Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Eco-nomical Baby Guide giveaway

On average, new parents spend almost $7,000 gearing up for a baby. Isn't that nuts? I know when one reader first found out she was pregnant and was wondering what all she needed to buy to prepare for the baby's arrival, I joked that all she needed to get ready for her baby was her boobs.

Because, really, everything else is overkill. Oh, if you want to get fancy, sure some clothes are helpful. In many cultures, diapers don't exist, they have alternative methods of dealing with baby waste, as it were.

Anyway, how would you like to learn how to spend way less than $7,000 but without totally being an ascetic about it? Well, authors Joy and Rebecca of the new book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet, shelled out less than $1,000 each for their babies by going green. These two English teachers (who probably need to save their pennies) show you how to follow in their footsteps by emphasizing easy and practical steps that parents can take without sacrificing comfort or convenience. And not spending a diaper-load in the process.

In this book, they cover things like eco-friendly diapers, daycare, safety, homemade organic food and more. Ideas like holding a "second hand" baby shower helps reduce the consumerist aspect of new parenting and buying gender-neutral clothing and baby gear helps stretch your investment to more than one child.

If you are new parents, pregnant or know someone who is about to have a child (or even an additional one!), this book would make a great reference source for how to make sure you are ready for baby and how to do it in an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to boot. Make that bootie.

If you would like to enter the giveaway for this book, add your name to the comments of this post for a random drawing. You have until midnight Saturday, March 13th, PST to enter. Good luck!

57 comments:

Emily said...

Me! I'd love the book. It seems like everywhere you look someone is trying to convince you of some new gadget you MUST have for a baby.

Issa said...

Ooh, sounds like a great book. Sign me up! :-)

Gypsy said...

I wish I had had this book when I was pregnant. We bought WAY too much. I love the idea of a second hand baby shower. (don't sign me up, I am past the newborn stage!)

Cat J B said...

Wow, how on earth do people spend $7000? I don't think I even spent $1000, but I did luck into a person getting rid of everything baby, so that helped. Hope this goes to someone who needs it, it's so easy to have a baby without spending big $$$.

Adrienne said...

I'd love to win this one. We're hoping for baby soon and even the Husband is on board for monitoring the amount of STUFF that comes with him/her.

Sandy507 said...

Hope to have a baby soon, so this book would come in handy!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a really interesting book! More useful than the other "what you must buy for baby" guides. I don't know if we will be having more kiddos or not, but I have a non-stop stream of friends who are expecting and I would love to have this book to lend out to them, as they are all pinching pennies like we are.

Jen (emsun.org) said...

It drives me absolutely nuts when people say they "have to have" some item. No, really, you don't. You want it. Why? I don't know.

Beckie said...

I'm expecting my first in August and am struggling with figuring out what we actually need so we don't end up with a lot of wasteful clutter. I would love this book! Sign me up please!

Kristen said...

7 grand is absurd! Any grand is absurd. :-) I look forward to checking this book out (whether I win or at the libes!).

Amanda K said...

Count me in! We're expecting in September, and I'm working to not make the experience all about STUFF.

Sara said...

I would love to win this...thanks for the giveaway!

Prairiemom said...

This sounds like the perfect book for me! My baby is due to arrive may 3rd, and I would love some extra pointers on how to save some $ and be a greener mommy!

Prairiemom said...

This sounds like the perfect book for me! My baby is due to arrive may 3rd, and I would love some extra pointers on how to save some $ and be a greener mommy!

Karine said...

I am always trying to find out what is really needed and what is not. Please count me in!

DK said...

With all the friends and family expanding their families, this book would totally come in handy.

Elisabeth said...

So refreshing! Sign me up!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure whether to find this mildly depressing or encouraging. I had my baby over 25 years ago and all the suggestions you describe were obvious choices for us - high school drop outs, single mothers. How can it be so hard to consider our choices?
I don't want the book.

Cloth diapers, used clothes, baby carrier, used high chair, used toys and off you go into babyland. The only item I would try to buy new or newish is car seat(safety issues)

Amy Estrada said...

I'd love this! We haven't bought much (even though I'm due soon) because we don't know the gender. Thanks for the opportunity, as always.

Unknown said...

I would love this book! I'm due in June, with my first!

amandaginn said...

I love the idea about second-hand baby showers and baby gifts. So much love already in those items!

C.L. said...

The books sounds great and I can't wait to read it! I already love their blog!

Unknown said...

sounds great! sign me up

Anonymous said...

What timing! A coworker just found out she's preggo, seems somewhat surprised, and she's been gobblin' up all sorts of baby books already; this would be a great way to show her that there is another way to prepare for babe - other than the Store 'R' Them way... :-P

--K

Unknown said...

