I am a cloth diaper addict, so I have spent a little bit of my fun money on diapers for my daughter. However, the amount that I have spent is still way less than the money I would have needed to shell out to diaper my daughter in disposables. When the ladies at Padded Tush Stats recently threw out the topic of cloth diapering on a budget versus unlimited funds, I got to thinking about my own stash. If I had to start from scratch again with my cloth diaper stash, I could buy all the diapers I need for under $200, for under $400, for under $500, and on an unlimited budget.
Note that I do not include wipes in my stash budgets. I use disposable wipes that I wash and reuse as liners. I also use household wash cloths that I wet with water. For the parent on a limited budget wash cloths and old rags work perfectly as cloth wipes. No fancy wipe solution necessary!
$200 Cloth Diaper Stash
When I started out with cloth diapers, I washed diaper laundry every day and spent under $200. For a Best Bottom stash on a limited budget, simply skip the medium inserts and move straight from small to large. Although my inexpensive stash differed slightly (I bought a pocket diaper for overnight use instead of the Flip cover), I recommend the following stash to a future cloth diaper addict on a limited budget:
3 Best Bottom Shells – $16.70 each – $50.10
12 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Small) – $3.75 each – $45
12 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Large) – $3.75 each – $45
2 Best Bottom Microfiber Overnight Inserts (1 Small, 1 Large) – $6.95 each – $13.90
1 Flip Cover – $13.95
FuzziBunz Minky Inserts (3 Pack) – $12.95
1 Planet Wise Reusable Trash Bags – $12.95
Total Cost – $193.85
$400 Cloth Diaper Stash
If you want to wash your diapers every other day and have a little more money to spend, you can still get a great cloth diaper stash on a budget of less than $400. After cloth diapering my daughter for a couple of months on my minimal stash, I added a few extra diapers so that I could wash every other day. For less than $400, I recommend the following stash:
6 Best Bottom Shells – $16.70 each – $100.20
16 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Small) – $3.75 each – $60
16 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Medium) – $3.75 each – $60
16 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Large) – $3.75 each – $60
2 Flip Covers – $13.95 each – $27.90
6 Best Bottom Microfiber Overnight Inserts (2 Small, 2 Medium, 2 Large) – $6.60 each – $39.60
FuzziBunz Minky Inserts (3 Pack) – $12.95
2 Planet Wise Reusable Trash Bags – $12.95 each – $25.90
Total Cost – $386.55
$500 Cloth Diaper Stash
For my perfect stash, I would spend just under $500. With my ideal stash, I could go every third day between washes. However, at the moment, I do wash every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and my recommended stash for under $500 fits my needs perfectly. For less than $500, I recommend the following stash:
9 Best Bottom Shells – $16.45 each – $148.05
18 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Small) – $3.75 each – $67.50
18 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Medium) – $3.75 each – $67.50
18 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Large) – $3.75 each – $67.50
3 Flip Covers – $13.95 each – $41.85
9 Best Bottom Microfiber Overnight Inserts (3 Small, 3 Medium, 3 Large) – $6.60 each – $59.40
FuzziBunz Minky Inserts (3 Pack) – $12.95
2 Planet Wise Reusable Trash Bags – $12.95 each – $25.90
Total Cost – $490.65
Unlimited Budget Cloth Diaper Stash
If I had an unlimited budget for cloth diapering, I would definitely spend even more on my cloth diaper stash. And I will admit that, as a cloth diaper addict, I have spend more than the minimum on my stash. I own all of the Best Bottom shells as well as a handful of other covers and pocket diapers that I use as covers. If I had an unlimited budget and had to start all over again, I would buy the following stash:
26 Best Bottom Shells – $16.45 each – $427.70
20 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Small) – $3.75 each – $75
20 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Medium) – $3.75 each – $75
20 Best Bottom Stay Dry Inserts (Large) – $3.75 each – $75
6 Flip Covers – $13.95 each – $83.70
6 Planet Wise Covers – $17.95 each – $107.70
6 Capri Covers – $16.95 each – $101.70
9 Best Bottom Microfiber Overnight Inserts (3 Small, 3 Medium, 3 Large) – $6.60 each – $59.40
FuzziBunz Minky Inserts (3 Pack) – $12.95
2 Planet Wise Reusable Trash Bags – $12.95 each – $25.90
Total Cost – $1,044.05
Despite the stereotype of the cloth diaper addict buying all the diapers, parents can and do cloth diaper on a budget. My own stash of Best Bottoms is even possible on a limited budget of less than $200. Of course, I have spent quite a bit more on my stash. I am a cloth diaper addict after all!
Could you cloth diaper on a budget? What would your ideal stash look like?
To purchase cloth diapers, please use my affiliate link to Nicki's Diapers.
Image Credits
Creating My Ideal Cloth Diaper Stash © 2013 Heather Johnson
