Even though we can save an easy $16 per month by scrimping on diapers, sometimes it’s hard to take that step when people are always telling us, “Sacrifice All for Your Offspring,” and “Brand Names Are Better.” I have to admit, when I walk through Target with a pack of store-brand diapers, I feel those glances that seem to say, “Do you even deserve to be a mother?”
Despite (real or imagined) peer pressure, I am now raising my third child on cheap, no-name diapers and thus far, the little guys don’t seem scarred. (I’ll check with their therapists in 20 years.) True, generic diapers don’t have elastic waistbands to rival Nike sweatpants or the most popular Disney characters, but I don’t find they leak any more than fancy diapers.
Now that I live in New York City and my mini-van is long-gone, I order diapers online. While you can’t find generic brands on Diapers.com, I buy the least expensive brand (Luvs), get free shipping by stocking up, and avoid spending $158 on who-knows-what in Target when all I needed was diapers.
How Much Do Diapers Really Cost?
Here’s how the most popular brands measure up (when you buy an extra large case) at Diapers.com. All three brands got an average customer rating of 4 out of 5 stars, based on over 150 customer reviews.
Price per diaper (size 3)
- Huggies Snug & Dry $0.23
- Pampers Baby Dry $0.22
- Luvs $0.18
Still not convinced? Luvs, made by the same company as Pampers, has a money-back guarantee: if you are not satisfied with their leak performance, all you have to do is send in one unused diaper, the UPC, and your receipt, and they’ll send you your money back plus postage.
Store-Brand Diapers Around the Country
Almost all pharmacies and grocery stores — Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Albertsons — sell their own brand of diapers. I have tried the following store brands (which not available online) and they are all completely acceptable:
Price per diaper (size 3)
- Safeway $0.23
- Kroger $0.16
- Target $0.13
As you can see in the Safeway example, not all generic diapers are cheaper, partly because some don’t come in large cases. And opinions about no-name diapers are all over the map — there are both enthusiastic converts and name-brand loyalists — so it’s best to give the diapers a whirl yourself (well, you know what I mean).
Start Out Crappy and Move Up
With low-cost products that I buy often, I always try the cheapest brand first. Why go straight to the top when I might be satisfied with less? If it’s not acceptable, I move up to the next price point. This way, I avoid that low-rent feeling I might get when downgrading to generic diapers from Pampers.
For example, I tried several different store-brand diaper creams and was not impressed. Runny and ineffective. Instead of going straight to the fancy-schmancy Mustela or Boudreaux’s Buttpaste, I tried mid-range Desitin and it works great for us.
Advantages of Buying from Diapers.com
By the way, I don’t gain anything if you shop at Diapers.com, but since I’ve shared with you the advantages of online shopping, here are some things I specifically like about buying from Diapers.com:
- 1-2 day shipping
- Free shipping if you spend over $49
- Lowest online price guarantee
- If you like coupons, you can still use them by mailing them in
- No schlepping from store to car and car to house
- Easily make the free shipping minimum by throwing in other stuff you need regularly (like wipes and bath soap)
- Avoid stepping foot in a store, which (for me) can lead to being tempted into buying more than I really need
Disadvantages of Buying from Diapers.com
- Some store brands are cheaper. If you have a Target nearby, you can save a further $0.05 per diaper. (But again, the savings may be cancelled by other purchases you are lured into making while you are there.)
- 1-2 day shipping is fast, but it’s not as immediate as throwing diapers into your cart if you’re already at the store.
- Shipping boxes create waste (which may be counteracted by gas and pollution).
- Diapers.com now has much more than diapers — from hand soap to Halloween costumes. The $49 free shipping minimum can encourage you to throw something unnecessary in the virtual cart.
Eco-Friendly Diapers
One brand I haven’t tried yet is Seventh Generation. Seventh Generation diapers are unbleached, thus reducing the amount of chlorine that is released into the atmosphere and water. I buy Seventh Generation unbleached paper towels and toilet paper and copy paper made from recycled materials, but at $0.31 per diaper, I’m a little reluctant to spring for their diapers.
You can find a (favorable) review of Seventh Generation diapers at the Baby Cheapskate blog, where readers commented that you can print out diaper coupons at Seventh Generation. (N.B.: You can only use two coupons per validity period and within a month of printing, and you have to sign up as a Seventh Generation member to print the coupons).
