Frugal Friday - Cloth Diapers

I've written about cloth diapers before, but wanted to give you another look at what we're using now...which is actually quite different from my original post.

We originally started our foray into cloth diapering with pre-folds, Snappies and covers. I actually bought the covers second-hand off Craigslist, so total start-up cost was right at $40. Recently, a good friend of mine bequeathed me a lot of FuzziBunz when her son outgrew them and I have to say that I LOVE them! When Analeigh was here full time and I was cloth-diapering two, we didn't have quite enough to go around, so I did some saving and purchased some Flips. If you're a family on the go - or if you're cloth-diapering several kids at once, you'll love Flips!


I think one of the biggest reasons people don't cloth diaper is because they think that the upfront cost is too great. There are so many ways around this! Yes, a starter FuzziBunz kit will run you upwards of $500, but there are so many used options too. My favorite site to purchase cloth diapers, Squishy Tushy, also offers slightly used diapers. Craigslist and Ebay are great resources too!


Right now, Squishy Tushy is running some good sales, and they also offer layaway plans. Flips (even at full price) are a great, cheaper option and the one size really does fit most. I've tried it on several kids from tiny to Cash (age 3). Their site also offers a 30-day trial pack that allows you to try out a comprehensive line of diapers for thirty days, then return them to get store credit and purchase the kind that best fits your needs. If you've been dying to test the cloth diaper waters, this is the way to go! What's the gamble?

Many cloth diapering sites and companies state that you must use special (expensive) laundry soap with cloth diapers. It's true that most laundry detergent you can purchase do make cloth diapers less absorbent due to the softeners, but I've had lots of friend who have had good luck with Free and Clear detergents. Since I make my own detergent, I was bound and determined to come up with my own Free and Clear recipe, and I've finally hit the right combo! Just use the normal recipe, but replace the Fels-Naptha with Palmolive Natural Free and Clear dish soap. Works great! I have an HE frontloader, but the small amount of dish soap (especially when mixed with the Borax and washing soda) does not suds enough to create a problem.







Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for voicing my ideas on cloth diapering. All opinions are my own, based on my experience with my children. I am, however, an affiliate with Squishy Tushy. Using the links above to purchase diapers will not increase your cost, but will give my family a referral fee.


For more ideas on ways to stay frugal, please visit www.lifeasmom.com. It's always better when we ban together to save money!