The Coupon Clutch winner is:

1) Jenni (comment #1)

Planning for a baby is a special and exciting time, but it can also be stressful. One of the areas in which my husband Britt and I felt this stress was with financial planning. We are both teachers, which means a tight budget, and we knew that adding a baby to our family would bring additional expenses. We also made the decision that I would take six weeks of maternity leave at the beginning of next school year (baby girl is due this summer), and it will unfortunately be unpaid. Now we really had some budgeting concerns!

We knew it was time to start saving like crazy. With the recommendation of several friends, we looked into Dave Ramsey’s money management system. I went onto his website and reviewed the free articles and information there, and then Britt and I sat down to create a budget system that worked for us.

Reevaluating how we were paying off our debt

Dave Ramsey recommends that you start by paying off your smallest debt first. By putting all of your extra assets toward your smallest debt, you are setting an attainable goal that will be realized more quickly. The immense feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment will motivate you to attack the next largest bill.

This seems so logical, but it was the exact opposite of what we were doing. Our debt consists of my student loans and each of our car payments. We were paying a little extra on all three of these bills each month, trying to knock them all down at once and not making any noticeable progress. By instead focusing all of the extra money each month onto my student loans, I am excited to say that  they will be paid off within the year.

Saving for my unpaid maternity leave

We implemented Dave Ramsey’s monthly budgeting system, which is based on using cash only. For each category in your budget, you withdraw a set amount of cash for the month, and that is all you are allowed to spend. For example, if it is the end of the month, and you only have $30 left in your grocery fund, then your challenge is to raid your pantry and see what you can do with what you have on hand plus $30. It seems harsh, but by following this method, you will be amazed at how your spending and saving patterns can change.

This was something very new for us, as we never carried cash and were very used to swiping the debit card. The unfortunate result was never really being accountable for how we were spending our money, as long as we knew we had plenty left for the month. We were surprised at how much we were spending and on what we were spending it.

Here are the steps we took to get started:

1. We logged onto our online banking and brought up the previous month’s statement.
2. We categorized and totaled up where our money was being spent (bills, groceries, eating out, Sarah spending, Britt spending, household maintenance, etc.)
3. After looking at these figures, we decided how much we thought we should be spending in each area.
4. We created five categories for our monthly budget after bills (yours may be different): groceries, eating out, Sarah spending, Britt spending, and household maintenance. We decided on an amount for each category that does not change much from month to month.
5. We did not budget in for bills since they can fluctuate each month (ex. power bill changes, water bill does not come every month, etc.). We put our gas on a cash rewards credit card and pay that off at the end of the month, so we count it as a fluctuating monthly bill.

Working our monthly budget:

1. After pay day (once a month at the end of the month), we pay all of our bills.
2. We look at what we have left in checking and subtract out the total for the bills we have just paid.
3. From the remaining amount, we subtract out the money for our monthly budget categories (mentioned above). We go to the bank and get this money out in cash.
4. From the remaining money in checking, we subtract out additional savings for our baby nest egg.
5. Anything that is left in checking is our safety net for the month. Dave Ramsey teaches that every dollar has a purpose, and that you should never just have extra money sitting in your checking account. We leave ours in the bank until the end of the month as our safety net, but we do not use it unless there is an emergency or unexpected (and unavoidable) expense.
6. At the end of the month, whatever remains in checking that we have not had to use (which is hopefully everything since no swiping is allowed unless there is an emergency!) is also transferred into savings as a second payment into our baby nest egg.
7. Each month when you sit down to pay bills and figure out your budget, you may have to make changes based on what is coming in the month ahead (ex. a car is due for an oil change, a birthday or anniversary, etc.) Money for these expenses should be taken out in cash also.
8. You should decide how you will handle the cash that is left over in one or more categories at the end of the month. If we were really strict, we would deposit that cash into savings, but we often end up using it to go out to dinner or get a little treat. We work so hard to live by such a strict budget that the extra treat is nice.

