6 Sneaky Ways to Save Online
Lower Those Baby Bills With These Quick Tips
Everyone knows that babies are expensive—diaper, food, and clothing costs only begin to scratch the surface. And while there are a lot of statistics on how much it actually costs to raise a child, it's best not to dwell on the actual number. A better idea: Find little ways to save every day. Here are some helpful hints:
Smart Shopping Tip #1:
Choose "ship to the store" for delivery. Online merchants that have brick-and-mortar locations often offer free delivery if you ship to the store. Sure, you have to go pick it up, but no searching the aisles or waiting in long checkout lines is required.
Smart Shopping Tip #2:
Buy in bulk with a friend. Another common way to get free shipping is to buy in quantity. This can be great option, for say, diapers and wipes, since you know you'll need a lot of these things. Partner with your new-mom neighbor down the street and save together.
Smart Shopping Tip #3:
Got a few favorite sites? Be sure to sign up for their email newsletters and other offers. When sales come around, companies often send alerts out to their entire list so you'll be in the know without having to hunt around for discount codes.
Smart Shopping Tip #4:
Compare prices! The Internet makes finding the best price on big-ticket items like car seats, cribs, and strollers a snap. Just log on to sites like Pricegrabber.com, Bizrate.com, or Nextag.com to find out who's selling what you want for the best deal.
Smart Shopping Tip #5:
Think about creating a wish list. If you're lucky enough to have lots of people asking what they can do to help, giving them the option of checking out your baby's wish list can be a good one. You can use the registry function at Walmart.com or you can create one at WishList.com, which allows you to add wishes from any website.
Smart Shopping Tip #6:
Follow frugal moms online. There are tons of great websites and blogs dedicated to helping parents save a few bucks. A few to check out: MoneySavingMom.com and MommySavers.com.