The cost of nappies, also known as diapers, can add up significantly over time. From newborn to toddlerhood, a child may go through thousands of nappies, resulting in a substantial expense for parents or caregivers. However, there are various ways to save money in this area. Here are our 5 best tips on how to save nappy costs.
How Many Nappies Does A Baby Use Per Day?
When working out the cost of baby nappies over a year, you need to know how many they use per day. A newborn baby needs changing around 8 to 10 times per day.
And: as babies grow and they need a bigger size nappy the cost per nappy goes up! Fortunately, they start to use less, so that cost balances out and reduces slightly. Around 3 years old a toddler will use around 4 nappies per day.
Nappy Costs Are Very Much Dependent On The Brand
How much it costs you depends very much on which brand you choose for your little one.
Brand | Costs of pack of nappies size 3 | Cost per nappy (pence) |
Kit & Kin Eco nappies | £8.00 (32) | 25 pence |
Pampers Eco Harmonie | £9.50 (39) | 24 pence |
Pampers New Baby | £9.50 (42) | 23 pence |
Boots Bamboo Nappies | £5.50 (28) | 20 pence |
Eco by Naty | £6.00 (33) | 18 pence |
Boots Baby Super Dry | £4.20 (34) | 13 pence |
The Daily, Weekly, Monthly, And Yearly Costs Of Disposable Nappies
Even you choose the cheapest brand out there, the costs associated with nappies can quickly add up over time. Let’s break it down:
1. Daily Cost
On average, a child uses around 6 nappies per day (when they are younger they use more, when they get older they use less). The price of nappies varies depending on the brand and size, but let’s consider an average of 19 pence (average most expensive vs. cheapest brand) per nappy. This amounts to £1.14 per day. And that is not including wet wipes, rash creams etc.
2. Weekly Cost
Let’s assume that your child uses the same number of nappies consistently. Considering the daily cost, your weekly expense is around £7.98.
3. Monthly Cost
Expanding further, the monthly cost for nappies would be approximately £31.92, based on a 4-week month.
4. Yearly Cost
Calculating the yearly expense, you can expect to spend around £415 on nappies alone!
How To Save On Nappy Costs: The 5 Best Tips
So nappies are expensive, but there are ways to save on those nappy costs. We share the top 5 tips with you to save on nappy costs.
Tip 1: Switch To Reusable Nappies
Reusable nappies, also known as cloth nappies, are a more cost-effective choice compared to disposable nappies. Although the initial investment may seem higher, the long-term savings are significant. Reusable nappies can be reused multiple times, making them durable and economical.
Unlike disposable nappies, which need to be constantly repurchased, cloth nappies can be washed and reused for several years, even across multiple children. This reduces the overall cost of nappy supplies, especially when considering the number of nappies used per day.
Additionally, the option to resell or pass down reusable nappies further maximizes their value. And by opting for reusable nappies, you cannot only save money. You also contribute to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
Tip 2: Buy Nappies In Bulk
One way of saving money on baby nappies is to buy them in bulk. Buying the biggest pack you can reduce the cost of Pampers nappies from 23 pence per nappy down to 14 pence per nappy! Of course, one thing you have to be aware of is, is that your baby grows fast (especially in their first year). You don’t want to be stuck with lots of nappies that don’t fit properly.
Tip 3: Shop Around For Nappies
Supermarkets and drugstore always do multi-buy offers. Therefore it’s worth checking online for which store has the best deals on, as long as you don’t mind shopping in different places. There is always online shopping too, if you’re buying nappies in bulk you can easily build up that spend.
Tip 4: Use A Supermarkets Or Drugstores Own Brand Of Nappies
Using a supermarkets or drugstores own brand of nappies can get you the biggest savings. You can save around 50% compared to Pampers nappies. You may have to try a couple of different ‘own brand’ nappies to find ones you are happy with though. Some are better than others.
Tip 5: Potty Train As Soon As Possible
The best way to save money on nappies it to potty train your baby as soon as possible. Children are being potty trained ever later. Today, the average age to start potty training is three years. But, for most children, 18 months is a great age for potty training. That is an 18-month gap!
So by investing in potty training support and starting early, you could save around £400 annually. If your child is not potty trained, this money literally goes to waste (or down the drain) 💩. Instead, think about how this sum could be put towards other valuable expenses or even saved for your child’s future.
Potty training also brings about a sense of convenience and time saving apart from the financial benefits. You no longer need to worry about purchasing, carrying, and changing nappies regularly with a successfully potty trained child.
Support On Your Potty Training Journey
Potty training is one of the most important milestones in the life of your young child. How nice when this process goes smoothly? Support makes this process more fun, easier and more likely to succeed.
Would you like support on your potty training journey? Download the Go Potty app today 😍. The Go Potty app coaches you through the potty training process in 6 simple steps. Test if you and your child are ready and decide what potty training approach will work best for your family. Go Potty is with you every step of the way with scientific based instructions.
For a one-time fee of £26.99 you get 6 months Premium access to Go Potty. This amounts to approximately £4.50 per month. It is significantly less than the monthly nappy expenses mentioned earlier, remember?
Download the app to start saving money here for Apple and here for Android!