Results we have seen

We have been using this system for a few months now, and it has made a huge difference in our spending and saving. It does take time to figure out how to make the system work for your family, and each month we have made adjustments to our plan. Although it is hard when we want go out to dinner or do some shopping and the money is not there, it feels so good to be accountable for our spending and to know we are doing what is financially right for our family.

Every family’s budget will look different, and it will take time to figure out what works for you. Be patient and stick to it and you will see great results. Happy budgeting!

Coupon Clutch Giveaway

*** This contest is over. Congratulations to the winner! ***

The Coupon Clutch winner is:

1) Jenni (comment #1)

We started out using envelopes for the cash in each of our categories, but have found that they are bulky to carry around and harder to keep track of. We will be moving to an organizer that will hold the cash for each category all in one place. Here is what we will be using:

This coupon clutch from Thirty-One Gifts has five interior pockets, each with its own tab and label — perfect for keeping track of your categories and keeping cash organized.

Here is how you can win:

• Prize: Coupon Clutch
• To enter: Leave a comment on this post with the words “Time to save!” and…
• Bonus question: Tell us your favorite money saving tip.
• Number of winners: 1
• Shipping: This prize can only be shipped to the U.S. (Sorry, we’re working on getting some giveaways that are available outside the United States.)
• Deadline: Wednesday April 3 at 11PM EST.
• Problems? email help [at] whatsinmybelly [dot] com
• Other Details: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Wednesday as an update to this post. So, head back here on Wednesday for the announcement of our winner. Good luck…
• Prize courtesy of Dory Doyle, Thirty-One Independent Consultant
  email: dorydoyle [at] gmail [dot] com
  website: www.mythirtyone.com/dorydoyle/
  blog: timanddory.wordpress.com

Sarah and her husband, Britt, live in Glen Allen, Virginia, and are expecting their first baby (a sweet girl!) in June 2013. Sarah is a kindergarten teacher and has a home-based business, both of which keep her very busy. She unwinds by sharing her adventures in cooking, decorating and life on her blog, A T-Shirt and Pearls.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child in 2012, I immediately wanted to research my options in the cloth diapering department. My top two reasons are the ones that most likely come to your mind: saving money and being kinder to the environment.

My cloth diaper journey was full of research at the beginning, and still is today. If you type “cloth diapering” into a search engine, you get tons of websites, blogs, videos and pictures. It was a good thing I had nine months to learn the ins and outs and do’s and don’ts! I highly suggest doing as much of your own cloth diaper research as you can.

I am not a cloth diapering expert by any means — just one mommy passing on my experiences to other moms and moms-to-be. When my now-two-month-old son was a newborn, I continued to use disposable diapers at night so that all the frequent changes were quick and painless (every little bit of sleep counts!). Remember that cloth diapering is not an all-or-nothing venture, and do what works best for you!

Cloth diapering is definitely worth looking into, and hopefully this blog post will give you a foundation of general information as you begin to navigate through the cloth diaper world.

Goodbye Old-School Safety Pins, Cloth Prefolds and Plastic Balloon Pants

Meet Snappis
Whoever invented Snappi diaper fasteners to replace safety pins is a genius. They are only used with prefold cloth diapers, so you won’t need them for all the cloth diapering systems offered today. They have plastic teeth that grip the cloth diaper to keep it securely in place — no more fears of sharp pins sticking your precious little one!

More Options for Prefolds
Your basic 100 percent cotton prefold cloth diapers are still sold in almost every baby store or department, but online, particularly on amazon.com, you can find the basics as well as more high-quality options. Many independent companies make their own prefolds, boasting better absorbency, fit, and overall wear and tear. Remember that if you plan to use Snappis, the cotton and “weave” patterns are the ones that Snappis grip to. There are also prefolds made of hemp, bamboo and wool, which are all very absorbent materials.

Diaper Covers in Cute Colors and Patterns
Welcome to the addicting world of colorful patterned diapers! “The cute factor” is what draws many moms to cloth diapering. I know I’m constantly aware of the new patterns and colors that come out, so I keep wanting to buy them. A lot of other cloth diaper moms are the same way, and I think it helps brings us together. Who doesn’t want their little one’s bum to look good?

