Saving Money with Terry Nappies
By Christine McRitchie.
It’s so nice when you discover that you can go green AND save cash at the same time, and terry nappies are a fantastic example of this. If you’ve ever explored this subject you’ll find the figures quoted can vary enormously, but what they all agree on is that you CAN save money by switching to washable nappies. The feel good factor is free!
It is estimated that about 85% of families still use disposable nappies, and around 92% of that market is the big brands, which on average cost around 15p a nappy (before you add on the cost of nappy sacks and wipes). So, bearing in mind that babies on average have around 4,500 nappy changes from birth until they toilet train, parents choosing disposables should be expecting to spend at least £675 on their nappies, plus at least another £300 on the nappy sacks and wipes, so you’re looking at spending the best part of £1,000 on nappies that will be going in the bin. Not many parents have that kind of money to throw away, especially at the moment, so thank goodness you don’t have to!
Not using terry nappies yet? Read on!
There are lots of different options available if you’re considering using washable nappies, however if your main incentive is to save money, let’s start with the cheapest option of all, the humble terry square. They are nowhere near as hard to use as most people imagine, and they are by far the cheapest and most versatile washable nappy you can get. It’s possible to use just the one size of terry nappy from birth until potty training, and to nappy your baby for around £150. That’s in total, including 24 terries, 4 each of small, medium and large wraps, nappy nippas, washable liners and washable wipes. So, you could save over £800. If you have another baby, you’ll save double. If you have a third, you may need new wraps, but you’ll still have saved over £2,000. Now that has to make terry nappies sound a bit more attractive!
Ok, I admit that when I first considered washable nappies I thought terries were a step too far, so if you’re in that category and you really need to be using something a bit more user friendly, then you may like to consider a shaped nappy – see our sister site, Plush Pants Cloth Nappies, for a full range of these. Even if you go for differently sized shaped nappies, you can still save at least £650 on nappying your first baby, and by using them again for the next baby, you will save even more as you won’t have the outlay again. You can even sell on your washable nappies when you’re done with them, recouping some of the cost, or why not Freecycle them?
More ways to save!
There are other ways in which you can save money with washable nappies – one obvious way is to air dry the terry nappies whenever possible rather than tumble drying – terries dry very fast anyway. This is better for the nappies, better for the environment, and better for your fuel bills. You can also wash terry nappies which are purely wet at 40 degrees rather than 60, this will also save you money. Remember that terry nappies only need a fraction of the detergent you would usually use – just a tablespoon or so is usually sufficient, as it’s important that all the residue is washed out of the nappies in the final rinse, and never use fabric conditioner – it coats the fibres making them less absorbent over time. Or why not try Ecoballs or soapnuts instead, which can cost as little as 3p a wash. You can eliminate the cost of nappy wipes entirely by using washable wipes, which you can either buy, or make yourself from old towels, muslins or flannels – just pop in the nappy bucket and wash with your terry nappies. There is no need for disposable nappy sacks – you can get reusable nappy bags, big enough to take a days worth if you’re going back to work. Many parents also choose to use fleece nappy liners instead of flushable ones, again you can make them yourself. All these things add up to a big cost saving for new parents – and with lower monthly outgoings, you may find that your finances are not as stretched as you thought they would be.
Terry nappies are a wise investment – anything else is just rubbish!
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