Building a cloth diaper stash can cost you a pretty penny, which makes it hard to consider using them in the first place. However, it is possible to build a great diaper collection on a budget! Here are some tips I learned while building our stash, that will help you to save big:
Buy used
Quite often, you’ll find someone selling their cloth diaper collection on sites like Kijiji and Craigslist. This is a great way to acquire an entire collection at a fraction of the cost.
Check those daily deal sites
I wanted to try a variety of different cloth diapers to see if I had any preference so I took advantage of a few deals on daily deal sites. I scored some AMP’s and a Baby Kicks diaper that I love. You might want to consider signing up for the email lists of sites like BabySteals and Sweet Baby Dealz so you know when cloth diapers are up for grabs!
Make your own
CheekyDiapers.com has a long list of great tutorials about making your own cloth diapers! Even if you have limited sewing skills, it could be quite easy to create your own stash! Sewing your own diapers seems to be becoming quite popular too, as I’ve noticed my local fabric store carries quite a good selection of cloth diaper fabrics.
Don’t buy name brands
If you want to save a bundle, stay away from the major brands such as Fuzzibunz, AMP, and bumGenius. The majority of my stash is made up of Kawaii diapers. Individually, Kawaii diapers cost about $7, compared to $20 or more for the brand name diapers. I even saved a bit more by purchasing a package deal (12 diapers)
Tell your friends and family
Make sure to mention to your friends and family that you’re going to be cloth diapering. A friend of mine gave me a couple of bumGenius diapers because she realized that cloth diapering wasn’t for her. I also received a wonderful cloth diapering “kit” (a diaper, bum cream, laundry detergent and a waterproof tote) from a friend as a baby gift because she knew I was intending on going this route.
Use prefolds/covers instead of AIO’s or One Size diapers
By going with the prefold and waterproof cover system over the All-in-One’s, you’ll save yourself a ton of money. But, I really recommend doing some research beforehand to determine the method that will suit your lifestyle best. I personally, wanted diaper changes to be as simple as possible so I knew prefolds and covers were not going to be for me. Though, now that I’m a bit more “experienced” prefolds and covers are more appealing!
Are you a cloth diaper user? What are your money saving tips when it comes to building a cloth diaper stash?
Saved a TON using old receiving blankets as diaper flats. Love love love them. Just realized with my third that they can be folded different ways depending on the age and size of the child. For my 1 month old I fold them origami style so they can wrap around the baby’s waist then use a diaper cover. For my two year old I just fold them into a rectangular panel. Usually you can find people who just want to get rid of their receiving blankets. Make sure you strip them before using them. Also for older children that pee more you’ll need a little more than just one blanket. I found a bunch of pocket diaper inserts on clearance and those work GREAT!
Before you invest in cloth diapers due your homework and decide what kind works best for you and then be diligent and shop around (online too) for the best deals. Believe it or not, I found pre-fold diapers on eBay at the best prices. But the covers I found cheaper on another website.
Make sure to properly follow the care instructions for cloth diapers so you can get the most wear out of them. We are currently planning on using our cloth diapers on our third child when he or she is born.
If you know someone who sews or feel adventurous, there are some great websites out there that show you how to sew your own!
My only word of warning: watch out for those daily deal sites. Sometimes they have good stuff, but most of the time, they’re just rebranded Alvas, and are sold for more than what a real Alva goes for at full cost. They look appealing, since they advertise that the regular price is $17+, but they’re really only a $5 diaper with a huge original price tag. Those companies rely on deal sites to sell their diapers since they’re not worth their original price… Or even their ‘sale’ price.
Lots of Facebook buy and sell pages just for cloth too. That’s the only way I sell mine 🙂 There are both local options, and Canada wide options that include shipping.
We are now in the middle of cloth diapering our second child and have saved lots. We went with the bummis wraps and prefold since they are a fraction of the price of all in ones. You are right, they are extremely simple to use once you are used to them. They also double as nice absorbent cloths for when you have other types of messes.
I would highly recommend snap fasteners over Velcro though. By the time baby #2 came along I had replaced the Velcro on our mediums twice. Don’t go overboard on newborn sizes though, they are not in them for long and I found newborn disposables for free in many places for the very same reason.
I use covers and then trifold an organic cotton or bamboo prefold inside so I only have to invest in the prefolds with a minimum investment in covers 🙂