I usually don’t use coupons unless I can save enough to make it worth my time, but I’m tempted to try Seventh Generation anyway because they claim that “if every household in the U.S. with babies replaced just one package of diapers processed with chemicals containing chlorine with our chlorine free diapers, we could prevent 2,800 lbs of chlorinated hydrocarbons from polluting our air, lakes and streams.”
This brings up an interesting question. How much are you willing to sacrifice to help the environment? Also, have you tried generic or off-brand diapers? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
I really like your formula of starting at the low end and working up–if necessary. I think I’ll try to apply it in the grocery store, etc.
M
p.s. Regarding Luvs. Since we know they are made by Proctor and Gamble–same as Pampers, I think it is safe to assume that much of the added cost for Pampers is due to packaging and advertising. I know this same truism applies to other products, such as cosmetics.
I tried using generic diapers but was discouraged to find that i had to throw away several unused diapers in each package b/c the tabs would break off! This turned me off from an environmental perspective.
Another way to save money (and have a smaller environmental impact) is early potty training. The difference between starting potty training between 18 & 24 months versus 3 or 4 years can save you hundreds of dollars and thousands of diapers from reaching a landfill.
(4 diapers/day * 365 days/year = 1460 diapers per year)
I was thinking of trying a disposable / reusable hybrid : http://www.gdiapers.com/
Anyone have experience with these?
I think helping the environment is important, but I too always used Luvs… If you haven’t tried them yet, the 7th Gen brand diapers don’t have any kind of deodorizer in them, which is fine if you are in the house, but when you are out and about and your child urinates or has a BM, they smell like it. Which could a) make you change them more often thus using more diapers or b) make you feel guilty for leaving them in a pee-filled diaper. ;-) Hopefully they can eventually develop a ‘nicer’ diaper for both parents and the environment!
You left out the CHEAPEST diapers over time… cloth. New cloth diapers are very user-friendly, and if you make sure to buy enough initially, you’ll only have to do a load of diaper laundry every 3-4 days. (Who wants to do laundry every day?) This is much cheaper than disposables over time, even including the minor increase in water use, and very environmentally friendly… the best of both worlds. I wish more people would give it a try rather than just writing it off as too difficult.
I appreciated hearing all your thoughts: you bring up some good points.
Re defective diapers: personally, I have rarely had a problem with tabs breaking on generic diapers, but I agree that this would make one think twice since we hate to throw away unused stuff.
Re early potty training: a fascinating solution! Many of us get so into the groove of changing, that it’s hard to bite the bullet and take on the challenge of potty training, esp. early. But it’s a unique idea and one certainly worth pursuing. Apropos of the old adage: No pain, no gain.
Re G diapers: I’d love to hear some testimonials on these. Someone told me they tried to use them and it was a disaster, but I’d be very interested in hearing a more detailed account. Anyone out there used G diapers?
Re cloth diapers: Same here. I’d love to hear a personal experience. I have to admit I’ve never tried them, but to me the downsides seem to way outweigh the environmental and cost upsides. Anyone else have thoughts on cloth?
I know this isn’t the point, but I just have to say I find the concept of characters on diapers so bizarre and creepy. I mean, Pocohantas was a real person and played a significant role in U.S. history. Can you imagine telling her that some day she’d be the face that little girls pee on? Or explaining it to the 19th-century Frenchman who wrote Cinderella?
Hi Amy,
I’ve been using cloth for almost 2 years on my 3rd child and love that option. Not only have I saved a lot of money, but I feel I’m making a good choice for the environment and my child’s health (no icky absorbant gels/chemicals against my child’s skin all day). The cloth diapers breathe, so baby gets less diaper rash (no need for Desitin!). Also, my son seems very comfortable. Would you rather wear a paper diaper or a super soft organic cotton velour one, for example? If you are into the cute factor, there are many colors and prints to choose from. I love cloth! I wish I’d tried cloth with my older two.
To be extra frugal, you can resell you used cloth diapers on sites like diaperswappers when you are done and recoup a good portion of the upfront investment (which can be as little as a about $200, or as much as you want to spend)!
What do you think the downsides of cloth are? Laundry & pooop? The laundry does take some extra time but isn’t crazy assuming you have easy access to a washer/dryer. Yes, you have poop to deal with but the cloth diapers very rarely leak (maybe 3 times in 2 years!), so I never deal with poop blowouts on clothing. That saves effort laundering baby clothes and trying to get poop stains out.
There are also very thin flushable liners that you can lay in the diapers, and then just plunk the whole thing in the toilet. That solves the issue or rinsing/swishing before putting the dirty diaper in the pail.
