3 Costco products you need when having your first child

My wife and I recently celebrated six beautiful and busy months with our first child. From swaddles to bottles to vaccinations, there is a learning curve (or in my case, a ladder the size of Mount Everest).

One thing I learned – babies are expensive. According to American Heritage, parents in 2023 will spend an average of $13,000 in the first year of their baby’s life, not including labor and birth costs. Although some of these costs can be difficult to reduce (baby formula is notoriously expensive), one way to save money is to buy products in bulk at Costco. Many baby essentials are sold as Kirkland Signature products, which are usually cheaper without sacrificing quality.

Whether you’re expecting a baby in 2024 or already have one, here are three Kirkland products that could help your personal finances.

1. Diaper

There’s a reason no baby shower is complete without tons of boxes of diapers. many their. You’ll need more than 2,000 disposable diapers in your child’s first year alone, which can easily put you in credit card debt.

Fortunately, Costco sells diapers at low prices. For example, a box of 192 Kirkland Signature (size 1) diapers sells for $34.99, or about $0.18 per diaper. That’s one of the lowest prices per diaper you can find. But even if you prefer Huggies over Kirkland Signature diapers, you can find the lowest prices at Costco, as shown below.

Data source: Seller website.

2. Wet wipes

Before I had a baby, I thought a pack of wet wipes could easily last me a month. But my daughter introduced me to blowouts, and I found myself easily using five wipes per diaper change.

It’s hard to beat the price of these baby wipes. A box of 900 wipes costs $21.99, or about $0.024 per wipe. The cheapest comparable wipes on Amazon are $22.99 for 800 sheets, or about $0.026 per wipe. I also appreciate that Costco offers unscented options. This is great for my daughter’s sensitive eczema skin.

3. Formula

One thing no one warns you about when you’re pregnant with your first child – feeding your baby is hard work. Even if you have a sufficient supply of breast milk, breastfeeding can be very difficult. My daughter wanted to eat every two hours, day and night, for the first few months of her life. And since her baby needs to be breastfed or formula-fed for the first year of her life, it’s no surprise that 75% of her parents breast-feed or formula-feed her at least. part Official within the first 6 months.

Of course, baby formula isn’t that cheap. Therefore, finding high-quality baby formula at an affordable price can save you a lot of money. Luckily, Costco sells baby formula at very competitive prices. The competition is so fierce that it’s actually hard to find a cheaper price at another store. For example, here’s how Costco’s baby formula compares to generic brands from other retailers:

Data source: Seller website.

Now, I can’t say that Costco is the cheapest. every Baby products and all baby products should not be purchased in bulk. For example, Costco sells a three-pack of Desitin diaper rash cream for $21.99, but I can count the number of times I’ve used it on one hand.

But for other items, like diapers and wipes, buying in bulk is one of the best things you can do for your mental health as a new parent. Even if your child loves their car seat (lucky you!), new parents don’t want to spend precious time buying diapers every week. Trust me. If you can find it anywhere, it will take some extra time.

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