For years, I’ve written about how to save money on baby diapers by using cloth, and here I am again today. Why?
Because things are only getting worse. The American economy is seriously struggling, and everyone is feeling the pinch when they go to buy pretty much anything these days. Unless we get some wiser heads in control of the levers of power soon, inflation will worsen and costs will keep rising without incomes being able to keep up.
Sadly, I used to be able to recommend five dollar cloth diaper covers, but that’s a thing of the past (unless you buy secondhand on Facebook or Ebay).
But you can still invest in a simple, practical set of cloth diapers for about the same cost as a month’s worth of disposables, which is always good news! A box of 124 Luvs diapers costs about $35.00 right now at Walmart and will last you only about 20 days before you have to shell out more money.
Now here’s my proposal for an affordable set of diapers that you buy once and then get to use as long as you need them.
For the cover:
Option 1: Cloth-eez POSO
It’s a simple white cover with lightweight, breathable fabric and snapping sides. Available in 4 sizes. This cover works over pinned diapers; you can get a free pair of pins with your order at Green Mountain (a great Christian, family-owned company).
Cost: $6.95 and up.
Screenshot from Green Mountain Diapers of this cover on a baby
Option 2: Elemental Joy
A colorful and reliable option that’s adjustable from approximately 8-35 pounds, so you don’t have to buy multiple sizes. Snaps in the front. You can use this cover with pinned diapers, or folded diapers.
Cost: $7.00
Elemental Joy on my daughter, Mary Kate, paired with a folded flat diaper inside
For the diapers:
Option 1: Cotton Receiving Blankets
This is a great bargain from Green Mountain Diapers. You get an 8-pack of soft cotton flannel squares, the size of receiving blankets, and they can be folded and pinned and used under a cover. Bonus – lots of cute colors and prints! Bailey shows you how easy it is to use receiving blankets as diapers. You can double them up at night.
Cost: $9.00 for two packs (16 diapers)
Samples of cotton fabric squares at Green Mountain
Option 2: Flour Sack Towels
These aren’t quite as soft as the flannel squares above, but they do get nicer with washing, and are easy to rinse out and clean. A newborn can usually get by with one; older babies will need the towels to be doubled up. Or you can wrap the flour sack towel around a cheap cotton or microfiber insert. ClothDiaper.com has a 6-pack of cotton flannel diaper inserts for $6.00.
If you are creative, or like a pop of color, dye your flat diapers. If you’re still thinking “A one-dollar towel from Walmart as a diaper? Really?” Read my post about the pros and cons of using flour sack towels as diapers.
Cost: $14.00 for 15
If you have some ideas for cloth diapering on a super tight budget, please share in a comment below.
If you’d like to see what else is available on the market
visit my Cloth Diaper Shopping page with deals and coupons!
I’m intrigued! And I’m wondering… how practical do you think *washing* cloth diapers is in a shared laundry scenario (e.g. apartment building shared laundry room, with washers that have limited capabilities/no soaking option)?
I wonder if you could soak them somewhere else, like in a tub or sink? I rarely soak mine, unless heavily soiled, and try to wash every 2-3 days.
Thank you for this post! I ordered the covers and receiving blankets last week, and started using them a couple of days ago. I really appreciate how you present cloth diapering in a simple and economical way–just what I need 🙂
I’m so glad it was helpful, Melissa! Thanks for taking time to stop by. Anne Marie