Cloth Diapering on a Budget

How much can you afford to spend on cloth diapers? 

Some people have chosen to use cloth diapers because they simply can’t afford to be buying disposable diapers every week.  For many of you there might be a little bit of a sticker shock when you first begin to research cloth diapers.  The average cost is $17-23 or more per diaper for pockets and all-in-one cloth diapering systems.  There are some more cost effective diapering systems that actually blend the ease of the modern pocket cloth diaper with the cost of pre-folds.  With these affordable options you can cloth diaper your baby from birth to potty training for as little as $100. 

Econobum by Cotton Babies

Cost: $9.95 for a one-size cover & one-size pre-fold; $97.90 for the complete set of 6 one-size covers & 12 one-size pre-folds
Closure: Snaps
Quality:The covers on the Econobum are a VERY thin 100% laminated polyester.  I like the thickness and absorbency of the 100% unbleached cotton pre-fold.     

Flip by Cotton Babies

Cost: $16.95 for a one-size cover & stay dry insert; $13.95 for the Flip cover with no insert. 
Closure: Snaps
Quality: The cover of the Flip is polyester with 5% spandex in the tabs.  In the $16.95 set the Stay Dry insert is a triple layer microfiber with a stay-dry suede to help wick away moisture.  If you can spend a little extra money I would add a few Flip covers to your stash to use with your pre-folds.  One fun option with the Flip is that they are available in some really fun colors. 

Real Nappies USA

Cost:$15.00 for the Intro Set with 1-PUL Snug Wrap diaper cover, 1 – premium Indian bleached cotton pre-fold diaper, and 1- sample bioliner (flushable or biodegradable) diaper liner.  Available in Newborn, Infant, Crawler, or Toddler size (not a one-sized diaper).
Closure: Velcro
Quality:  The Real Nappies Snug Wrap is a much heavier PUL than either the Econobum or Flip covers.  The Velcro closure is fairly strong but not as strong as some of the pocket diapers that I use on a regular basis.  Lil B is 21 months and almost 25 lbs (23 lbs at her last appointment) and the Crawler (17-30lbs) is still a little on the large size.  The absorbency of the pre-fold was amazing – I even set them up for failure when I put Lil B in the Real Nappie for bedtime.  After aa full 12 hours my tot didn’t leak at all!  I have to admit I was a little shocked – even without a snug fit.  Real Nappies are one of the only brands I’ve seen that offer a two-child guarantee – if your diaper fails before your second child is potty trained they will repair or replace it for you. 

Another advantage to all of these diapering systems is that you can simply handwash the diaper covers and hang them to dry.  They can be reused almost immediately if you dry them with a towel real quickly.  If you can only afford a very small stash you could easily purchase 3-6 of the covers and reuse them throughout the day.  Each of the diapering systems above are also available in multi-cover packages or you can simply purchase a pre-fold diaper from your favorite retailer.  Pre-folds typically run $1-2 each and are normally sold in packs of six.   

I know I normally promote one-sized pocket style cloth diapers but I also understand that many people choose cloth for the financial savings.  For those people who need a simple, affordable, and modern cloth diaper these diapering systems can certainly fit any budget.  What is your favorite economical cloth diaper?  Have you cloth diapered your child on an extreme budget?  Please share your stories in the comments or if you prefer email me your story and I’ll be happy to post it for my readers.  theecochic@gmail.com        

GIVEAWAY!  Would you like to win your own Real Nappies Sample Intro Set?  Follow these simple steps to be entered into this giveaway and leave an individual comment for each entry.  Contest ends Monday, November 15, 2010 at midnight ET.  GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Congrats to #47 A Ryerson!

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Disclosure: I purchased both the Econobum and Flip diapers for this review.  Real Nappies USA provided me with a Sample Intro Set for this review.  All opinions expressed within this post are my own.