It’s worth giving cloth a try!
My experience is similar to Hannah’s. I used cloth diapers with both my boys. I never had a problem with leaks or diaper rash, and those diaper liners are wonderful. It doesn’t take long for a smart mom to figure out what time of day to line the diapers. The downside of cloth diapers is the same as disposable diapers: environmental. Whereas the disposables fill up landfills, the cloth diapers take some chemical warfare to clean up. Of course, you can use green detergents and Borax instead of bleach, but then you’ve got to hang the washed diapers to dry in the sun to get the germ-killing effect of bleach. I always loved hanging out diapers. It’s sort of meditative activity. Unfortunately, hanging out diapers in the sun isn’t always an option in the city. So I guess you’re back to bleach. Still, bleach is what many cities use to purify water for reuse, so perhaps the environment effect isn’t such a huge impact after all.
Hannah and Al: It’s very refreshing to hear positive experiences with cloth diapers. I had no idea that there were disposable liners, that the diapers don’t leak, and that they eliminate the need for diaper cream. These three factors make cloth a lot more attractive, not to mention the environmental advantages.
The part about the bleach is an issue, however, plus all the water (and labor) in washing them. But I guess no method is without its downsides.
Thanks so much for weighing in!
Cloth diapers break even in terms of cost in NYC. When we lived on 34th St. I did a cost analysis for the cloth diapers we used with our daughter. It turned out that the cost of doing laundry offset the savings over 3 years making them turn out to be basically even.
Then I did a cost analysis for if we actually lived somewhere where we could have our own laundry machines and it turned out that we would break even from the cost of buying the machines to wash the diapers. Of course, we could also wash other clothes too, but it was discouraging.
The advantages were all those mentioned before so we went with cloth, but always had to have backup disposables for the occasional babysitter because most people are clueless how to manage cloth.
When we moved to the upper east side, we tried using cloth with our newborn son, but quickly found that the laundry machines in our building were wholly inadequate to get them clean, so we reluctantly switched to disposable. Fortunately we had a friend who wanted to buy all the cloth diapers we had stocked up and we didn’t lose all that $$.
I’m jumping in late here, but wanted to share my 2 cents on cloth. I used cloth almost exclusively with my first child – even when traveling (as long as the trip was either short or had sufficient laundry facilities). I really liked cloth. It does just feel better. And I did not find the laundering difficult, especially in the breastmilk-only phase, when you can (no kidding) just put the diapers in the laundry with no preparation and they will come out clean. (That said, if I was doing my laundry in a laundromat, that would pretty much rule out cloth diapers for me – you could look into a service that delivers clean diapers and picks up the dirties once a week; I found that cost comparable to disposables and the convenience is unmatched.)
I always did a pre-rinse and then washed on hot. Diaper manufacturers will tell you not to use bleach (or very much detergent) and I never have. Getting them quite dry, either in the sun or in the drier is sufficiently germicidal, I think. The sun does do a great job of fading stains, though.
My only complaint with a little baby is that mine have always had trouble going to sleep with a wet cloth diaper on. Since it seems like they are always going to sleep at unpredictable times, nursing to sleep, and peeing all the time, especially while nursing, I find that aspect difficult for the first few months of life. For that reason, I am currently using a mix of cloth and disposables with my second child. I’m hoping to go to mostly cloth soon, as her sleep patterns regularize and I can put her in a disposable for sleep (my son slept in cloth and many people have their children sleep in cloth, I just have come to a personal middle ground on this issue!)
My son is almost three and has been in disposables only for months now. We moved and used disposables “temporarily” during that transition, then he’d kind of outgrown the diapers we had for him and it seemed like he’d be potty trained “any day now” (now it’s looking a loooong way off, though). Plus, he poops a LOT. Several times a day. And it’s not solid. So, cleaning smushy toddler poop off cloth diapers multiple times a day just kind of killed it for me. If he had normal toddler poop, something I could shake off into the toilet once or twice a day, he’d definitely still be in cloth.
I have never tried the disposable liners, but may look into it with my second child (she poops much more rarely than my son and I’m guessing I will be able to know when it’s going to happen).
Satre and MakingTime: I’m really enjoying reading your thoughts about cloth diapers: the ups and downs and the cost analysis too (in NYC anyway).
I have heard mixed ratings about the liners, which for me, would be essential since most poo around here is not solid.
But if they did work, then cloth would have a whole new appeal to me. Can anyone else chime in about disposable cloth diaper liners?