Say you are currently using disposable diapers for your baby but, would really like to make the switch to cloth diapers. However you don’t have enough cash to buy enough cloth diapers all at one time to do a complete switch.
That’s OK! You can still start now!
Let’s look at this concept; Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball plan and applying it to cloth diapering.
Month one. Buy one cloth diaper. You can pick any brand that you can afford right now. This may be a prefold, fitted or a more expensive brand or maybe something in between.
Let’s say you choose something in between- a 100% Birdseye Cotton Fitted Cloth Diapers with snaps. You paid $7.50. Use this diaper each day in rotation with your disposable diapers for one month. Each day you use this diaper for just one diaper change, you have saved yourself approx. 25 cents. After one month, you have saved 30 changes which is $7.50 plus tax. Your cloth diaper paid for itself! That is enough to go buy another one the next month without spending any extra.
Now month two you have $7.50 plus tax saved from month one. Go buy your second cloth diaper with that money saved. Now you have two cloth diapers for month two so you have twice the savings on month two, $15.
Now Month three you have $15 dollars saved so you can buy TWO diapers this month. You now have 4 diapers by month 3. So month 3 you save $30. Now for month can buy FOUR cloth diapers! Now you have 8 cloth diapers in just 4 months.
Do you see how this works? It builds and builds and before you know it, you are not buying disposables at all and it is all savings. The only month you spent money out of pocket was month 1 and only $7.50. Each subsequent month you bought diapers with your savings. So in a sense, you can build your entire stash for just $7.50!!
1st month: Buy 1 diaper
2nd month: Buy 1 diaper with savings from not using your disposables for 1 change a day. You now have 2 diapers by month 2.
3rd month: Buy 2 diapers with your savings. You now have 4 diapers by month 3.
4th month: Buy 4 diapers with your savings. You now have 8 diapers by month 4.
5th month: Buy 8 diapers with your savings. You now have 16 diapers by month 5.
Note: you can do this with any diaper/cover and any amount you are comfortable starting with. This is just an example of how you can start with just one and build up. The pace you go and the amount you start with depends on your own personal goals.