According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average child-rearing cost from birth until 18 years of age is approximately $245,340 for a child born in 2013. Parents will start feeling the pinch after delivery since a newborn baby will require clothes, sustenance, and medical care, among other basic needs.
Fortunately, parents can take the following small steps with big impact in cutting child-rearing costs without sacrificing on quality care for their children at stores like Aldi’s.
Breastfeed for as Long as Possible
Breastfeeding is highly recommended by health experts because of its health benefits for both mother (i.e., faster weight loss, deeper bonding, and more sleep) and child (i.e., more nutrients). You will also be able to save at least $1,400 for your child’s first year, thus, the recommendation to breastfeed for as long as you possibly can.
You can also skip on the fancy breastfeeding accessories until such time that you are committed to breastfeeding especially in public. You can borrow a breast pump, for example, instead of buying an electric pump. You can also use your old bras instead of buying special nursing bras when you intend to be a stay-at-home mother for a while.
If you want to buy formula milk, you should use coupons issued by Aldi, Target, or Albertsons for these items. You can stockpile age-appropriate milk for as many months as your child will require it.
Be Conscious About Baby Clothes Purchases 
Many new parents will splurge on gender-appropriate clothes but these can wasteful for many reasons, such as being unable to re-use the clothes for the next baby. Choose gender-neutral baby clothes in white instead, which can be handed down for the next baby as well as cleaned with bleached for pennies instead of spot-treated for dollars.
Avoid buying baby clothes for the upcoming season. Newborns usually have sudden growth spurts so the winter coat you bought in summer will be of little use in winter when your baby has experienced a significant growth spurt.
Choose generic baby clothes (i.e., skip on the branded clothes). Your main goal is comfort, convenience and cost when buying baby clothes so generic is the way to go. You should also save money on all-in-ones since these will be used under clothes and on leather shoes because your baby can use soft booties.
As for special-occasion clothes, you can purchase second-hand clothes and clean them well. You will save on money but not on the cute factor.
Other tips include buying double-purpose furniture (e.g., changing table and dresser combo, booster seat and regular chair combo); large bags of diapers; and organic produce for homemade baby food.