Estimates suggest that the cost to raise a child from infancy to adulthood has reached half a million.
Half a million is a lot of savings.
Especially for parents who have college or home loans to pay off and elderly parents to take care of.
I combed the Internet and put together a list of free goodie bags, diapers and milk powder samples for expecting mums in the United States (US).
As a first-time mum, I couldn't be sure of the quality and mileage of some baby items I had in mind. I didn't want to waste money through trial and error. Having free samples enabled me to decide if the products were suitable for my little one (LO) before I committed to buying the full-size.
Hope you find this list of free goodie bags, diapers and milk powder samples useful!
1. Free Assorted Baby Boxes
Amazon Baby Registry Welcome Box
Contents vary but customers have been known to receive an assortment of swaddles, milk bottles, diapers, baby detergent and baby soap. The estimated value of each box is USD$35. The best part is, this box gets shipped right to your doorstep and is a delightful surprise to unbox.
Note that this promotion is only for Prime members who start a baby registry on Amazon with a qualifying purchase of USD$10. The good news is, this amount is pretty easy to hit. I would suggest to get some mum-to-be essentials -- a bottle of prenatal vitamins or stretch mark cream.
Babylist Hello Baby Box
Babylist is a free online baby registry that lets you add any item from any store. Very hassle-free if you are coveting baby products from many different retailers!
Once you set up a free Babylist baby registry, you get a free box delivered straight to you!
Samples include Pampers diapers, Lansinoh breastfeeding products, Cetaphil baby wash and adorable nursery art print as well as milestone cards for photo-taking!
Target Baby Registry Welcome Bag
You can create your free online Target baby registry at home or in the Target stores! Once the registry has been set up, proceed to the Customer Service counters and ask for the free baby registry welcome bag.
Sometimes, the Target staff ask for verification. Simply show them the email that had been sent to your account notifying you about your completed baby registry.
The Target baby registry bags are known to include baby wipes, diapers, milk bottles, newborn pacifiers and a solid stash of manufacturer's coupons. Before you leave the Target store, be sure to use the 1-for-1 Target Starbucks voucher to enjoy 2 drinks at the price of one!
Walmart Baby Box
The Walmart Baby Boxes are the most curated samples of all the brands we have known.
Walmart lets you select which box you’d like to receive based on your baby’s age or development stage. There’s a box tailored for expecting mothers, one for newborns/infants and one for toddlers. As your baby grows, Walmart sends you another box to for the new life stage - talk about personalisation!
You have to cover the USD$5 shipping fees for the box to be delivered to you, but the box is essentially free!
Baby Box University
Modelled after the Finnish Baby Boxes which have been known to provide simple, beautiful, and safe sleeping spaces for babies, Baby Box University partners with hospitals, government agencies and non-profit organizations across the globe to distribute free Baby Boxes and offer online education to parents on safe sleep practices that reduce SIDS.
Parents can receive a free baby box equipped with premium baby products in some of the participating US states after completing an online educational course.
Buy Buy Baby Registry Bag
Drop by any Buy Buy Baby US stores and have the customer service staff help to set up a baby registry for you on the spot. They will pass you an electronic hand scanner to scan the barcodes of the baby products in store that you will like to handpick for your baby registry - simple as that!
Once completed, return the scanner and receive a free goodie bag loaded with samples, coupons and even a Buy Buy Baby Onboard tag to place in your car!
2. Free Diaper Samples
Diaper companies want to give you free diapers so you can try their diapers and hopefully buy their diapers later.
If you sign up as a member at these diaper companies' websites, they'll often mail you some free diapers or coupons so you can get cheap diapers.
These are the major diaper companies you should register with:
Pampers
Click here for Pampers website.
Huggies
Click here for Huggies website.
Luvs
GoodNites
Click here for GoodNites website.
The Honest Co.
Click here for The Honest Co. website.
Seventh Generation
Click here for Seventh Generation website.
Bambo Nature
Click here for Bambo Nature website.
If you don't get any free diaper samples from joining these programs, don't be afraid to pick up the phone and give these companies' hotlines a call. Express interest in trying their products and they'll be more than happy to send you some free samples as they see you as potential customers.
It's also a great idea to follow these companies on social media to find out about free diaper giveaways, contests or sampling programs.
3. Free Baby Formula Samples
You might want to breastfeed but it doesn't hurt to have some baby formula on standby in case milk supply doesn't come in fast enough, there is disruption to your supply or if you are suddenly taken ill and have to stop nursing for awhile till you get better.
Register with these major baby formula companies and look out for free coupons and samples in your mailbox:
Similac
Click here for Similac website.
Gerber
Click here for Gerber website.
Enfamil
Click here for Enfamil website.
Nature's One
Click here for Nature's One website.
Parent's Choice
Click here for Parent's Choice website.
Likewise, if you don't get any free baby formula samples from joining these programs, do pick up the phone and give these companies a call. They'll be more than happy to send you some free samples for trial in hopes of converting you from a non-user to a customer.
It's also worth your time and energy to follow these companies on social media. You will be the first to find out about free baby formula giveaways, contests or sampling programs.