3 Costco Products You Need When Having Your First Baby
My wife and I recently celebrated six beautiful (and hectic) months with our first baby. From swaddling to bottling to vaccinations, let me tell you -- there's a learning curve (or, in my case, a Mount Everest-sized ladder).
One thing I've learned -- babies are pricey. In 2023, parents spent an average of $13,000 in the first year of having a baby, excluding labor and delivery costs, according to American Heritage. While some of these costs can be difficult to cut down (baby formula is notoriously expensive), one way to save is to buy products in bulk at Costco. Many baby essentials are sold as Kirkland Signature products, which are generally more affordable without sacrificing on quality.
Whether you're expecting a baby in 2024, or the little bub is already here, here are three Kirkland products that can help your personal finances.
1. Diapers
There's a reason why no baby shower is complete without a tower of diaper boxes -- you'll need a lot of them. In your child's first year alone you could go through over 2,000 disposable diapers, which could easily lead to racking up credit card debt.
Thankfully, Costco sells cheap diapers. For example, a box of 192 Kirkland Signature (size one) diapers sell for $34.99, which comes out to around $0.18 per diaper. That's one of the lower per-diaper prices you'll find. But even if you preferred Huggies to Kirkland Signature diapers, you'd still find the cheapest price at Costco, as shown below.
Retailer | Huggies Diaper Size 1 to 2 (per diaper cost) |
|---|---|
Costco | $0.24 |
Walmart | $0.29 |
Amazon | $0.34 |
Data source: Merchants' websites.
2. Wipes
Before I had a baby, I thought a pack of wipes could easily last us a month. But then my daughter introduced me to blow-outs, and I found myself easily using five wipes per diaper change.
It's hard to beat the price of these baby wipes. A box of 900 wipes is $21.99, or about $.024 per wipe. The cheapest comparable wipes on Amazon are $22.99 for an 800 count, or about $0.026 per wipe. I also appreciate that Costco offers a scent-free option, which is great for my daughter's sensitive eczema-prone skin.
3. Formula
One thing no one warns you about when expecting your first child -- feeding a baby is hard work. Even if you're blessed with a strong supply, breastfeeding is extremely taxing. My daughter wanted to be fed every two hours, day and night for the first few months of her life. And since babies need to be fed breast milk or infant formula for the first year of their life, it's no surprise that 75% of parents use at least some formula within the first six months.
Of course, baby formula isn't exactly cheap, which is why finding high-quality formula at a low price could end up saving you a lot. Fortunately, Costco sells baby formula at extremely competitive prices. So competitive, in fact, it's hard to find a cheaper price at another store. For example, here's how Costco's baby formula compares with generic brand formula from other retailers.
Retailer | Formula Price (price per ounce) |
|---|---|
Costco (Kirkland Signature) | $0.69 |
Walmart (Parent's Choice) | $1.04 |
Amazon (Mama Bear) | $1.22 |
Data source: Merchants' websites.
Now, I wouldn't say Costco has the cheapest price for every baby item, nor should you buy every baby item in bulk. For example, Costco sells a three-pack of Desitin diaper rash cream for $21.99, but I can count on one hand how many times I've used it.
But for other items, like diapers and wipes, buying in bulk is one of the best things you can do for your sanity as a new parent. Even if your child loves the carseat (lucky you!), no new parent wants to be spending their precious time buying diapers each week. Trust me, you'll need that extra hour wherever you can find it.
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3 Costco Products You Need When Having Your First Baby was originally published by The Motley Fool
