you have a small kitchen or need to send small amounts of formula to a daycare.

Diapering on a Budget

Your baby is going to pee and poop and you need an affordable way to manage this.

There are three main ways to handle bathroom time. You could do disposable diapers and wipes, cloth diapers and wipes, or practice elimination communication.

I would say the most affordable is going to be elimination communication. With this method, you are working with your baby on having them use the toilet. You may still have some need for diapers as a backup whether cloth or disposable, but ideally you would go through much less of them.

I think to do this method you likely need to be a stay-at-home parent. It takes time and focus on watching your baby and learning their cues. Most daycares are not able to help with this method.

I have not done this method so you will need to do further research to find out if it is right for you.

Cloth diapering can vary greatly in how affordable it is. If you buy tons and tons of diapers and accessories it can really get up there, but if you keep it simple you can be quite cost-effective with it. I wanted to go this route but didn’t ever fully commit to it. Again do your research and see if it would be right for you.

And finally the disposable route. The way to keep this affordable on an extremely tight budget is to keep it minimal. Just buy diapers and wipes. Don’t purchase a diaper genie, stinky diaper bags, or lots of butt rash cream.

Start with a very generic, low-priced diaper. If you feel it is giving your baby a rash try a better brand. The same goes for wipes. Find the most affordable non-scented wipes possible. If possible try to stay consistent in what you use.

If you don’t like dirty diapers in the house set up a trash bin in your garage area or laundry room. Again keep it simple and focus on what you need, not what you want.

Do not buy a cream that is only for diaper rash. This only serves one purpose. Instead buy something like Aquaphor that can be used as a butt rash cream, but can also be used as a lotion elsewhere on the body, making it multipurpose.

Affordable Sleep Options

My recommendation is to find a hand-me-down crib. If you trust the previous owner use the same mattress. If you are unsure buy a new mattress.

As far as bedding you can get two mattress protectors and two fitted crib sheets. Get one sheet that is a satin or silk material to prevent bald spots and hair tangling in the future.

If you need to be even tighter on your budget just get one mattress protector and one sheet. This can be difficult though if your baby has frequent blowouts or spit-ups. Getting a load of laundry done before the next nap is not always possible.

There are other sleep options available of course. You could simply use a pack’n’play or decide co-sleeping is right for you. Floor beds are also becoming quite popular. If you got one that was large enough it could be used well into toddlerhood.

The one item I advise against is a bassinet. They are extremely costly and only used for a short period of time. If you are trying to have a baby on an extremely tight budget most definitely skip the bassinet.

I feel so strongly about skipping the bassinet I wrote an entire article about it, Why Baby Bassinets are an Absolute Waste of Money.

Transporting Your Baby

Getting your baby from one place to another requires a few items.

If you travel by car, which I would imagine is the majority of my audience; you will need a car seat. You can purchase car seats secondhand, but if possible I would recommend purchasing a new one.

There are two main types of car seats.

You have the infant seat that clicks into a base. This style will typically last until your baby is around 12 months. It can give or take in either direction depending on the size of your baby.

The other car seat style is the convertible car seat or all-in-one. These car seats are stationary in your vehicle. You don’t carry them into a restaurant for example.

Each car seat has pros and cons for many reasons, but we are going to talk about price.

If you get the infant car seat you are likely going to purchase the base or multiple bases for multiple cars. You are eventually going to need to upgrade though to a bigger car seat. If you have two vehicles you may need to purchase two car seats.

If you go the convertible route you are starting out with two car seats from day 1 that will grow with your baby.

Pricewise it makes more sense to go with the convertible car seat from the beginning.

However, the infant car seat is much more convenient.

For example, if you go to a restaurant where are you supposed to put your 2-month-old baby? You would need a stroller, carrier, or literally have to hold them the entire time.

The car seat is a large and important purchase so make sure you put plenty of thought into what will work best for you.

Other travel items include strollers and carriers. These are not 100% needed items. I would recommend purchasing them secondhand and trying to find the right style that will last you the longest time.

The stroller and carriers I purchased were not the most affordable options but I do want to share them because they have served us well. Check out the articles below if you are interested. No pressure though if they are beyond your budget.

Is the Graco FastAction Fold Jogger Travel System Worth the Investment?

