As adorable as babies are, managing life and budgets with one can be tough. Instead of spending thousands on gear and baby supplies that they’ll outgrow in months, choosing rental, shareable, and multi-use options is an excellent way to trim expenses.
Keep on reading to discover our top 10 ways to save money when you have a baby.
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1. Rent Your Baby Gear
Consider renting baby gear and appliances from reputable websites. The rental baby products industry has become a game-changer for parents today, and more parents are opting for affordable renting now.
- Renting essentials gives you peace of mind for a fraction of the cost of purchasing new products.
- Go only for professional rental sites that guarantee clean and sanitized products.
- Many barely-used baby gadgets end up gathering dust or in landfills. By renting and returning gear, you can also be more environmentally conscious and reduce waste.
2. Encourage Hand-Me-Downs and Gear Swaps
Sometimes the best things in life (and parenting) are free. Be open to sharing and reusing baby items as an easy way to save money with a baby.
- Join parent networking events and both online and physical groups to connect with other parents. This will not only make you feel less stressed in your struggles, but will also let you exchange, lend, or donate gently-used clothing and gear with other parents.
- Consignment shops and thrift stores offer gently loved outfits for a fraction of retail.
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- Save money and time by renting your baby’s clothing. Companies such as Rent A Romper curate and ship baby wardrobe capsules that make swapping and returning a synch!
3. Choose Multi-Stage, Grow-With-Baby Gear
Instead of buying everything separately for hundreds of dollars, you can find high-quality convertible pieces for your baby for big savings and less clutter. Convertible gear is an easy way to reduce expenses in the long run, as it adapts with your child’s growing age and needs.
- Consider a convertible that combines a bassinet, crib, and toddler bed. Some models also include a daybed option for your comfort.
- The same logic applies to high chairs that turn into toddler seats, strollers, and/or mini dining chairs.
- The most common of convertible baby items are convertible car seats that can be adjusted from rear-facing to forward-facing easily and grow with the baby.
Explore: Rent Baby Tech’s catalogue of convertible high chairs
4. Max Out Insurance and Employer Benefits
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, many health-insurance plans cover the cost of at least one personal-use breast pump per pregnancy and often support lactation consultations, childbirth education, and/or doula coverage.
- Call your insurer’s maternity case manager (many carriers have one) as soon as you confirm your due date. They’ll walk you through in-network vendors and reimbursement forms before the bills hit.
- Schedule a meeting with your HR department to map every baby-related perk your company already offers that you qualify for. If your workplace doesn’t yet offer practical perks like baby gear rentals, consider sharing this guide for HR teams on how baby gear benefits can improve maternity leave and employee retention.
- Dependent-Care FSAs let you set aside up to $5,000 pre-tax.
- Some firms fund a separate newborn stipend or extend paid parental leave if you take it in smaller blocks.
- Enroll your baby in marketplace within 60 days of birth for better coverage and savings.
- Open a 529 college savings plan to start investing early for your child’s education with tax-free growth. It’s one of the most efficient ways to build long-term savings, with even small monthly contributions easily adding up.
5. Subscribe-and-Save on Consumables
Diapers, wipes, and formula disappear fast. Put routine, regular items on subscription plans to save money as well as your sanity.
- Amazon, Target, and Costco all offer 5-20% discounts when you set up recurring deliveries. This means that you also don’t have to run out at 2 AM. for supply emergencies.
- Pair those savings with coupon apps, and your bills will drop by a third without a single late-night store run.
- Most platforms let you pause, skip, or size-up deliveries with a tap. That way, you’re never stuck with newborn diapers when your baby jumps to size 3 overnight.
6. DIY Baby Food in Bulk
One Sunday nap-time session can transform a bag of organic sweet potatoes, a pound of frozen peas, and a dozen apples into 50+ four-ounce purée portions.
