Having seven kids the last thing I want to do is spend a ton of money on items needed for our upcoming little bundle’s arrival. But, of course, I would get rid of most of Hanna’s clothes as she grew because we were done having babies.

I wonder how many times I’ve said over the last 14 years of being a mom “this is our last one!” I bet I couldn’t count on five hands!

I love babies. I love birth. I love large families, and I love the thought of all my babies having each other in the years to come. I didn’t grow up in the best circumstances. There were family feuds, this person not talking to this person and all my siblings were much older than me, so they had lives beyond my years.

I knew I always wanted a big family. As a kid, I wanted 8, and I guess I got my wish! However, it can be expensive having to rebuy things multiple times because “we’re done!” after every one!

Here are some ways I’ve kept in mind for sticking to a budget and managed to have everything ready for baby, due in 11 weeks already!

4 Ways To Prepare for a New Baby on a Budget

• Check buy, sell and trade pages: I just got a full wardrobe for baby from 0-24 months for $170. Everything she could need in perfect condition and I didn’t break the bank. I didn’t need to make multiple trips to the store. She even delivered the items to my house. Five bags and she is set for the first two years of her life + all the old times I have saved of Hanna’s since being pregnant. Believe me when I say they grow too quickly to worry about buying brand new. These BST pages have fantastic deals and more often than not the items are incredible!
• Stock up on diapers on sale: We are a Huggies family. We depend on them to get our kids through the night, and they haven’t failed us yet! I’ve already got a stockpile piling. Watch flyers for deals and remember to check Costco. They often have great deals on Huggies diapers and wipes!
• Registry: create a registry. There are many places such as Buy, Buy, Baby, Babies R Us and Amazon you can register on and others can gift/buy you items you need. I find having a registry helps especially if you are like me and ONLY having one baby shower for your first! Babies that come after people would still like to spoil, so it’s an excellent way for them to get you things you NEED.
• Make a budget: Put money aside monthly and get things slowly. While so many say it comes quickly, it doesn’t. You do have time and don’t have to rush to buy everything all at once. Buying things here and there is a great way to save especially if you watch flyers and deals carefully you will be able to save quite a bit!
• BONUS: plan for your future: While it’s not like the main 4 points, I thought it was also important to mention that you should start planning your financial future sooner rather than later – even if you are on a budget. When are you going to be setting up your child’s college fund? Have you been on sites like Discountlifecover.co.uk to make sure your family will be covered if anything happens to you? Do you have enough budget to move into a better house? Thinking about these factors is very important when planning your budget.

Preparing for a baby is always fun no matter what number you are on. I can’t tell you have excited I was getting all baby’s clothes and washing them all. I was giddy and seeing them all packed up with her swaddles, headbands, and other items have me excited for these next 11 (10 on Saturday!) weeks to come!