My Top Reasons Why the Moby Wrap is Right for You

You can get a simple umbrella stroller for around $35 brand new, but again look for it secondhand first!

The final item for transporting your baby is the diaper bag. You do not need to go out and purchase a brand-new diaper bag. You could use an old backpack or large purse you already have.

If you do want a new diaper bag you can find them for around $20-$40 which isn’t bad for an item you are likely to use daily.

Clothing

If you are trying to have a baby on a tight budget you need to limit yourself on baby clothing.

First, try to get hand-me-downs from family or friends. People are often very willing to pass them around.

If you are making clothing purchases yourself I have a few rules or guidelines.

First off shop secondhand! Always!!!!

Then avoid silly items like baby shoes. Your baby does not need shoes until they are walking!

When possible avoid light colors. They are more likely to get stained up.

Buy practical pieces. If you are having a winter baby purchase lots of full-body sleepers. Don’t get 2 piece outfits. Be practical about what your baby will actually be wearing daily.

Find things that match everything! I love buying basic blue jeans for my daughter; they are stretching jegging-style pants. They match every shirt in her closet. I avoid getting pink or polka-dotted pants. I love basic pants for making the dressing process quick and easy.

And finally, I recommend limiting the clothing in every size. It is amazing how quickly your baby will grow out of clothing and move on to the next size. Get your baby 7-10 outfits in each size and be done with it.

You do not need a closet full of clothes! Just do the laundry frequently. It is less to manage overall.

pregnant and broke! how to have a baby on an extremely tight budget

Miscellaneous Baby Items

I covered a few of the big baby topics, but you still have random items that you are going to need.

For example burp rags and blankets. If possible buy the second hand or accept hand-me-downs. You can also just use a kitchen towel to burp your baby. Everything does not have to be perfect.

You do not need a baby monitor. Believe it or not, people do live without them. If your baby is going to be in your room for the first year then I would say you don’t need one.

If you decide you want a monitor they can majorly vary in price. To save money consider getting one that only does sound and does not have a screen or image. It will most definitely save you. Also, consider instead of a baby monitor look at home security cameras or even pet cameras. Sometimes baby items have higher mark-up so look in different categories to see if you can find a deal.

With our first child for the longest time, we used an old cell phone as a sound machine. We put a free app on it and it was great! It easily fit in the diaper bag for travel and could hold a charge for the day. We later upgraded to the Hatch, but the cell phone phase was great. We then started using it with our second child.

If you are going to get a baby monitor see if you can get one that includes the sound machine.

Another affordable option is to place a fan in the room or outside the door to create white noise.

If you plan to use a pacifier only get one or two. Our first child used 3 pacifiers her entire life. Our second baby is four months old and has only used one pacifier.

When you only have one or two you will keep track of them better. When you have 20 they get lost all over the place.

I also would recommend for those on a tight budget get a simple and clean lotion and body wash. Once again these do not need to be baby specific. If you use something like Cetaphil or Vanicream those are safe for your baby. Don’t go buy something specifically for them if what you already have could work great.

General Tips for Sticking to Your Tight Budget

Always look for hand-me-downs first, then look to purchase secondhand.

Consider if a secondhand item is easy to clean and sanitize. Clothing is easy to buy and wash secondhand. Other items such as a mattress are not so easy to clean.

Do not go overboard on large quantities. You do not need 25 burp clothes and mountains of clothing. Shop for your baby with a minimal mindset. Just do the laundry frequently and you will be fine!

Focus on needs over wants. If you are cutting it close on cash at the end of the month do not go into Target and buy another cute baby outfit. Instead, buy formula or diapers. You have to keep your focus on the needs.

And finally, if your baby hasn’t arrived yet start purchasing items in advance. Start stockpiling wipes and diapers. Sometimes you can find them majorly discounted because someone returned them with an open box or something like that. I have even seen diapers at Goodwill. Keep your eyes open and start creating your stash.

Items You Don’t Need

I quickly want to touch on a few items you do not need! Skip these items to help you stay on budget.

Bouncer Seat

Swing

Diaper Genie

Changing Table

Bassinet

Baby Towels

There are way more items I could add, but I feel that these are very commonly seen in homes and on baby registries. None of these are needs. Comment below which baby items you commonly see people getting even though they are not needed.