Diaper expense

jacobs32

Do you consider diapers a major baby expense?  The reason I ask is I have seen it referenced in post as such. For example, the expense of having 2 in diapers at a time, being able to afford having a baby.  

DS is in a size 4 pampers and goes through about 6 diapers a day. We buy the biggest boxes we can get and I calculated the cost to be less than $1.50 a day. Most people I know spend more than this daily on a cup of coffee! 

I went to Babies r Us the other day and spent $87 on 2 boxes (176 count each) of diapers and 8 packs of wipes- plus got a $20 gift card- and we're set for 8 weeks. By the time we need more someone else will be having a sale.

I guess my feeling is if I was worries about the impact of the cost of diapers when considering having a child, I would be more concerned about other expenses such as medical co-pays, perscriptions, daycare, etc.

Is it common to buy the little packs from the drugstore all the time? I could see how that could be a major expense.

Tabby2727

I don't think diapers are all that expensive, it's the cost of daycare that'll break you.  I usually buy my diapers at BRU when they have a sale, I have a few boxes up stairs (I like to buy a head). The nice thing about buying them there is once you buy your 9th box the 10th box is free.

macchiatto

I buy the Jumbo packs from the drugstore all the time ... but through couponing and bargain-shopping, I get them on average for maybe $3/pack (I pay anywhere from free to $5/pack). I spend about $15-20 per month, per baby, for diapers, so for me they're not a big expense. But I know a lot of people who spend $50-80/month, easily, per baby. Not a huge expense but not tiny, either, especially for those on modest incomes and/or with more than one kid.

jacobs32

macchiatto:

I buy the Jumbo packs from the drugstore all the time ... but through couponing and bargain-shopping, I get them on average for maybe $3/pack (I pay anywhere from free to $5/pack). I spend about $15-20 per month, per baby, for diapers, so for me they're not a big expense. But I know a lot of people who spend $50-80/month, easily, per baby. Not a huge expense but not tiny, either, especially for those on modest incomes and/or with more than one kid.

I also buy at the drugstore with coupons and promotions.  I also think if I send DH to buy the diaper we would spend $80 a month- he'd just pick up any size package anywhere- that's why I do it.  I think I spend about $40 a month- not a major expense.

Soap1

We buy the huge boxes of the Target brand diapers.  I'd say it's probably $40 per month?  I definitely don't think that diapers are the biggest expense with babies, but when you combine diapers with everything else they manage to need (dr visits, clothes, wipes, cups, a new bottle of tylenol because you already lost the one you just bought yesterday, etc.) then two is def more expensive than one!

anna7602

DD has been wearing underwear full-time since August. Honestly, I was a little shocked by how much lower my credit card bills have been since she started potty training. You're right that on a per-use basis, it's not very much, but it's a regular expense and it makes a difference when you don't have it anymore. And I can't even imagine if I had two kids in diapers at once.

I wouldn't use the economic costs of diapers themselves as a reason for being able to afford 2 small children, but rather the psychological cost of having 2 in diapers at the same time. The pace of my day and life is so different now that I don't have a kid in diapers.

anna7602

I should add to my previous answer that we were paying $44 for a box of four packs on diapers.com because that was the cheapest I found for organic diapers, NatureBabycare. There is absolutely no way I would have ever found these diapers anywhere for $3-$5/pack as some of pps say.

megd06

We use the Target diapers, and pay $14 or so for a box of 82...they last us on average 3-4 wks. Sometimes less. Not bad at all...we spent tons more on formula, and we used the Walmart brand of that!