Plastic or rubber ballooning covers from the old days are gone! Cloth diapers always add a little more “poof” to a baby’s behind than disposables, but in my experience, they fit just fine under baby clothes. Some brands will try to sell you on a more trim-looking fit, but I’ve never noticed that big of a difference from one brand to another.

You may be wondering, If it’s not plastic or rubber, then what is it? The most common material used for cloth diaper covers is a PUL fabric (polyester/polyurethane laminate). The first benefit of PUL material is that it’s waterproof. Important, right? YES. It is also washable, breathable (important to prevent diaper rashes), and hypoallergenic. This is reassuring because I have heard stories of babies with sensitive skin being allergic to the materials used in disposable diapers. Different cloth diaper fabrics are used by other brands, but they are all waterproof and comfortable for babies.

New cloth diapering systems
The following is a list of several contemporary cloth diapering methods with two example brands listed for each, which I encourage you to research further yourself.

1. Covers (Thirsties, left, or Blueberry, right) over prefolds with Snappis
   When you change these diapers, you can reuse the cover if it’s just a “pee” diaper or if the cotton prefold has contained any solid deposits. Simply replace the wet/dirty prefold with a new dry one, and do a quick wipe of the inside of the cover.
2. Covers and specially fitted cloth diapers (Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted, left, or Kissaluvs, right)
   This is the same setup as No. 1, only with fitted cloth diapers (which is usually made from hemp or bamboo) instead of prefolds with Snappis. Reuse the covers when you can, and replace the fitted cloth section with each change.
3. Covers and wool fitted cloth diapers (Biobottoms, left, or Baby Beehinds wool fitted covers, right )
   I put wool diapers in their own category because they are much more expensive and require more maintenance in washing and drying; however, they have very absorbent properties and keep babies nice and dry. Wool ‘’covers” are also used over prefolds.
4. All-in-one cloth diapers (Bumkins, left, or Bumgenius, right)
   As the name indicates, this system includes one single diaper unit. The absorbing fabric is attached to the outside fabric, which is often a fun color or cute print. It is one unit, so there is no removing anything or wiping anything down. You basically treat this diaper as you would a disposable one, only you wash it and reuse it.
5. Pocket cloth diapers (Rumparooz, left, or Fuzzibunz, right)
   These diapers have a soft stay-dry fabric which sits next to baby’s skin attached to an outer waterproof shell. The difference between these and all-in-ones is that there is an opening in which you insert an absorbent material — either a specially made insert or a basic prefold diaper. Like with the all-in-one, you replace the whole set up at each change. Separate the insert and the diaper for washing.
6. Hybrid cloth diapers (gDiapers, left, or Mabu Baby, right)
   This setup is a cross between a basic cover and a pocket diaper. Hybrids have an area where you can remove and replace whatever absorbent insert you choose (a specially made one like the ones that come with the Mabu Baby diapers or a prefold and it can be a washable insert or a disposable insert). You can reuse the outside of the diaper like you would a cover and simply replace the insert.

I hope this was enough to interest you in cloth diapering and possibly get you in the door! Here are some additional resources to help you with your continued research:

www.kellyscloset.com
www.diaperjunction.com
www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com
YouTube editorial “Cloth Diapering 101”

Part 2: Cloth Diaper Ratings and Cost Comparisons

Click here to buy cloth diaper supplies.

About Kristin

Kristin and her family, husband John, six year old Johnny, and their new recent addition baby Joey, live on a small farm near Doswell, Virginia. She has a love for nature, animals, and teaching children how to ride horses and connect with animals. She encourages her family to embrace the outdoors to help balance out an increasingly technological world. Anything more simple, natural, and down to earth is always of interest for her to investigate when it comes to the over all health of her family.

Thanks to Mollee for editing and creating the numbered cloth diaper graphic!