First Frugal Things to Do After You Get Pregnant

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It’s so exciting! That moment you look down see that plus sign or the two pink lines or even the word, “pregnant.” It’s like no other moment in the world. Shortly after the excitement comes the worry. There are so many things expectant mothers worry about. What to eat, how to exercise, what labor is going to feel like, what to do after the baby is born, and how to afford the baby. It’s that last one that we are going to talk about today. If you live on a tight budget, there are some frugal things to do after you get pregnant. These are the first steps you should take.

Save most your paycheck

As soon as you find out you are pregnant, start saving as much of your paycheck as you can, whether you plan to stay home or return to work after the baby is born. If you can, save all of your paycheck minus work expenses (gas, etc.). This will put you in good shape to pay off all those medical bills that will start rolling in. They will start coming in sooner than you expect them to, too. Some insurance companies pay for ultrasounds, some (like mine) consider them part of your deductible.

Stock up on baby items

Don’t go too overboard on this as you may not like certain brands of diapers/wipes or baby products. But it is okay to print off baby product coupons when you find them and buy the items on great sale. You also don’t want to buy too much too early as you may get some items like diapers and bath products at baby showers. I didn’t purchase any baby bath stuff because I was told it was a popular baby shower item. Apparently, not in my crowd. I had to purchase all that on my own. Thankfully, I was able to use coupons and never paid full price for any of my daughter’s baby bath soap and shampoo. The same is true for clothes. You will probably get a fair amount as gifts but when you find great deals on plain white body suits or sleepers or even just cute clothes, go ahead and pick up. Be sure to remember what season your baby will be born in so you can plan accordingly for clothing.

This is also a good time to start buying cloth diapers if you decide to go that route. I preferred prefolds and a cover as it is one of the cheapest routes. You can read more here about how I cloth diapered.

Start a baby gift registry

Not only is the baby registry there for friends and family who would like to buy gifts but don’t know what you want/need, many registries have a coupon code for completion. Basically, when your due date has come and gone, you will receive an e-mail with a coupon code (usually for 10% off) to use to buy the items on your registry yourself. These are usually good for a month or so after the due date.

Research freezer meals

Even if you are a member of a church or have a lot of local friends, don’t rely on them bringing you meals to get you through those first few weeks. You will get some but it is good to be prepared in case you need more. You don’t want to start making your meals too early but start a Pinterest board of freezer meals so that will be prepared with a plan when it is time to start cooking. These may not seem overly frugal but it will help keep you from buying a bunch of convenience foods.

Check online and consignment stores for maternity clothes

Maternity clothes are expensive and it can be hard to find a deal on them like you can other clothes. The reason being is because, with maternity clothes, there is no waiting. You need them now! Even though you won’t need maternity clothes right away, start shopping around for them. Remember that what is going to fit and be comfortable the first and second trimesters will not fit and be comfortable the third trimester. This is especially true when it comes to pants. Keep what seasons you will be pregnant in in mind when you are shopping. I found a bunch of my maternity clothing at consignment stores and the rest came from Old Navy online.

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As you go through your pregnancy there will be more frugal things to do. These are just some of the first frugal things to do after you get pregnant. Be sure to check out my post, Frugal Pregnancy- Second and Third Trimesters, to find out the next steps!