You can get free diapers, formula, baby gear, clothes, and much more. Some of the items are new and some are used, but your baby will love them all. The trade-off, of course, is that sometimes you have to share your name, address, email, and more to get the free stuff. Or, you might have to do some research to make sure the baby item still meets safety standards. Some companies will even send you a welcome box full of free goodies as well as coupons and discounts on your baby registry items. Pay attention to their guidelines when you sign up in case purchasing items can lead to more discounts. Sometimes combining these discounts with manufacturer’s coupons can save you a lot of money and help you qualify for more free stuff. These popular baby registries frequently offer free baby stuff: Of course, there are few drawbacks to opening registries. For instance, if you prefer to shop local and support smaller, family-owned businesses, you probably don’t want to register with the bigger retailers. Plus, these companies typically ask for your address, cell number, and email address. So, if you have privacy concerns or are worried they will sell your information, read the fine print before signing up. Check with your friends and family to see if they have, or know someone who has, free baby stuff they’re looking to get rid of. They might have baby clothes, strollers, cribs, and more that are just taking up space in their home. If you’re worried about offending people you care about by asking for things, offer to buy the items for a reasonable price. Most likely, what you would pay them will be much less expensive than purchasing new items any way. You also should make sure that the product still meets safety guidelines. The Consumer Product Safety Commission often improves and changes guidelines as dangers or risks of injury become apparent. If you use Huggies diapers, you can get free baby stuff from their Huggies Rewards program by collecting points from Huggies diapers and other Huggies products. These points add up fast and you can redeem them for free baby coupons, gift certificates, books, and toys. Pampers Rewards is another program where it pays to collect those codes off Pampers diapers. The codes can be redeemed for free baby stuff like baby food, toys, gift cards, baby gear, and books. Of course, the downside to reward programs is that you must give your name, address, email, and phone number to the company. If you have concerns about privacy or sharing this information, be sure to research how they use their information. Many times companies use this personal information to send you coupons, discounts, and promotional information. Most emails have an unsubscribe button, so you can opt out of getting email notifications or texts if they become bothersome. You also can ask your doctor as well as the hospital where you give birth if they have any formula samples or if they know of any resources where you might be able to find some. If you qualify, you can also look into WIC (Women Infant Children) to see how you might be able to access free formula. And finally, you can try contacting companies directly or sign up on their website for free samples. They also may send you coupons and other discounts to make purchasing formula a little less expensive. You also can ask your baby’s pediatrician or even the hospital if they have any free samples, especially for things they recommend you use. For instance, they may be able to give you samples of fever reducers or other medications to try when your baby isn’t feeling well. To find the coupons, check out the Sunday newspaper coupon inserts and keep your eye out for online coupons for baby products and other things you need. And if you really want to go the extra mile, think about using online coupon sites, as well as apps for your favorite stores. Sometimes retailers will offer a free $5 or $10 gift card with purchase of an item. Two great apps to look into are iBotta and Checkout51, which both make it easy to snag coupons and cash back deals on things you were planning to buy like diapers or wipes. You also can look to pair a manufacturer’s coupon with an app deal, which sometimes results in free things for you or your baby. Freecycle is another place where people post stuff that they don’t want any longer. Instead of dealing with the hassle of selling it, they just want to get rid of it. There’s a ton of free baby things just waiting out there on Freecycle. You’ve just got to go looking for it. You also can find free baby items on Cragslist if you know where to look. And if there are a few baby things that you want but they aren’t free, just keep an eye on the listing. If the item has been listed for awhile and isn’t selling, contact the seller and see if they might want to get rid of it. Most of the time, the seller will want to unload it anyway if the item doesn’t sell. You never know until you ask! Although many people are completely trustworthy, you don’t want to take any chances. Keep safety at the top of your mind at all times. And, if something doesn’t feel right, just leave. Getting free baby items is not worth risking your safety. You also should know that a used crib, strollers, and other baby items can have recalls, or outdated construction. Plus, simply not knowing the whole history of the item can make some items riskier than others. Research as possible to make sure your baby will be safe. Most people want to celebrate this happy time with you and would welcome the opportunity to plan a shower. Just be sure that your registry includes items in a varying price ranges. You want to ensure that people not only have a variety of options, but that they also can find something within their budget. Sometimes they will put a bin out that is marked free. Or, if you want, ask them if you can have the baby stuff that didn’t sell. You might be surprised at all the free baby stuff you can find if you simply ask. As always, be sure the items you accept are in good condition and can be easily cleaned. You also need to check to be sure that the products meet all safety standards. They also are a great time to bond with friends and meet other people as well. Set one up with your friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers so that you can trade your old things for something new. Additionally, be sure that the items you are trading as well as those you’re accepting are in good condition and meet all safety standards.
