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My husband Evan and I welcomed our first child, Liam, in November of 2009, one of the first parenting decisions we made was to use cloth diapers. Evan and I are known among our friends and family as champion penny-pinchers, so our decision was no surprise to anyone. To diaper a baby from birth to potty training, it costs approximately $1500 to use disposable diapers, compared with about $300 for prefold diapers and covers (and for more comparisons, click here). For families that can’t spend that much at once, or for people like me who shudder at the thought of spending that much money on anything, there are a number of strategies and resources to reduce the cost of cloth diapering even further. My goal is to help other families find the most cost-effective way to diaper their kids.

Strategies for Savings

Versatility: One of the best questions to ask yourself when trying to diaper on a budget is, “What diapers will give me the most use for my money?”  Depending on your individual needs, the best bet for you might be prefolds, which can be reused as rags once their diapering life is over, or one-size pocket diapers if you have multiple kids in diapers at the same time.

Sized vs. one-size: When buying cloth diapers on a budget, an obvious strategy is buying one-size diapers or covers that can be adjusted to fit infants through toddlers. With one-size diapers, there is no need for new diapers or covers as baby grows – just adjust the snaps!  One-size diapers are also a great option for families with multiple children in diapers, making it easier to find a diaper that fits. However, sized diapers tend to provide a better fit for very small newborns and larger toddlers who are still in diapers.

Is it a good price? When you think you find a great deal, particularly on-line, do a quick search and compare prices to other retailers. This is especially important when purchasing used diapers.  Is the price of the used diaper enough to justify the wear and tear?  I’m pretty stingy when it comes to purchasing used diapers, and I usually require a pretty sizable markdown.  Always remember to figure in shipping costs!  A great deal isn’t so great if shipping costs make it more expensive than purchasing from a local retailer.

How many diapers will we need? One easy way to blow a diaper budget is to buy more diapers than you actually need. We figure a diaper change about every two hours. If you have access to a washer and dryer to wash diapers every other day or so, you will need about twenty-four diapers and five to ten covers.

Affordable Options

Prefolds or flats and covers: Hands down, the most affordable option is using prefolds (rectangular flat cloth diaper with an absorbent center pad sewn in) or flats (large, square diapers made of a single layer of birdseye cotton that can be folded in a variety of ways to fit babies of different sizes) and waterproof covers. 

Seconds and discontinued items: Many manufacturers and retailers sell “seconds” (slightly imperfect but fully functional items) and discontinued products at deep discounts. Cloth Diaper Clearance is an example of a retailer that specializes in these products.

Cloth diaper registries: Creating baby registries on-line is a common way to let family and friends know what your need. Diaper retailers now offer this option too! We created a registry with diapers, covers, wipes, a wet bag, and a diaper pail that family and friends could access and order from online. When asked about your baby registry, share the link and let folks know that this gift would mean a lot!

Finding Used Diapers

Craigslist: CraigsList.org is local, allowing you to save on shipping, and giving you the opportunity to inspect the diapers before purchasing them.  The easiest way to find cloth diapers is to go to the “Baby and Kids” section of “For Sale” and do a search on “diapers.”  You’ll get a lot of other stuff, but this is the best way to catch all listings for cloth diapers.

DiaperSwappers.com: Since my son outgrew his first batch of covers, all of his covers have come from DiaperSwappers.com.  DiaperSwappers.com is a community forum organized by types of diapers and accessories that you must join (for free) in order to purchase diapers directly from the seller. In addition to being able to snag great deals, DiaperSwappers.com is a great place to find unique items at a great price.

Re-diaper.com: Unlike the person-to-person sales and trades, Re-diaper.com serves as a middleman, buying used diapers from families and reselling them.  Re-diaper only buys and sells name brands, like BumGenius and FuzziBunz. Some of the benefits of using Re-diaper.com include ease of use, consistent ratings of the condition of the diapers, and being able to combine multiple items in one shipping order. However, you can’t haggle or trade on Re-diaper.com, like you would be able to do on Craigslist or DiaperSwappers.com.

Local retailers: Check out any local retailers that carry cloth diaper supplies – they may offer used diapers at a deep discount.

Local consignment: Be sure to check out local baby and kids consignment sales, rummage sales, and thrift stores – they occasionally have cloth diapering supplies.

How “used” is it?: When considering used diapers for purchase, this is an important question to think about. How much life is left in the diaper? Do you have the skills to repair any rips or weaknesses? If you have to replace elastic, snaps, or Velcro, do the cost of those components outweigh the savings of purchasing a diaper? There are no hard and fast rules for this, and you’ll need to use your best judgment with each purchase.

Making Your Own

Resources abound online for making your own diapers, including many free patterns and instructions for creating diapers and covers from recycled clothing, like t-shirts and wool sweaters. The Mothering.com forums have a forum dedicated to resources and patterns for making your own diapers.

Cloth Diaper Assistance

If your budget doesn’t allow for the upfront cost of purchasing cloth diapers there are resources for free cloth diapers for families who demonstrate need. Re-diaper.com’s Cloth Diaper Loan Program and Giving Diapers Giving Hope provide free diapers, or diapers for the cost of shipping. Visit their websites for information on applying.

Johanna Hatch, CD, CCE

Johanna is a doula, childbirth educator, writer, and feminist activist. Her writing has appeared in Spirit, US Catholic, From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism, and the forthcoming anthologies Hungering and Thirsting for Justice and It's All in Her Head. Online, Johanna can be found tweeting occasionally @johanna_momma and blogging even more infrequently at The Little Stranger. She lives in Verona, WI with her spouse, son, and blind dachshund.

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