Let’s go ahead and get the controversial item out of the way: whether you agree or disagree with the practice, breast-feeding stands to save you upwards of $1,500 in your baby’s first year. While it may not seem like babies eat much, the cost of formula adds up very quickly. If you are totally against breast-feeding, you may want to consider pumping and storing the milk. This way, your only expense will be towards the pump and the storage bags. As an added bonus, if you know someone that has already pumped, you can borrow theirs; the only part of a breast milk pump that shouldn’t be shared is the plastic attachments. You can buy these for around $40 or so. This, added with a year’s worth of storage bags comes to about $90. Compared to what you can expect to pay for a year’s worth of formula (see above), this is quite a bargain.

Other than breast feeding, there are several other small ways you can begin to save money right away. Most hospitals supply new mothers with numerous baby-related toiletries such as lotions, creams and ointments. Before leaving the hospital, be sure that you have received all of these freebies. After all you’ve just had a baby! Don’t be afraid to ask for free baby product samples. Hospitals will often also provide countless coupons for formula, food and diapers. Make sure you have stocked up on these as well.

Diapers and Clothes: Another thing to remember when trying to save money on your baby: diapers are diapers. No matter what the brand, they serve the same function. There is really not much sense in spending extra money for a brand name. Granted, some children do have skin conditions that require that they wear a certain brand or style of diaper. But if your baby is not in this category, then don’t splurge on bigger name brands. The no-name brands are just as good and, arguably, better in some cases.

As far as clothes go, you may have to sacrifice your own tastes in order to save money. For instance, if you plan on having more than one child and Baby Number One is a girl, don’t go out and buy all girl clothes. There is no guarantee that Baby Number Two will also be a girl; by buying lots of gender neutral clothing, you are ensuring that you save a ton of money when Baby Number Two comes, regardless of its sex.

And while it may be difficult to do, try not to buy your baby’s clothing too far in advance. Growth spurts are nearly impossible to predict. Just because your baby will be 8 months old during the winter, it’s not a great idea to buy that cute 6-8 month winter coat in the middle of September. Many a mother has made this mistake and ended up spending money on a coat that was never worn.

You may also want to avoid buying shoes for your newborn. Sure, it may be fitting to have a pair for taking family pictures or to keep the baby’s feet warm during the colder months, but common sense prevails here: why buy shoes when your baby can’t walk? As a matter of fact, even if your baby is in his/her learning-to-walk stage, studies indicate that babies are more successful at learning to walk while barefoot.

Lastly, never turn up your nose at consignment shops. There are very nice and well-kept clothes to be found in these shops. From brand names to plain white tee shirts and onesies, consignment shops can save parents an enormous amount of money—particularly parents with a sense of fashion. A garment that costs around $25 in Baby Gap can be found for as little as $6 in most consignment shops.

If you can utilize most of these tips, you will be very surprised at how much you stand to save on your baby in his/her first year.

GoFreebies provides sources to tons of free stuff, including free baby product samples and free baby products! Brandon Pham is an aspiring writer and single-dad looking to support him and his son.