Do you want to start cloth diapering, but don’t want to pay over $350 dollars to get started? Great! Neither did I, but I knew I wanted to cloth diaper to save money in the long run. So I found a much more cost effective way to start cloth diapering.

The best way to save money when cloth diapering is to use an all in two system. So a cover and an insert. This method is great because you will not have to start with a large stash of diapers, since you can reuse the cover a few times before it becomes dirty. You just have to start with a bigger stash of inserts instead which are much cheaper than the covers. Especially if you use my method below.

Outer Shell/ Water Proof Cover

Instead of going out and buying 20-30 all in one diapers which will cost you around $350, you can start out with buying a small stash of water proof outer shells. If you are on a really tight budget you can get away with using 3-4 in the beginning. You can re-use the outer shells a few times before they become soiled. Just take a wipe to the inside of the cover during diaper changes. I would suggest getting more later.  I think between 6-8 covers is optimal. This way you aren’t putting so much wear and tear on just 4 covers.

You can get away with using almost any brand of diaper covers. I suggest saying away from the REALLY cheap covers. You get what you pay for and if the deal sound to good to be true. It probably is. I find the cheaper cover leak a lot. I personally like Nuggles! They fit well and do not leak and their price is great for the quality of diaper you are getting. And they have some super cute patterns. Your local buy and sell websites are a good place to start as well when just starting out with cloth diapering.

Flour Sack Tea Towels

This right here is the real money saver. Instead of buying the expensive diaper inserts that can cost anywhere from $7 to $15 dollars for two, go to your local Walmart or Target and buy flour sack tea towels. These towels are a 100% cotton which makes them absorbent and breathable. Therefore they create a perfect cloth diaper insert. You can get a package of 5 for around $7. Just fold them up and lay them inside the diaper cover and exactly like you would with one of the expensive diaper inserts.

I hope you found this guide helpful! Leave a comment below if you have any questions.

We all like the benefits of cloth diapering but now you don’t have to spend a butt ton on the start up cost.