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Suggestions for Finding Free Baby Stuff
Babies are so expensive. Babies cost you so much money for their gear and needs. We have all heard the media spout off about how expensive it is to have a baby and raise a child these days. If we were all to believe this hype, and wait until we could afford to have children based on their numbers, no one would ever have kids! Seriously, if you believed that your child will cost you $300,000.00 for the next 18 years, plus college, would you have children?
Contrary to the media hype, babies and children really do not need to cost you as much as we are all led to believe. Babies could care less if they are sleeping on a $100.00 crib or one you paid $10,000 for. They could care less if they are wearing Baby Gap or WalMart clothing as long as they are warm and comfortable. They could also care less if they are sitting in a high chair you bought at the local yard sale or thrift shop. Babies and young children care about being comfortable, fed and played with. Beyond that pretty much everything else in their lives is an added bonus.
As new parents we are led to believe that our babies need all of the latest and greatest items available or somehow our babies will feel like they are less than others or will not grow up to be happy, productive members of society. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Seriously, think about it.
There are a few basic things you can do to raise your children frugally and get the best bang for your hard earned dollars. One of the easiest ways to save money and get things free for your baby is to let everyone you know, who has children, that you are open to using used items for your children. Most every parent out there has a box or two or three of baby stuff they would love to give to someone who would use it. Take full advantage of this and make sure to graciously accept anything offered to you that you can use. And, when you are done with things offer them freely to others having babies of their own.
Another great resource of free things for your baby is your doctor’s office. Most people know that the pharmaceutical company representatives give doctors free samples of their medications in hopes that the doctor will use them with their patients and then prescribe those medications for the in the future. Do you know that baby formula is handled the same way? All of the major manufacturers of baby formula bring it by the case to your pediatrician and local hospitals. Most doctors and hospitals have a closet of the stuff just waiting for someone to ask if they can have some of it! If you are paying for baby formula make sure that on your next trip to the pediatrician you mention this and ask if they have any samples of your brand from the drug company. I would bet you that they do and are more than happy to give you as much of it as you would like.
The internet offers a million and one ways you can receive free stuff for your babies – from formula to clothing and more. The easiest way to receive free samples of baby items is to go to all of the major manufacturers and sign-up to be on their mailing lists. By doing this you will start getting goodies in your mailbox and you will find that these companies also sell your name to others and you will get samples and coupons for all kinds of baby stuff before long. If you don’t know where to start go to your favorite search engine and enter “free baby” and see all of the thousands of sites that come up.
Raising children can be expensive but it does not have to be. If you mention to people that you are trying to raise your children frugally and are open to any and all suggestions and donations you are likely to have more of them than you ever dreamed possible. Take what you can use, and pass along what you can’t.
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