What are your Top 10 Ways to Frugally CD? - Page 2

[Erin+babyAndrew]

1. buy gently used diapers
2. buy new covers (max of 4 per size)
3. keep the stash to a max of 24 dipes per child (18 is ideal for us)
4. don't look at hyena anything LOL
5. avoid temptation of cute stuff.

6. be happy with a stash that works well and fits properly

[~Shanna~]

Thanks for all of the tips ladies! One question:

I'm trying to figure out the best and cheapest system for covers (for child that has yet-to-be conceived, but keep your fingers crossed for me).

Do most of you think that wool soakers are the best value for covers? As I'm sure you can relate, most of the diapering info on the internet (and on MDC) has me a little overwhelmed by all of the options. I was turned off by the idea of using wool until I saw a picture of one and saw 1) how well they seem to fit and breathe and 2) that I could MAKE that!!!!

Any comments? Pros and cons?

[Erin+babyAndrew]

i made a few covers for ds, knit some and sewed some and i found its better to buy good covers since they have better resale value. also, it's hard to find time to make covers when caring for a baby.

[alybeans]

If I needed to save money I'd stick with prefolds, dappi nylon pants, snappis, and homemade fleece liners! I use all that stuff now but do have some other $$$ stuff as well. I could easily do without the other stuff.

[~Shanna~]

Is there a big enough advantage with fitted to warrent the cost to buy or trouble to make? I'm hearing over and over again that ladies love their prefolds, and with my inexperienced eye I've been assuming that the fancier fitteds would be better. Thanks so much for answering my questions! I just today got a faint positive (16 dpo), and I'm thrilled to be finally on this mission!

[mamangazelle]

1- Make wool soakers out of old sweaters.
2- Use prefolds and flats (or even old receiving blankets)
3- Air dry as much as possible.
4- Use bummis nylon pants (effective and cheap)
5- Use ANYTHING made of cotton as a doubler. (Old shirts, t-shirts, blankets, sheets, towels,...)

[Drummer's Wife]

1. Buy gently used
2. Learn how to snappi and pin
3. Wash when I have a full load
4. Sell whatever I don't really need or what doesn't work
5. Make and use cloth wipes
6. Make liners out of baby blankets
7. Make fleece covers, cheap and easy
8. Go coverless when possible
9. Look at thrift stores
10. Learning to sew better so I can make my own

[guestmama9911]

FIRSI OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! It took me five years to conceive, so I know how exciting it is!

I've been pitching this all day, but I highly recommend The Cloth Diaper Exchange. They have excellent deals on gently used fitteds/aio's/covers. I just gt 7 MJ's sherpa fitteds in size small for $5.00 each and I really really like them, and I'm a beginner cd'er. I am really awkward with prefolds - they make me so angry! - but I don't have a lot of money so I am practicing.

I REALLY need to learn to sew so I can make some fitteds. My Mom sewed us some newborn sized AIO's and the cost of materials came out to about $3.00/diaper. Too bad DS grew out of them in two weeks! Now Mom is tired of sewing them so I need to learn.

[beepsmnms]

Alisa,
Sewing diapers is soooo easy. While your sewing the first one, you might think, OMG this is so hard, but when youre finished and look at the diaper you think WOW that look soo cute, maybe that wasn't so hard. Go to the Diaper Making forum for LOTS of tips on sewing diapers. You'll be addicted to making them like the rest of us in NO time. Good Luck.

[Sharlla]

I've bought all used. I use mostly prefolds and covers, I line dry during warmer weather, I use micro terry cloths for doublers, I am going to make my own wipes (still have the ones from before he was born) I think I've spent about $50 total on all my diapering needs. But I did splurge and buy a $20 pair of longies. I got lucky to make friends with people that can loan/give me dipes.

[Sherry]

i think prefolds and covers is the cheapest...even cheaper than making your own unless you are getting the fabric and notions free. we used prefolds exclusively with our first two children and didnt get into the making diapers aspect of it until our third child came along in 1998. my youngest had a huge stash of cool dipes, but prefolds or hemp bifolds with a bummis wrap was our staple.

[sewingbarbj]

If you don't knit, sew your own wool pants or diaper covers from wool fabric
* make wool doublers to beef up your night covers out of feltd coat wool cut in rectangles.
*Use wash cloths as liners for your newborn/small baby.
* recycle fabric straps and beach towels into home made diapers or liners.

[Ifluffedthree]

all but #8 and #10 pretty much applied to us as well.

and in that order.