Saving Money With A Baby

What are those, you ask? They're my cloth diapers! And yes, they've saved me money.

When my husband and I found out we were expecting, we started to research various ways we could save money. There's a big debate about whether or not the initial investment, extra loads of laundry, detergent, water use, etc. really added up to savings (or a more earth-friendly alternative). I did a lot of shopping around, and my husband figured we could save over $2000 in the first year alone!

I use BumGenius 3.0 cloth diapers (I don't get any money from them; I truly love their products!). They are adjustable, and should fit until my daughter is potty trained. They're easy to use, just like disposables. I only have to do one load of diapers a day (that's one cycle on cold, one on hot, and an extra rinse cycle), and they require less detergent (I end up using 1/2 the amount I would use for a regular load). I also hang them up to dry instead of the dryer to prolong their life expectancy. We haven't noticed a difference in our water bill either (it's normally less than $15/month anyways).

I bought 24 diapers, which is BumGenius' minimum recommendation; by using a coupon (from Mothering Magazine) and buying all at once, I got them for $14 on Nicki's Diapers. Normally they cost $18; more if you want organic. So, my diapers cost me under $340! I love them, and so does my husband. We've only had one minor bout of diaper rash, and it was gone in a day. And it isn't disgusting to wash them, which was my biggest worry. If you have a baby in diapers, consider switching to cloth. You could even look on ebay or craigslist for some used diapers and save even more.

What are you thoughts on cloth diapering? Does anyone else have a brand they recommend?