Thursday, July 09, 2009

CLOTH DIAPERS----- MY COST


Now after seeing LOTS of comments on The Happy Housewife blog, I decided to do a run down. Now keep in mind I only used basic white prefolds. I didn't buy the pretty ones that are all colorful etc.
2 package basic white prefolds(24 diapers)-$30
2 packages of 4 diaper pins- $6
3 receiving blankets- FREE (old blankets from family)
My water bill went up--------$2 a month! 2x24-48
My electricity bill went up-------$0.45 .45x 24=10.80
Bottle of baby soap-$1 and used this same bottle to give him baths maybe 5 bucks(not like their bodies are that big
Soap to wash diapers...The same soap used to wash the rest of the clothes.

I added all this up. About 100 bucks for 2 years of diapers.

Ok now COMPARE THIS---
1 package of disposable diapers- anywhere from 12-25 bucks per pack. And the low end was just newborns for the most part. And how many packs a month do you need. hmm lets say 3. and I KNOW sometimes its 4 because you will have weeks you will go through a pack a week. (remember Im not adding up buying in bulk here. JUST your basic pack of diapers.) So hmmm 12x3= 36 bucks. alright.. And then wait.. the next month they move to size 1 and well... there less in a pack. And the pack cost about 14 bucks..So lets add that in 3 pks a month to be nice. so 3x14=42 ok so now in the first 2 months of life(if you bought them on your own.. 78 bucks.. ON DIAPERS! Ok.. lets add in wipes.. Cheap wipes you can buy for about 2 bucks. You will need at least 2 a month. so there's 4 more bucks now for 2 months there's 80 bucks. Right now just for diapers and wipes. In 2 months is almost what I spent in 2 years. TO me.. THAT makes sense. AND economically friendly, because I wash them. I don't throw out. Water is recycled at the plant, that I pay to have done. A pile of disposable diapers for 2 years would stack higher than my house.
Now.. after all is said and done. and this being a rough estimate and actually being very conservative on costs of disposable stuff. I don't care whether people choose either or. I have used both. My choice was cloth. Basically because I am a cheapo and if I can save a buck I will. and if I can save tons more I will jump on it like crazy. Everyone has a personal choice. I didn't have the money with my second to afford anything else. And I know after the oldest, how many times I was worried about having the extra money to buy a pack of diapers. I will not begin to say YOU HAVE to choose cloth because this or disposables because this.....Not my choice. The only choices I make, are in MY house. I suggest everyone do what you believe is right. And whats right for me may not be right to others.

3 comments:

Dianna said...

Thanks for writing that all out. I have always wondered about the cost of disposable vs. washable diapers.

Unknown said...

You are very welcome.
Chris

susieloulou said...

That's pretty much how I did cloth, too - the cheap way :-)