Cloth Diapering on a Budget

My husband lost his job before baby number three was born. I had no money to start CD’ing. You don’t need a lot of diapers to start you could pick up a few economical covers like Kawaii. Even if you can only afford 2 covers you could get a lot of use in one day out of a cover as you wipe it out with every diaper change. I was able to start with the Econobum kit for $50 which included 12 prefolds and 3 covers. I also have to admit I had Babyland (China Cheapies) pockets. I would use the pocket as a cover then stuff it to get two uses out of one diaper.

Remember even if you can only afford to buy one diaper at a time that is one less disposable diaper per day and the savings will start to add up allowing you to save more money to buy more cloth diapers. If you can scrape together twenty bucks you can get some flats and one cover. Two covers if you find a bargain. That means with in a week you probably saved yourself a box of disposables. Then you can go out and buy more diapers. Here are some things I wish I knew when I started CD’ing myself.

• Clean out your closets, cabinets too. I sold enough items that were collecting dust on Craigslist. Remember the Econobum kit for $50 which included 12 prefolds and 3 covers. If your baby has outgrown clothes you could even sell those.
• You could also check Craigslist or B/S/T groups on Facebook for some preloved diapers.
• Start small. Flat diapers and flour sacks from Wal-Mart are cheap, absorbent and easy to use. You can padfold them and stuff them into a pocket diaper or use with a cover with the kite or pad fold easily. These can last you until you can afford to buy pockets with inserts or all in ones. Or keep using these if you want.
• Receiving blankets and tshirts are useable too. Heck some people prefer these. The dollar stores usually care receiving blankets on the cheap. Use these as inserts or as flats until you can afford new diapers.
• Ask around CD retailers and sites when are you having a second’s sale? I scored my first bumGenius this way.
• Borrow diapers or barter.. If you know someone who has some cloth diapers ask if you can borrow some or even trade babysitting services for a few they no longer want/use/need.
• Cheap doesn’t mean inferior quality check out the lesser priced brands. I love my Kawaii’s and they were cheap. Fairly made too. Wolbybug covers are the best. Start with a few lower priced items like covers and save the splurges for items like hemp or bamboo.
• Google cloth diaper giveaways I’ve heard some mothers who have won multiple times.
• Check your local second hand stores and garage sales. Plenty of great scores  are made at Goodwill and Garage Sales.
• Cloth diapering does not have to be all or nothing. Do not get overwhelmed by the gadgets. Your fine without a sprayer. You don’t need a fancy pail pick up any pail one at the dollar store. You don’t need 36 prefolds, 18 covers, and 15 AIO’s. Plenty of moms do fine with a modest stash of a dozen prefolds and a mix of pockets and covers.
• Google Fleece Diapers and Fleece Diaper covers with a coupon for your local fabric store you could make your own soakers. If you can’t sew maybe you could ask someone who knows how to for you for a small fee.
• Check garage sales and thrift stores for wool sweaters. These also can be made into soakers.
• If you’re stuffing pockets (Remember microfiber cannot touch the babys skin) check the dollar store, Target, and Wal-Mart for cheap microfiber automotive towels.
• Don’t be ashamed to tell others what you need. If you have family and friends who ask you what you want for a Birthday, anniversary, or holiday what you want tell them I really need some cloth diapers.

Bio: Megan Beaver is a BAMR, who CD’s, BF’s her toddler, and rocks a pixie cut. She has three kids and lives in SO Cal.


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