Cloth Saves Money!

One of the biggest arguments for Cloth Diapers is that they save you money. This can be difficult for some to accept if they have never really looked at just how much money it will cost to use disposables, and how much it will be to use cloth.

Here's a rundown about disposables for the first six months. In the newborn to about 6 month stage, you will use 10-12 diapers a day. The Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers are $0.17 each for size one. So let's say your baby uses 11 diapers every day for a month. Add in $20 for each month for wipes, and you'll spend $152 for the first two months. 


Now let's say for months 3-6 your baby is in size twos, which are $0.19 each. And let's say 10 diapers per day for those months. Add in the wipes cost and that's going to be $308. So it will theoretically cost you $460 for the first six months using disposable diapers and wipes. That's not including any rash creams or if your child needs the more expensive brands due to sensitivity.

And now let's take a look at cloth diapers. The best money-saving method is to use prefolds and covers (which I actually love). So let's say you have the normal 7-8lb baby, and you're going to wash diapers every other day. You'll need two dozen prefolds, and probably two to three covers per day. There are thousands of places online to buy cloth diapers, but for this example I will use Cotton Babies' website. You can get two dozen "Infant" prefolds for $36 and that covers up to 15lbs. That will be the same as the starting range for size two disposables. And you will need covers, so let's say you buy the one-size Econobum covers. They are adjustable and fit up from little babies all the way up to potty training usually. Let's buy four of those, because you can reuse them for multiple changes. They are $8.95 each, which might seem like a lot, but remember, they will fit for a VERY long time. So that's $35.80 for covers. You can also use either diaper pins or a snappi to fasten the prefolds around your baby, or just lay them in the cover. So let's say you choose snappis, and those are $3.95 each. Let's get two so you'll have a spare in case you need it. If you choose not to use disposable wipes, baby washcloths work wonderfully as cloth wipes. Dip them in a bit of water with a drop or two of baby wash and you're good to go. Those are $10 for 10 or so, and you'll need 20. So let's say $20 for wipes. So now we're up to $100 for the first two months or so, considering the weight range on the disposables and the prefolds.

So now we need to size up on the prefolds to the Regular size. They are $42 for two dozen. And remember, those covers are one-size, so they can be adjusted to fit your baby at this stage as well. So now, we're only going to need to buy the larger prefolds. Which means for months 3-6 you're only looking at another $42!

So a quick breakdown

Disposables 
Months 1 & 2 = $152
Months  3 - 6 = $308

First 6 months in disposables =  $460

Cloth Prefolds & Covers
Months 1 & 2 = $100
Months 3 - 6 = $42


First 6 months in cloth = $142


Even if you chose to use pocket style diapers, you will still save money!
Two dozen FuzziBunz One-Size Diapers are $479
Two dozen Ones&Twos One-Size Diapers are $409

And if you find a co-op for diapers they can be even cheaper! I have gotten pocket style diapers with two bamboo inserts for $5.50 each, which would only be $132!
I know a lot of people say oh, but what about all the work and special stuff you have to do to cloth diapers! Well, I wash mine just like I normally do laundry. I use a natural detergent on our clothes anyway, so I use that on our diapers. There are a lot of detergent options out there, and different ones work for different people. We use ECOS, and it costs me $9 for a big jug at Walmart. It will last me a while too. They are dried in the dryer, without the use of fabric softeners. They can be hung to dry either inside or outside as well! Hanging them outside allows the sun to naturally bleach stains if you have them. Other than that, there's not much to it!


I also want to mention that cloth diapers can be sold after you're done using them, or saved for another baby! Diaperswappers is an excellent place to sell and even buy pre-loved or sometimes new diapers!

My sources for the prices quoted here are as follows. Disposables were found at Wal-Mart and the Cloth prices were found at Mom's Milk Boutique and Cotton Babies