It’s estimated there are 250 babies born every minute. That’s works out to be more 130 million every year.
That means there are millions of nervous mothers-to-be out there who are frantically planning. Planning baby names. Planning for labor and delivery.
And a big part of the planning — bringing their new little bundle of joy home.
For many of them, they have help. Their partner, family, and even friends.
Some of that help comes in the form of advice and suggestions — even when it isn’t asked for. And that’s okay.
But sometimes it’s just not good advice. Remember the Diaper Genie? Everyone you knew swore by it.
After a week, you realized it was a complete waste. The plastic unraveled and the nursery began to reak of unspeakable odors.
You ran it to the outside garbage bin, but emptying it wasn’t much better. It was impossible to get the snipper to work properly. It was a miracle if you didn’t end up covered in your baby’s excrement.
Well, that wasn’t the only baby item that some parents swore by and others swore at. Here’s a list of 5 other baby items that were basically a complete waste of money.
1. Baby Shoes
Of course, when you’re baby starts walking outside, you want them to wear shoes. But, what’s the point of shelling out more than $50 for a pair of Baby Jordan’s your baby can’t do anything in?
They can’t walk let alone play ball. Besides, the experts agree — it’s better to let your baby be barefoot.
If it’s cool out, by all means, put some socks on their little feet. But skip the fancy shoes. It’s just not worth it.
2. Bottle Warmer
This is on every brand-new parent’s checklist. And it shouldn’t be.
It’s quicker — not to mention cheaper — to heat up water on the stove and drop the bottle inside to warm it up. When it gets to a suitable temperature, simply take it out of the water.
3. Wiper Warmer
This is another item parents feel they need to buy. You don’t. In fact, you’ll never regret spending $30 more (aside from the Diaper Genie).
The problem with wiper warmers is that they tend to dry out the wipes. If you want to keep baby wipes warm and wet, wrap a blanket around the wipes box.
4. Sound Machine
Your baby’s been in your womb for nine months. That’s nine months of listening to background noise that soothes them to sleep.
It’s a good idea to have background noise when they finally arrive, but you don’t need an expensive machine. A stationary fan will suffice. Make sure you turn it away from the crib so they’re only getting the whirring sound, not a cool breeze.
Or, turn on the radio to a staticky AM channel and keep the volume low.
5. One of the Worst Baby Items Ever?
A formula mixer. This is a total waste of money — some cost as much as $150!
Ever since formula was invented, moms (and dads) shook the bottle by hand. No one’s ever had a problem with this until someone came along and realized they can market it to new moms.
Another useless and expensive item for the new-baby checklist!
Every parent should have a baby checklist. But, it needs to have sensible products that make life easier. If you want a checklist that has the essentials of what you’ll need, learn more here.
Spend Your Money on the Things That Matter
It’s easy to get carried away with all the new baby items when you’re pregnant. But it doesn’t take long for you to realize you wasted your money.
Instead, spend your money on the things that matter. A really great stroller. Or, put the money you would’ve spent on that Diaper Genie into a college savings account.
Speaking of Diaper Genie — the hack to use instead? Sandwich size zip-lock bags. You can get a box of 500 online for less than one Diaper Genie refill.
Want more thrifty tips on family life? Then keep on reading our blog!