How to Get the Most Out of Your Baby Shower Gifts

• Planning a baby shower without breaking the bank can be difficult, especially when your priority is to have enough saved for your newborn.
• A gift registry with baby essentials and lifestyle gifts can help you save money and prepare for the new addition to your family.
• To ensure that no gifts are duplicated or unwanted, create an organized and updated gift registry.

Planning for your newborn’s arrival can be demanding and worrisome, especially if this is your first go-’round. However, as the cost of taking care of a baby continues to skyrocket annually, one way to cut down your baby expenses is to plan a baby shower to maximize your gifts.

Before your baby’s due date, throw a baby shower, invite your close friends, and have one final pre-parent experience. Here are some baby shower ideas to help keep your guests entertained and aid you in attaining some much-needed baby necessities.

Planning a Baby Shower

Although it may be tempting to spend a substantial amount on the baby shower, it may not be the best idea as it may hurt you financially in the long run. Fortunately, it is possible to have a good time with your friends and family without spending too much. Here are some ways you can plan a budget-friendly baby shower.

Have a Gender Reveal

One of the main events and highlights of a modern baby shower is the gender reveal. Whether it’s a baby boy or girl, the excitement surrounding this event is a lot to handle for the expectant parents, and sometimes, it may result in the gender reveal event getting out of hand. Thus, if you plan to have a gender reveal, ensure the event will not be as bizarre as previous ones that have caused wildfire.     

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Have a Baby Shower Theme

Another way to throw a budget-friendly baby shower is by incorporating a theme into the party. For example, if you plan to hold your baby shower in the coming weeks, you can use the Thanksgiving holiday as the theme of your party, as it is right around the corner. A theme allows you and your guests to get creative and provide them with a unique, special memory.

Play Games

Lastly, playing baby shower-themed games is a great way to interact with your guests. Fun baby shower games are common at baby showers because they allow you to tease your friends about their parenting skills. Some of the most popular baby shower games that you can play are Feed the Baby, Baby Price is Right, and Diaper Derby. 

Now that you have some ideas about planning and throwing a cost-efficient baby shower, here are some ways to get your guests to bring you the items you desire. 

How to Get Gifts You Really Need

Sometimes, we end up with a gift that we do not desire to keep, and as a parent-to-be, your free time is very limited. Thus, here are some ways to guarantee the gifts you receive are the ones you wish for.  

Host A Diaper Raffle

Diapers are the biggest recurring expense that you will have to consider for the next few years. An article by Headline mentioned that diapers cost around $936 per year, as a newborn needs to have their diapers changed between 6 and 12 times a day. 

Furthermore, on average, it takes a baby anywhere between 18 to 30 months to eventually move out of diapers and start becoming potty-trained. As newborns are required to be in diapers for a considerable amount of time, the cost of diapers can quickly add up and hurt your bank account.

Therefore, encourage your baby shower guests to help you stock up on this essential gift. In addition, provide your guests with an incentive if they choose to bring diapers in the form of a diaper raffle. For every box of diapers a guest brings, they receive an additional entry in the raffle. 

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The purpose of the incentive is to receive diapers of all sizes, so if there are specific sizes you wish to have, let your guests know in advance of the baby shower. Furthermore, if you have a brand of diaper that you prefer, add it to the invitation.

Lastly, for the raffle prize, it does not have to be something expensive. Instead, it can be simple and inexpensive, such as gift cards or creating a prize basket.

Ask for Baby Essentials

Alongside diapers, other baby essentials have a steep cost. For example, items such as baby clothes, formula, and strollers, are expensive, and a way to ensure that your guests provide you with the items you are looking for is by having a gift registry. This lets your guests know exactly what you’re looking for and does not provide you with unwanted items. Furthermore, you can allow group gifting to take place for more expensive items, which allows multiple people to pitch in for one major gift.

Ask for Lifestyle Items

Not all gifts have to be for your new baby. You can also ask for gifts that will make you comfortable and less stressed once your baby arrives. Several first-time parents admit that they wished they had received more lifestyle items as gifts. 

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Some lifestyle ideas are restaurant and house cleaning gift cards. Check out this thread for suggestions from parents who have been there. Or talk to your friends who have kids and ask them which lifestyle gifts would have helped them out.

Bringing a new family member into the world is a difficult and important process. Therefore, before purchasing items and preparing for the baby shower, ensure that a sufficient amount of money has been put aside to help cover the cost of any unexpected expenses that may arise.