Free Nappies for Low Income Families
Nappies can be the single largest expense for new babies. Are you ready to provide this basic necessity on your current budget? An average cost of nappies from birth to age two, results in almost £1000 or almost £50 per month. Even though potty training used to start between 18-24 months this age has climbed to 24-36 months with a large segment of the population still having nappies on their budget even into 4 years old.
Nappy Banks
If you are looking for help in the area of providing proper nappies or diapers for your baby, one of the first options should be a local Nappy Bank. Many larger cities throughout the UK have a nappy bank, provided by either a major health organization or a charity. Asking your healthcare visitor or GP is a great place to start to find these resources or an internet search for your location. If you prefer cloth nappies, there are also over 100 cloth nappy libraries around the UK that can provide free or rental nappies.
Free Samples
One of the best ways to start your inventory of nappies is to start searching out free diaper samples as often as you can. Most of the large manufacturers of diapers provide free samples if you sign up for their online forums, website or newsletter. These products are absolutely free and usually even include shipping. Many retailers offer the same free diapers with special coupons or vouchers as well as many charities or organizations. Visit the manufacturers themselves, freesites, couponsites and charities to get your free samples today. If you do this during your pregnancy multiple times you can stock up on nappies to help lower your overall cost.
Cloth Diapers
You can also choose to reduce, reuse and recycle. Many low income families automatically dismiss cloth nappies because of their larger upfront cost and investment. However, there are many services in the UK that provide free cloth nappies, used and recycled nappies and even nappy rental libraries to ensure that your upfront costs are very low or free. This choice is both economical and environmentally friendly.
By using cloth nappies you cut down on your use of disposables significantly and your overall cost. Disposable nappies then only need to be used for outings or emergencies.
Nappy-Free
The last option may seem drastic, but in fact most babies on earth are taught differently than most western parents are used to. In China, India, Africa and many other parts of the world, a process called elimination communication. Children in these countries are essentially conditioned and trained from birth to pee or poo at certain times of the day or during a certain procedure. This process does not have to be an ‘all or nothing’ adventure. You can try it when possible and switch to nappies when more convenient. By doing so, you will either eliminate nappy use altogether or again significantly reduce your reliance on cloth or disposable nappies.
If you combine all the strategies above you could possible reduce your cost of nappies to just a few hundred pounds over the course of potty training.
Learn about other baby item freebies here and save your money for other household needs.
