We all know that it is best to breastfeed your baby. However, there are situations which come up which may require your baby to need use formula in addition to, or in lieu of breastmilk. If you’ve priced formula lately, you know how very expensive it can be, so it is more important than ever to find ways to save money!
Everything babies need costs money. There are wipes, diapers, foods, personal care products, clothes. The list can go on and on. Most of us know how to find coupons and deals to save on things we need. But, the one item that doesn’t seem to drop much in price is baby formula.
When our oldest was born, my sister passed away. The stress of her death caused me to dry up and I could no longer breastfeed her. I was devastated but knew that what mattered most of all was that she was fed and happy.
When we priced formula I had sticker shock! OUCH!! That meant I had to get creative and find even more ways to save money. I’m sharing what I learned with all of you. These secrets helped me find not only find the formula coupons I wanted but ways to save on every single shopping trip.
Other parenting tips:
HOW YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ON BABY FORMULA
Get baby formula coupons
Many companies have membership clubs you can join for free. Fill out their form to get free formula coupons and offers directly from the manufacturer. You can get Similac coupons and also those for Enfamil and Gerber by visiting their respective websites.
You can also scroll this list below and if there are any new baby formula coupons, you can find them here as well:
Coupons powered by Coupons.com
Pro tip: Ask your family and friends to sign up so they can pass along their offers and coupons to you as well.
Shop from home
You can check out Amazon and other baby sites to see if you can’t find better deals than you might find in the stores. Sometimes, when you purchase in larger quantities, you can find discounts. When you join Amazon Family, you can always save up to 20% on your purchase of diapers, wipes and other baby items.
Shop at mass merchandisers
Formula sold by mass merchandisers, such as Wal-Mart, Costco, and Sam’s Club, cost as much as 16% less than what you will pay in supermarkets. Drug stores are the most expensive, so use those stores only in the case where you find special offers (such as coupons stacked with rewards or cash back).
In most cases, milk-based formula costs less than soy. Avoid soy or another specialized formula, unless your child’s pediatrician recommends it.
Stick with powder (if you can)
You will quite often pay less for the powdered varieties rather than the ready-made. If you are traveling, having it already made for you makes sense. However, the cost of powder is much lower than the bottles that are ready to feed.
Opt for the store brand
Store brands can cost as much as 50% less per ounce than the big name brands. All formula which is marketed and sold in the US must meet the same nutrient specifications set to fulfill the needs of infants.
Although infant-formula manufacturers may have their own proprietary formulations, brand-name and store-brand formula must all contain at least the minimum levels of all nutrients specified in FDA regulations, without exceeding maximum levels, where those are specified.
Regardless of the brand, make sure to check the “use by” date and follow preparation and storage instructions.
Free samples
Whenever you are at your pediatrician’s office, ask your doctor if he or she happens to have any sample cans of formula. They often receive boxes of formula and they’d love to give it to you. But, you just need to ask for it!
Keep in mind that these cans are often 12.7 oz size cans – so they are larger than just a single serving (which can mean big savings).
Find a local mom’s group to swap coupons and samples
If you find your infant can only digest a specific type of formula, but your friend’s baby needs another brand, why not swap coupons and samples? This is an easy way to help one another save money on formula.
Check with your insurance provider
If your baby is on a specialty formula, check to see if any of it might not be covered by your health insurance. If you can’t get it covered by insurance, but it is a prescription formula, run the expenses through your (or your spouse’s) flexible spending account. At least you won’t have to pay income tax on the money you need to pay for your formula.
Stack your savings
You can often find manufacturer’s coupons, store coupons and discounts and even money saving formula checks. Stack all of these together when you shop so you can maximize your savings.
Apply for WIC
Requirements vary from state to state, but you might find you are eligible for state assistance to for your infant formula. Learn more about WIC qualifications.
