Cost question for formula moms

rondokye · October 2013

A question for those who FF their LOs - On average, how much do you do you spend a month in formula, if you don't mind me asking. I breastfeed with the occasional formula bottle. I bought a can of formula in August and just finished it up last week. I've never been a big milk producer, usually just making enough for LO each day. I've been back to work now for over a month and am really struggling each day to pump, especially with my hour+ commute (total of 2.5 hours in the car a day). For the past two weeks, I've been sending her to day care with 70/30 bottles (milk/formula). I've only been able to keep up for this long because I am able to work from home two days a week. But I think that I am ready to make the switch. And I am trying to figure out and plan our budget for the month so I am looking for an estimate as to how much formula could cost us. Thanks in advance.

pgermain11 · October 2013

I spend $26 on each container and probably use about 4 a month.

notaffected1 · October 2013

$17 a week. We use Kirkland brand from Costco. Next cheapest I found was target brand which is about $23 a week.

emmanemm · October 2013

We spend around $18 on each similac container(we've always used a $5 off coupon, if we didn't it'd be $23)and we buy them at least 4 times a month, occasionally we've had to buy 5 a month.

jemasa33 · October 2013

Formula can get very expensive. I paid 175 a month when ds1 got a little older.

[Deleted User] · October 2013

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Clyde013 · October 2013

I buy a large container of similac at Costco. It costs 30.49 and makes 61 4oz bottles. Depending how much your LO eats per day you can calculate what the cost would be. E eats 24-28oz per day so we use just about 3 containers per month. About $91.50/month.

I also use a $5 coupon each time so it's 76.50

alamie717 · October 2013

Yikes, I didn't know formula was so expensive!

Erinm278 · October 2013

I spend $20 on each container because, as of yet, I haven't had to buy one without a formula check. So far one container will last us almost a week. Of course, as she takes more we will be buying more! I'd say we spend $100- $120 a month on formula.

arlingirl · October 2013

Yup and unfortunately we have stuck with Similac because nothing cheaper has worked. DH's brother just bought us 3 large cans at Costco and when I went to pay him he said not to worry. Praise Jesus because we were hurting this month. O:-)

Carrie3102 · October 2013

We use the 40 oz can of Target's up and up brand but with discounts it ends up being $42/mo We get 2 cans/mo. When he starts eating more I'll get the Sam's Brand for the same price (43) and receive 8 more ounces. The only reason I don't do that now is Target is closer then Sam's.

Josephine was done with formula and 100% WCM at about 11.5 mos. I decided at that time, that I wasn't buying one more tub of formula, she had been drinking some milk since about 7/8 mos when she'd sip from my cup at dinner, so I knew she could tolerate it and by that time she was eating whatever we did for dinner and I was sending food for her to the sitter. So I think for we spent about 465 in total for her formula.

Edit: clarity

[Deleted User] · October 2013

notaffected1 said:

$17 a week. We use Kirkland brand from Costco. Next cheapest I found was target brand which is about $23 a week.

Same here. I don't feet like we go thru a can a week but we probably do. I guess I should probably pay attention.

dinomama13 · October 2013

We buy 2 big cans a month from sams. We don't go through two but as pp stated I get paranoid and feel like I'm gonna run out. It's the sams brand of similac sensitive and it's $23.

MrsWilson2013 · October 2013

rondokye said:

I bought a can of formula in August and just finished it up last week.

Did you open the can in August? I ask because your supposed to toss anything not used within one month of opening.

As far as cost, little to none for us. We are on WIC and they currently give us 9 cans of Enfamil a month, occasionally we have to buy a can which is around $15.

kalemi · October 2013

We buy sams club. I buy 3 tubs every 2 weeks. He uses 1 tub in about 10 days. I just overbuy to make sure we have extra incase unexpected finances came up or something later on. So...about $70 every two weeks

NKF312 · October 2013

We get enfamil in a 2 pack (32 oz) for $30-$35 depending on if I have a coupon .. Ends up about $100 a month

rondokye · October 2013

MrsOHearts said:

rondokye said:

I bought a can of formula in August and just finished it up last week.

Did you open the can in August? I ask because your supposed to toss anything not used within one month of opening.

As far as cost, little to none for us. We are on WIC and they currently give us 9 cans of Enfamil a month, occasionally we have to buy a can which is around $15.
This. We are on wic also getting 9 cans of enfamil gentlease, though by next month I am gonna have to buy additional cans due to her eating so much ._.

Craaaaaaaaaaaaap. I did.

(

rondokye · October 2013

Thanks, everyone. Now I have an idea of what we will be spending. Much appreciated.

notaffected1 · October 2013

rondokye said:

MrsOHearts said:

rondokye said:

I bought a can of formula in August and just finished it up last week.
Did you open the can in August? I ask because your supposed to toss anything not used within one month of opening.

As far as cost, little to none for us. We are on WIC and they currently give us 9 cans of Enfamil a month, occasionally we have to buy a can which is around $15.
This. We are on wic also getting 9 cans of enfamil gentlease, though by next month I am gonna have to buy additional cans due to her eating so much ._.
Craaaaaaaaaaaaap. I did.
(

FWIW our pedi said not to worry too much if we go over 1 month by a little. I asked her because we leave a can with our day care and he isn't there enough to go through it in a month. She said it is a guideline just like an expiration on milk.

rondokye · October 2013

notaffected1 said:

rondokye said:

MrsOHearts said:

rondokye said:

I bought a can of formula in August and just finished it up last week.
Did you open the can in August? I ask because your supposed to toss anything not used within one month of opening.

As far as cost, little to none for us. We are on WIC and they currently give us 9 cans of Enfamil a month, occasionally we have to buy a can which is around $15.
This. We are on wic also getting 9 cans of enfamil gentlease, though by next month I am gonna have to buy additional cans due to her eating so much ._.
Craaaaaaaaaaaaap. I did.
(
FWIW our pedi said not to worry too much if we go over 1 month by a little. I asked her because we leave a can with our day care and he isn't there enough to go through it in a month. She said it is a guideline just like an expiration on milk.

I never even gave it a thought. She's been doing so well with it. Major mom fail.

Caitable25 · October 2013

emmanemm said:
We spend around $18 on each similac container(we've always used a $5 off coupon, if we didn't it'd be $23)and we buy them at least 4 times a month, occasionally we've had to buy 5 a month.

Ditto

rooter84 · October 2013

We also use the Target up and up. My neighbor had given us a TON of enfamil so after all that was used we tried up and up. Then we tried to go back to emfamil because with the check coupons it was cheaper. However Gavin spits up/throws up a lot more when given the enfamil.
We buy 2 to 3 40 oz containers a month.

KTZ17 · October 2013

@caffienerain, @erinm278 and anyone else who mentioned it, what are these formula checks I've seen people talking about? We supplement but obviously any savings would help. Where/how do you get them?

maryoosa · October 2013

We use the Similac advance ready-to-eat (liquid stuff). We get it from Costco and typically have a coupon. It's 8 32 ounce bottles and we typically go through 10-12 bottles of it weekly. It's about $40.00 with the coupon.

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