How readers save $$$ every month
These CNNMoney.com readers have cut back on spending without sacrificing. Here's how they do it.
Using cloth diapers
Age: 27
Hometown: Waukegan, Ill.
Monthly savings: $30
We just had our first child, and are saving a lot of money by cloth diapering her. An added bonus is that cloth diapers are better for the environment and don't contain the harsh chemicals that give babies diaper rash. After accounting for buying the diapers and utility expenses to wash and dry them, most online calculators estimate we will save between $400 and $1,000 dollars, depending on how long she is in diapers, and how many diapers she goes through in a day.
Cloth diapering is not what it used to be. There are no pins (diapers use aplix closures or snaps), and diapers made of fleece and microfiber wick wetness away just like disposables. Washing the diapers takes no more time than running out to the store to buy diapers would take.
The best part is that if we have another child, diapering that child will be essentially free aside from some negligible utility costs. This is potentially an additional savings of $3,000!
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