Money-saving dad shares how new parents can instantly save £1000 – and what you should avoid splurging on too

BECOMING new parents is a very exciting time, but there's no denying the extra financial stress it brings.

From splurging on nappies to saving up for childcare, babies have an adorable way of draining our bank balances.

But according to Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community , they don't have to, and as a new dad himself, he has a few thrifty tricks up his sleeve to help other parents save money.

1. Be organised and ignore social media

The more you scroll the more you see and it can be tempting to splurge on all the fanciest gadgets, prams and car seats you start to see.

But Tom warns against getting carried away and instead make a list of what you actually need, such as a pram, car seat, cot and steriliser.

A strict list will help you avoid impulse buys and will allow you to do the research to find the best deals out there.

According to Tom not everything you see online is a necessity. Take a changing bag for example which is just a normal bag with a mat.

So buy them separately instead which will probably work out cheaper.

2. Buy second-hand

While experts recommend you should buy certain things brand new for safety reasons, such as car seats and mattresses, there are so many things you can buy second-hand which are as good as new.

Prams which would have cost over £1,000 new can go for as little as £50 on Facebook Marketplace, ebay or Gumtree, Tom says.

And instead of spending hundreds on clothes for your baby’s first year, you can buy bundles of clothes appropriate for their age on these selling sites.

"For example, I got a Chicco Next 2 Me Bedside Cribs for £50 on Facebook Marketplace when it costs £199 brand new from John Lewis," he revealed.

"I found a Chicco Trio Travel system on Facebook Marketplace for £60. It normally costs £294.95 at Online4Baby, and it was in perfect condition. That's probably been the biggest single saving, and may end up being free when I sell it again in the future!"

3. Borrow pre-loved clothes

Babies outgrow clothes quicker than you can buy them so try borrowing, swapping or buying pre-loved clothes instead.

Think family members of friends who might still be hanging on to items, or try second-hand shopping sites instead.

Tom said: "When I began asking friends with kids if they had any clothes now outgrown, I was flooded with free hand-me-downs. I probably received about £300 worth of free baby clothes. Don’t be afraid to ask friends to spread the word."

4. Set deal alerts for shopping

Being organised can save you loads and if you know what you need start shopping early.

Tom said to try saving search terms on eBay which can give you "excellent results that can save you a fortune."

Examples he used include “unwanted gift baby”, “UV steriliser new in box” or “ex display pram”.

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What's more, online tools will allow you to buy products you want when they’re cheapest rather than impulse purchasing.

You can use CamelCamelCamel to receive alerts when the prices of products you like drop, PriceSpy, which compares product prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or Keepa, which will email you if a product you like drops in price.