How to save dollars on diapers

Whether you use disposable or cloth diapers, here's how you can cut down on your diapering costs.

• If you use cloth diapers, launder them yourself; you can save hundreds of dollars on diapers this way. But you will spend more time in the laundry room, so consider the trade-offs.
• Try store-brand disposables. They can offer excellent quality and performance for less than name brands.
• Watch for specials. Stores and Web sites often put disposable diapers on sale as "loss leaders" to induce parents to shop there, so take advantage of good deals.
• Use coupons combined with store sales. You can find diaper coupons in Sunday newspaper inserts and by logging on to diaper Web sites. Huggies and Seventh Generation also have offers and/or coupons. Some diaper Web sites, such as Diapers.com, accept manufacturers' coupons.
• Join a warehouse club, such as Costco or BJ's Wholesale Club.com. Or try Walmart or Target for good prices on store and national diaper brands.
• Buy big. You'll save more per diaper by buying larger packages. If you buy online, a bulk shipment may qualify you for free shipping; it typically takes only one or two cases to qualify.
• Get a store card. With a preferred-shopper card, you receive automatic discounts on the products listed in the weekly specials or special savings on products without clipping coupons. If you can use your preferred shopper's card with a manufacturer's coupon, that's even better.
• Visit www.amazon.com, www.drugstore.com, and www.cvs.com for good deals on name-brand and store-brand diapers (and save yourself a trip to the store). Amazon's Subscribe & Save program offers the best deal if you sign up for regular deliveries; you can save 15 percent and get free shipping, too. You'll find decent prices on reusable diapers at www.walmart.com and www.target.com.
• Call the toll-free customer-service lines of disposable diaper companies, or register at their Web sites, for their new-parent programs, which often include coupons and free samples. If you join Pampers.com, for example, you can earn points for toys and gift cards through the Gifts to Grow program, but it might take a number of purchases to accumulate points. And keep in mind that your name may end up on mailing lists.