- Steam or roast produce until fork-tender, blend with a splash of filtered water or breast milk, then ladle into silicone ice-cube trays. Once frozen, pop the cubes into labeled freezer bags; mix-and-match flavors on serving day for built-in variety.
- If you prefer making fresh food for your child daily, buy produce in bulk. While non-perishables like potatoes and rice will do fine, freeze the fresh fruits and veggies to make them last longer.
- For convenience, a great tool would be a baby food maker that simplifies and speeds up your work, whether you’re cooking in bulk or doing it daily.
- Don’t have time to DIY every week? Services like Little Spoon deliver fresh, ready-to-serve baby food made with organic ingredients so you can keep up without compromising your child’s health or choice.
Check Out: BEABA Babycook Solo Food Maker
7. Claim Every Tax Credit You Qualify For
A newborn changes more than just your sleep schedule—your tax return gets a makeover, too.
- The Child and Dependent Care Credit can refund up to 35% of your qualifying expenses (up to $3,000 for one child or $6,000 for two or more) with the exact percentage determined by your income.
- The Adoption Credit lets you claim 100% of qualified expenses. This caps at $17,280 per child in 2025 (the limit is indexed for inflation each year).
- Being a low-to-moderate income family, you may also stack the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Keep receipts if you install energy-efficient windows or insulation during babyproofing (or for any other purpose) for residential energy credits.
8. Give Cloth (or Hybrid) Diapering a Trial Run
A starter stash of pocket diapers costs roughly what you’ll pay for three to four months of disposables. Many families even reuse the same set for two or more children, saving $800-$1,200 per baby.
- If full-time cloth feels daunting, use them at home and keep disposables for travel or nighttime; even a part-time schedule can cut your diaper bill in half.
- Modern laundry routines make it very simple to manage reusable diapers with cold rinse → hot wash → line- or dryer-dry.
- You can also use resale groups when you’re done and recuperate 40-60% of your costs.
9. Build a Needs-Only Baby Registry
The average U.S. registry tops $1,000, but studies show new parents regularly leave 30-40% of those items unopened.
- Before your baby shower, sit down with a friend who already has had a baby and cross-check what they actually used.
- Register only the essentials. Group big-ticket items so multiple friends can chip in, and add gift cards for diapers or future clothes.
10. Form a Babysitting Co-Op With Friends
Date-night sitters in major cities can easily go $25 an hour, reaching $100+ for dinner and a movie.
- A three-family babysitting co-op works like a time-bank: watch two families’ kids on Friday, earn two “credits,” then spend those credits next weekend when it’s your turn to go out.
- Use a free tracking app (or a shared spreadsheet) and schedule monthly swaps.
- Most families can easily save $1,000-$1,500 a year with such setups.
Turn budget hacks into real savings. Browse Rent Baby Tech’s catalogue and slash your big-ticket costs today.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. What safety certifications do your products meet, and where can I verify them?
- Every single item offered through Rent Baby Tech is rigorously tested to ensure each product meets all necessary safety standards. Every item is cleaned and sanitized before each rental. For specific certificates, ask your Rent Baby Tech concierge.
Q. Are rental items covered by any insurance or liability protection?
- Rent Baby Tech guarantees the gear for the full rental term but does not advertise a separate insurance policy; you (the renter) are financially responsible for loss or damage beyond normal wear. Contact Rent Baby Tech at (818) 697-0175 for more information.
Q. How far in advance should I reserve gear for upcoming travel or an expected due date?
- We recommend booking as soon as you confirm dates, especially around holidays, to lock in inventory and delivery windows.
Q. If my baby outgrows a product faster than expected, can I swap it mid-rental?
- Usually yes. Rent Baby Tech offers a wide selection of baby gear, so if it’s available, you can substitute an appropriate size/model by contacting your concierge. A new delivery fee may apply.
Q. What’s the easiest way to extend a rental period once I already have the gear?
A. Reach out to us at (818) 697-0175; as long as the item isn’t reserved for someone else, we will adjust the dates and invoice.
