According to The Times, the average cost of raising a child from birth to 18 in the UK is £202,660. This is a large amount of money and with the rising costs of living we wanted to share some savvy things you can do, starting from when you find out you’re pregnant to help you make your money go further.

Be clear on your budget
Write a list of all incoming and outgoings and what will change post birth. Take into account any maternity pay you are eligible for and what your plans may be for going back to work. It is also worth looking into childcare options early to factor in these costs (if you need to).

Shop second-hand
You may be surprised what you can get for second-hand and how much this could help you save, especially when it comes to clothes. Babies grow so quickly that often items of clothing are only worn a handful of times (if at all!) before they’re too small, on many resale apps you’ll find bundles of good as new baby clothes for a couple of pounds. You can also get great deals on furniture and accessories like prams, cots, sterilisers and more.

Once you find out you’re pregnant it’s worth writing a list of everything you will need and then keeping an eye out for these items on a range of apps e.g. Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace and also in local charity shops and at car boot sales. You can then gradually start buying pieces over the next 9 months and don’t have to worry about forking out for everything in the last month of your pregnancy.
Not only is this friendly to your bank account but also the planet!

Child benefits
It’s worth taking a look into child benefits to see if you’re eligible for help from the government. Some parents decide to put this money into a savings account or Junior ISA for their child to use when they get older if they don’t need to use it towards raising their child, which is a nice idea if you’re in the position to do this.

Reusable nappies
This one isn’t for everyone. But if you’re looking for a way to save money and also into being more sustainable then reusable nappies could be an option for you. According to The Times Money Mentor parents spend £12-£24 in the first month on nappies, which comes close to £300 for the year! There are many reusable nappy brands out there like Kit & Kin, Little Lamb and Baba+Boo. All of which share information on how best to use reusable nappies.

Use KidStart
If you shop online then join KidStart! It’s a shopping club for parents that lets you earn money back for your baby on your online purchases and household bills. They’ve partnered with over 2,300 retailers, including Argos, John Lewis, eBay, Tesco, H&M, TUI and many more, who will all give you a percentage back of what you spend with them, this money is then saved for your baby’s future.
The savings you earn can vary from retailer to retailer and the size of your purchase but when used regularly from pregnancy to when your child turns 16 the amount can really add up.

On purchases for a new baby you could look to earn this much in savings:

• Bugaboo Cameleon 3 / RRP £695 / 2% back from Bugaboo = £13.90
• Tutti Bambini Crib / RRP £219 / 3% back from Kiddies Kingdom = £6.57
• Joie i-Harbour Car Seat / RRP £250 / 4.5% back from Mamas & Papas = £11.25
• Elvie Breast Pump / RRP £269 / 2.5% back from Elvie = £6.72
• Baby Carrier / RRP £189 / 8% back from BabyBjorn = £15.12
• Maxi-Cosi highchair / RRP £189.99 / 5% back from John Lewis = £9.49

This comes to £63.05* for your baby and that’s not including clothing, baby essentials like nappies and other non-baby related purchases you’ll be making.

Another great thing about KidStart is that you can invite your parents, friends and other family members to earn money back on their shopping for your children too.

As a special offer KidStart are giving Busylizzy parents £5 when you make your first purchase to help kick-start their savings. Join KidStart for free to claim your offer. T&Cs apply.

*Calculated August 2023