I would love to win this. Always looking to save $$.

susan heggestad said...

Right up my alley - due in July, and already trying to figure out how to politely tell friends and family not to buy us a bunch of unnecessary stuff. This book looks helpful.

PumaViking said...

Ooh, we're due in May & are really starting to deal with the onslaught of "do we really need a gadget for THAT?"

Everydaywoman said...

I'd love to add my daughter, Abbie's name, to this random drawing. . . although it might be too late because everyone has already "showered" her and the baby with gifts. But, she's already warned us that we're not to buy all the plastic, junk toys that she and her brothers had. What, no Legos???

Farmer's Daughter said...

Got my boobs and I'm ready! Been in labor all day :)

Crunchy Chicken said...

Go, Abbie, go! I'm rooting for you! Wait a second, that didn't sound right...

pfeiff19 said...

Sounds like a great book! Sign me up!

~Stephanie
pfeiff19 @mtelco .net

Anonymous said...

Sounds great! I will definitly be checking this out if I don't win!

Sarah said...

I would love to receive this book. I'm 7 months pregnant and haven't started buying anything yet. I would love their advice.

Unknown said...

I'm due for my second this summer, we are pretty bare bones, but it sounds like this is even lower cost then what we do.

Katie @ makingthishome.com said...

So fascinated with the idea of less less less for baby. My brother is expecting his first this summer. Would love to pass the book to him and his wife.
Thanks!
Katie

Jessica said...

Sign me up! I'm not having babies quite yet, but after listening to my coworkers lament many times about all the old baby STUFF taking up space in their houses, I have often thought it would be practical to have a second-hand baby shower. ("We're having a recycled baby"?)

Jessica, Massachusetts

CitricSugar said...

My sister is getting ready to get pregnant and money is always an issue with a young family - this could be the angle they need finally go green!

Carley said...

sounds great! Not only would my friend love this book, but I'll bet she would recycle it and pass it along to the next baby-bound gal in our circle.

Robj98168 said...

I don't want the book... I was just sure you were or were not giving away an economical baby... YOu know how I worry about your children!

Lantanalane said...

I'm all about recycling, repurposing and reusing. Second hand baby shower is a great idea! I would love the book.

everydayfrugaleverydaygreen said...

our niece, who is very eco-conscious, would love this book. please put my name in the hat for her. thanks.

Kim said...

Baby planning just might be in the works here in my corner of the world. I'd love a chance to read this!

Rachael said...

This seems like my kind of book. I'm totally excited about WINNING IT! (You're awesome.)

snackpig said...

I have so many pregnant friends who I really think need to read this book. I have no idea how all my friends got pregnant at one time, but now they are shopping. a lot.

Tressa said...

We are planning on starting a family soon. This sounds like a great book. Sign me up!

Jill said...

WIth a baby due next week (yikes!) I'd love this book! It'd be some great breastfeeding reading!

Missy said...

Sign me up! Not pregnant yet, but I hope to be sort of soon :) This book sounds great!

Dawn said...

this book sounds great. We have friends that have everything for their kids and it seems out of control to me.

kirst306 said...

This book sounds like a great place to start so we can be armed to protect ourselves from our friends and families input about what we *need* as well as to remind us we don't need the materialism.

Andie said...

This looks like a great book! I'd love to read it

K@t said...

I'd love this book Crunchy - I am having a baby in November and I don't know how I am going to afford it!
I'm already going with MCN and recycled baby goods, but every little bit will help us.
Please send a copy to Australia for me, and I promise I'll spread the word around everyone I know here.

K@t said...

I'd love this book Crunchy - I am having a baby in November and I don't know how I am going to afford it!
I'm already going with MCN and recycled baby goods, but every little bit will help us.
Please send a copy to Australia for me, and I promise I'll spread the word around everyone I know here.

Mrs. Money said...

I'd love to win!! I hope to get pregnant this year!

Unknown said...

Please sign me up!

Laura said...

Already pregnant and would love to win this book!

.... said...

A coworker just told me about your blog and from what I've read so far, it looks awesome.

Just had my first baby 5 weeks ago and bought second hand clothes and borrowed a lot of stuff. Haven't bought any new clothes for her and we're using mostly using cloth. I think it's easy to get caught up in the "must have this" for baby. I'm part cheapskate and part green so the choice to buy less stuff has been fairly easy.

Sound like a great book; if I don't get the free copy I'll check it out at the library.

Chia-Yi said...

my cousin is having a baby soon! i'll tell her about this book.