Raise Children Without Spending Too Much

Every year the cost of raising a child seems to increase. The cost of things in general scares a lot of people into not having children. However there are still many ways that a family can raise children on a shoestring. 
A newborn baby has many expenses like diapers, formula and childcare. The way to save on formula is to breast feed the baby. Breastfeeding to some parents is an inconvenience because of the constant pumping and bottling. However, it will save the parents up to twenty dollars a week for a whole year. Another way to save money is finding a lot of the baby furniture at yard sales and second hand shops. There are many people looking to hand down used baby furniture for a small fee.  The new parents just have to research and start shopping early in the pregnancy. Saving money on diapers and wipes is another way to reduce the cost of having a baby. A way to save on diapers and wipes is to go old school. Old school is cloth diapers and wash cloths to wipe the bottom. This may not go over well with a daycare but even if this method is done just at home it can save a lot of money. Buying generic diapers and wipes is great way to save money. Many stores like Wal-Mart and Target have great quality that are cheaper than the name brand. If the parents prefer name brand then signing up to receive monthly coupons and special offers for that particular brand will save money.  The best way to save on child care is to find a good provider that keeps children in their home. They provide better care because of the teacher to child ratio and it is cheaper. 
As the child grows, the needs changes. Around five or six months of age the baby starts eating baby food. Baby food can be easily home made. There is the expense of buying a food processor but most people already own one anyway. The parents can buy fresh and frozen vegetables to mash up in the food processor. What is left can be frozen in small portions like an ice cube tray and thawed as needed. This saves a lot of money and is also healthy for the baby when you leave out sugar and salt. This procedure does take a lot of planning to be sure there is always a freezer stocked with variety. 
Another expense that comes as the child grows is clothes. Clothes can be expensive but shopping at the right place and the right time can make a difference. Yard sales are a great way to find gently used children clothes at a good price. There are many consignment and second hand stores that sell plenty of clothes for children. These places take a little more time and research because the clothes have to be looked through while shopping. Another great way to save on clothes is to do off season shopping. Off season shopping is when the stores are getting rid of the current season's styles to ready for the next. For example, a store puts all their winter clothes on clearance because it is almost spring. Shopping like this takes some guess work to figure out what size the child may wear next year. It is better to guess too big then too small. This way the clothes can still be used some where down the line. 
Raising a child in today's economy does not have to be as expensive as people make it out to be. The price of a child should not scare people out of the joys of parenting. Doing the research into ways to save money is well worth having children.