4 Ways to Give a Great Inexpensive Baby Shower Gift on a Budget

This post may contain affiliate links.

When you have children or know lots of families having babies, birthday parties and baby showers can be a huge – and unplanned for – drain on your spending budget.   There are a few ways to help keep costs down while still giving a nice gift.  This week I’ll share some tips for giving inexpensive yet great baby gifts and next week I’ll share some tips for children’s gifts.

dollar store diaper cake boy
  • Give homemade gifts for baby showers.  If you’re crafty, then by all means make something darling for that new baby!  In reality many of us aren’t that crafty, but there are still good options for inexpensive gifts.
  • Give practical gifts. The more baby showers you expect, the more you should keep on hand.  If
    you don’t expect any, just 1 keeps you ahead of the game.

    • Keep size 1 and 2 diapers on hand when you get them for $5 or less per jumbo pack.
    • Wipes are also good to pick up when they are cheap
    • There are constantly deals on children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Infant versions are usually included.  Be sure to watch the expiration dates though.
    • Print up a certificate for several freezer meals that you can bring to the new mommy just before the expected arrival date.  Those meals will likely be more meaningful than new clothes for the baby during those first few months.
    • Print up a certificate for babysitting, laundry, or other household chores.  Follow through by setting up a morning to come help the new mommy for a few weeks, or taking your calendar over to schedule some baby free time for her.
    • I’ve even made adorable diaper cakes for $10 by adding some Dollar Tree store purchases to a $5 pack of diapers!
  • Watch for clearances on baby/toddler and clothes.
    • I’ve bought individual pieces for just $1 and outfits for $3 to keep on hand for gifts.  If I’ve kept any too long I can always get my money back out of them at a garage sale because they still have tags on them.  It just takes a minute to glance through the clearance racks!
    • Consider buying an outfit in 12 month size instead of newborn size.  With both of our kids we received more newborn and 0-3 month clothes than we could possibly use.  The clothes we received in larger sizes got more use.
    • Don’t wait for a shower invitation to buy the gift.  If you plan to give a gift regardless of receiving an invite to a shower watch their gift registry.  Stores clearance baby merchandise quickly, so mommies who registered early in their pregnancies will find that few if any of the clothes they picked out are still on the shelf come shower time.  This means if you’re watching early you can get a great bargain on something the mommy hand picked!
  • Watch for clearances on toys.  This time of year, as well as summer time many stores are clearancing for Christmas (either to get rid of or make way for)  You can pick up sets of letter blocks, sorting blocks, baby books and infant toys for just a few bucks.  They never go bad or out of style, and can always be sold at garage sales later if you feel like you won’t be going to any more baby showers.

Sure, we all like to pick out darling little outfits for new babies, but that can be a real budget buster.  I can give a $35 gift (pack of diapers, tub of wipes, infant fever drops, new toy and new sleeper) for less than $15 out of pocket. Plus, I didn’t have to make a stop at the store after receiving a shower invitation to buy anything!

Comments

  1. I had a friend who had multiple children, a small apartment, and not much income. As a way to declutter also, when a friend had a baby, she would have her older children choose one of their toys they had outgrown and bring it and give to the baby. It meant so much more to me when we played with it because I would always think of my sweet friend and her dear children.

Leave a Reply to Amanda M. Cancel reply

*