(Isn't it SOOO CUTE??)Oh my goodness, I have found a new love!! CLOTH DIAPERS! Before you say "Eww" or call me a "tree-hugger" ( read My MIL's blog about Word Twisting for a laugh about "tree-hugging" ) listen to what I have to say first!
1. $COST$- Do you even know how much money you spend on regular disposable diapes? Now I've done some online research and it says you can spend anywhere from $50-$80/month on disposable diapers...wow. That floored me- no WAY I was spending that much. I did some number crunching. I have 2 kids in diapers (DON'T get me started on the one that SHOULD be pt'ing right now), my 4 month old goes through diapers MUCH faster than my 3 year old, I also can buy the cheaper diapes for my 3 year old rather than buying the more pricey ones I buy for my 4 month old who leaks out the cheapies. I buy diapers every pay check (1st and 15th of every month), I spend about $20/package for my 4 month old and use about 2.5 to 3 packages/month ($60/month!!!!), for my 3 year old I spend $7/pack LUVS @ WINCO) and buy about 2.5-3/month (about $21/month). Then cost of extra trash bags, or in my case SPECIAL bags to go in my diaper pail which cost about $6 for 10 bags and I have to buy those every 2 weeks also (another $20)... I'm not even factoring in WIPES (which I will later). So my grand total for DIAPES and disposal of said diapes is (drum roll please...) $101/month. Wow, that's over $1200 a year- JUST ON DIAPERS. If you only have one child and that child is in diapers for 3 years...that's $3600.
Ok so average cost of using cloth diapes?? So far I've spent $76 on 16 cloth diapers, inserts and prefolds (either child can wear these diapers also). I wash every day (I do laundry every day with a new born anyway so no difference to me). So far the most amazing thing to me is how little I take trash out to the dhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifumpster anymore! I love that!! I also love that I never have to worry about running out of diapers. BUT back to cost, $76 and I'm set. I, of course, will buy more to make it so I don't have to wash as often (plus truthfully I'm addicted to finding CUTE prints and colors). For about $25 less than I'd spend a month on diapers I've got cloth diapers for both children and I don't HAVE to buy more!
Now, I don't buy them new from expensive sites. You can buy them on ebay quite cheap (I spent $1.79 on one SHIPPED) but my favorite place to look is DiaperSwappers. They have pockets (my favorite kind), prefolds, flats, covers, WAHM made (work at home mom), etc. Plus it's a great source for information about CD'ing.
Not convinced yet? Check back, next I'm gonna talk about cloth wipes!!!
