Saving Money with Prefolds

Today’s guest post is from BC reader Maggie:

I decided to cloth diaper my four-month old son to save money, period. I did not switch to be cute, or to save the planet. I simply wanted to save my wallet. I had a hard time stomaching paying a hefty $500 or more to buy fancy cloth diapers, even if it would be easy and save me money eventually. Instead, I chose to go the ultimate frugal route in the cloth diapering world–I chose to use prefolds.

Yes folks, those old fashioned squares our mother’s used are still alive. These small 11×15″ pieces of cloth scare most people to death, and needlessly so. I bought them, not really convinced I could handle them. In the back of my mind I just knew that to survive cloth diapering I would really need those fancy diapers. How wrong I was!

These simple, old fashioned diapers are truly wonderful. They are cheap, they are easy, and they work! Sure it took a few tries to get the hang of folding one, but by the end of day one I knew these were going to be to be the solution to diapering I was looking for. I didn’t even have to master using pins. They have these stretchy, rubber band like clasps called Snappis (pronounced snap-ease) that allow you to close the diaper with ease. If messing with folds and securing the diaper intimidates you, you can simply fold the diaper in thirds and lay it inside a waterproof cover.

Prefolds are sometimes confusing in their seemingly endless options – bleached or unbleached, Chinese or Indian, etc. It truly doesn’t matter what type you buy. They all work well. Chinese are a bit rougher in feel, but they quilt up “puffier” and are more durable. Indian are typically softer, and a little “smoother.” I personally prefer unbleached Chinese, but they all work so well I would use any of them.

To start using prefolds full time you just need the prefolds, a snappi or pins, some waterproof covers, wipes (cloth or disposable), and a bucket to throw dirty diapers in. You do not need anything more than that. Sure, you can get as fancy as you like, but that is the bare basics to save you money, which is what I am all about.

My only word of caution is that those “prefold cloth diapers” they sell at WalMart and Target are worthless… you must use a high quality prefold found at cloth diaper stores. Those Gerber rags do not hold much liquid in comparison to their true prefold counterparts and they do not last nearly as long over time.

In total I have spent $215 (shelled out a little at a time over three months) for a stash of diapers that will last me from tiny baby to potty-trained three year old. That’s it. I could have spent half as much if I wouldn’t have been tempted to try those darned fancy diapers. I love my prefolds and wish I had just chosen them first. In comparison I spent $3500 on disposable diapers and wipes for my older son.

My favorite places to buy prefolds and learn about all things prefold related:

• Integrity Diaper Company (sells my favorite type of prefolds and covers!)
• Green Mountain Diapers (sells very popular, unique prefold sizes that take out a lot of the folding issues)
• Pinstripes and Polks Dots (a super fabulous resource for a beginner because there is a “basics” section that answers any question you might have)

If you truly want to try out some of the other cloth diaper options I suggest you read reviews of them from mamma’s who have used them at Diaper Pin. And then go save yourself some money by buying them used but in super great condition from Diaper Swappers, which also has a forum where you can ask any question you might dream of.

Cloth diapering has worked out fantastically for me. My husband loves all the money we’re saving, and I just wish I had known how easy it was when I had my first baby! Give prefolds a try. I bet you’ll like them!

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