When you're pregnant, you realize your bank account is no longer your own. There are so many things to buy when dealing with pregnancy and gearing up for baby, especially if it's your first. Below is a list of free items (or places to hunt for them) I discovered that are not gimmicky, full of spam, or overly time-consuming.
1. Your Health Insurance Provider
Yep, you read that right. Some
health insurance providers will send you free stuff if you sign up for their
Maternity Program. When I enrolled with United Healthcare's program, they sent me a free book of my choice. I chose the
Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Year, but they also had popular options like
Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and
What to Expect When You're Expecting. Maternity programs also offer support for mother's-to-be along the way, and have resources available if you have any general pregnancy questions or concerns.
2. Your Health Insurance Provider (Again!)
If you live in the U.S.,
healthcare.gov states that "
Your health insurance plan must cover the cost of a breast pump. It may be either a rental unit or a new one you’ll keep. Your plan may have guidelines on whether the covered pump is manual or electric, the length of the rental, and when you’ll receive it (before or after birth)."
So take the time to call up your insurance company or poke around in their website. There are a lot of great options, but you'll want time to shop around before choosing a pump.
3. Join A Diaper Rewards Program (or a Few)
Many diaper companies offer rewards programs, where you can earn free diapers for purchasing their product. Currently,
Pampers is offering a $30 ErgoBaby promo code for joining their rewards program. Sign-up is simple, and you receive your reward immediately!
You can also get a free trial of
The Honest Company's diapers and wipes. You do have to pay shipping, but it's worth it. You have to create an account to activate the trial.
4. Friends, Family, Neighbors, and Facebook
Don't be shy about asking around. You'd be surprised who has a stroller in their basement, a barely-used breastfeeding pillow, or a set of baby clothes they were eventually going to bring to Goodwill. Even if your friends haven't joined the baby bandwagon, chances are they know someone who has. Let people know you're trying to save money, and the planet, by reusing perfectly good items.
5. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist
I purchased a like-new Baby Genie Elite for $5. And I only had to drive ten minutes to pick it up.
Seriously, you can find great stuff online. People overbuy for their babies, then realize they only needed that bassinet for three months. Their loss may be your gain. So this option may cost you
something, but I've seen perfect-condition gliders for $30, rather than $200, along with unused sets of baby bottles because it turned out their baby wouldn't take to the nipple style. What a steal.
6. Baby Registries
Most baby registries include a free welcome gift, including those from
Target and
Amazon. If you sign up at Target, they'll tell you to "pick up your gift at Guest Services for $100 worth of coupons & handpicked samples," whereas Amazon offers $35 worth of free products after spending $10 on your registry.
