Interested in cloth diapers for financial reasons? Trying to convince your significant other to give cloth a shot? Here's my 2 cents on the cost comparison for cloth versus disposable. Lots of websites who show cost comparisons don't include cost of things like soap or water (you kind of have to wash the diapers...), but my comparison does.
For the sake of argument, I'm going to compare the costs to diaper from birth until 2. This is probably around when people begin potty training, although it's probably a lot more realistic to say that kids are actually potty trained around 3. Obviously the longer you use cloth diapers after they pay for themselves, the more you save. Also, it should be worth noting that the more children you have that wear the diapers, the more you save also.
Here's my math. If you want to skip over this part and get to the real meat, go ahead. But I'm going to include it for those who care (i.e. people like me). My kid averages right around 12 diapers per day. More when she was a newborn, probably less as she gets older.
12 diapers per day x 365 days x 2 years = 8,760 diapers
This estimate seems in line with other calculations previously done. Their calculations had total diapers at 8,149. Hm, maybe our little one pees more often...
Ok, let's split the difference: 8,455 diapers from birth to age 2.
Cost of Disposables
Store brands are cheaper than name brands, so I'm going to compare the cost for a store brand (Target Up & Up) and a name brand (Pampers Baby Dry), not including tax. I searched online at Target in late January 2013 for the large value packs. If you buy your diapers in the smaller sizes (i.e. not ~200 diapers at a time), your cost per diaper increases. Calculating out the cost per diaper for different sizes, it looked like size 3 is a good representative sample of the cost per diaper (newborn diapers cheaper, larger diapers more expensive). The Pampers size 1 cost 17 cents per diaper with the size 5's costing 27 cents per diaper. Size 3 cost 21 cents per diaper. We'll go with that.
Up & Up (Target brand), size 3: 14.4 cents per diaper
$0.144 x 8,455 diapers = $1,217.52 for store brand (birth - age 2)
Pampers Baby Dry, size 3: 21 cents per diaper
$0.21 x 8,455 diapers = $1,775.55 for name brand (birth - age 2)
Let's average these two together just to keep things simple: $1,496.54 on average (birth - age 2)
Cost of Cloth
There are many different types of cloth systems out there, each ranging in price (for an overview of the types of cloth diapers, see my Types of Cloth Diapers post). For the sake of comparison, I am going to calculate costs based on 30 diapers and washing once every 2 days. For all the Cotton Babies brands, I researched prices on their website. Regular and bulk prices are constant, sale prices are temporary, shipping is free within the contiguous US and not calculated in the price.
One-Sized Options (sizes theoretically fit birth - potty training)
bumGenius Elemental
Regular price: $24.95 x 30 = $748.50
Bought in bulk: $529.90 (2-12 pk) + $134.95 (6 pk) = $664.85
Sale (5/$95): $95 x 6 = $570 (Whoa! What a deal!)
bumGenius Freetime
Regular price: $19.95 x 30 = $598.50
Bought in bulk: $399.95 (24 pk) + $110.95 (6 pk) = $510.90
bumGenius 4.0
Regular price: $17.95 x 30 = $538.50
Bought in bulk: $406.80 (2-12 pk) + $104.70 (6 pk) = $511.20
FuzziBunz
Regular price: $19.95 x 30 = $598.50
GroVia AIO
Regular Price: 23.95 x 30 = $718.50
Bought in bulk: $517.98 (2-12 pk) + ($23.95 x 6) = $661.68
GroVia Live (12 covers with 30 inserts)
Stay Dry Package (12 covers + 24 inserts) + 6 stay dry pads = $394 + ($17.95 x 3) = $447.85
Organic Cotton Package (12 covers + 24 inserts) + 6 organic cotton soaker pads = $404 + ($18.95 x 3) = $460.85
Flip (30 inserts with 10 covers)
Covers + stay-dry inserts: ($13.95 x 10) + ($11.95 for three x 10) = $259
Covers + organic inserts: ($13.95 x 10) + ($19.95 for three x 10) = $339
Covers + econobum inserts: ($13.95 x 10) + ($6 for three x 10) = $199.50
Sale (2/$20 hook & loop) + stay-dry: ($20 x 5) + ($11.95 for three x 10) = $219.50
30 inserts with 9 covers
Sale (buy 2 get 1 snap or h&l) + stay-dry: ($27.90 x 3) + ($11.95 for three x 10) = $203.20
Econobum
30 inserts with 10 covers
Cover + 3 prefold combo: $11.95 x 10 = $119.50
36 inserts with 9 covers, 3 wetbags
Kit (3 covers, 12 prefolds, 1 wetbag): $48.95 x 3 = 146.85
Sized Options (sizes change as you grow)
Thirsties
Thirsties Duo Snap Wrap (size 1 & size 2) + OsoCozy prefolds (size 1 & 2)
Size 1: ($12.75 x 10) + ($11.99 x 5) = $187.45
Size 2: ($12.75 x 10) + ($18.99 x 5) = $222.45
Total: $409.90
gDiapers
gDiapers need gPants, waterproof pouch, and cloth (or disposable) inserts. I will assume you would need 6 gPants in each size, 12 waterproof pouches, and 30 inserts. Small (and newborn) gPants use small pouches and inserts, medium and large (and x-large) use large pouches and inserts.
gPants + pouches + cloth inserts
Small: $79.99 + $22.99 + ($32.99 x 5) = $267.93
Medium: $79.99 + $22.99 + ($32.99 x 5) = $267.93
Large (reusing pouches and inserts from medium): $79.99 + $0 + $0 = $79.99
Total: $615.85 (not including newborn or x-large sizes if you may need them)
Cost for Cloth Care
Now that you have your cloth diapers, you need to wash and care for them! Here's how much you should roughly expect to spend on care. I'm not calculating in the energy for a dryer because 1) it's too hard to calculate, and 2) many of the diapers need line-drying anyway.
Cloth diaper-safe detergent
A pack of Rockin' Green soap ($15.95 lasts us ~3 months)
$15.95 x 4 a year x 2 years = $127.60
Water
Our water bill went up $60 every billing cycle (3 months) washing a diaper load every other day. However, this also includes all the extra laundry a little person's clothes causes... I understand that water bills are different for different areas too. This is our ball-park estimate.
$60 x 4 a year x 2 years = $480
Total cost for care for 2 years: $607.60
Diaper Savings
Cheapest cloth diaper cost per type + cost for care = total price of cloth diapering
Cost of disposables - Total price of cloth diapering = total savings for 2 years
bumGenius Elemental
Total Price: $570 + $607.60 = $1,177.60
Savings: $1,496.54 - $1,177.60 = $318.94
bumGenius Freetime
Total Price: $510.90 + $607.60 = $1,118.50
Savings: $1,496.54 - $1,118.50 = $378.04
bumGenius 4.0
Total Price: $511.20 + $607.60 = $1,118.80
Savings: $1,496.54 - $1,118.80 = $377.74
FuzziBunz
$598.50 + $607.60 = $1,206.10
$1,496.54 - $1,206.10 = $290.44
GroVia AIO
$661.68 + $607.60 = $1,269.28
$1,496.54 - $1,269.28 = $227.26
GroVia Live (12 covers with 30 inserts)
$447.85 + $607.60 = $1,055.45
$1,496.54 - $1,055.45 = $441.09
Flip (30 inserts with 10 covers)
$199.50 + $607.60 = $807.10
$1,496.54 - $807.10 = $689.44
Econobum
Total Price: $119.50 + $607.60 = $727.10
Savings: $1,496.54 - $727.10 = $769.44
So even with the most expensive type of cloth diaper, you are still saving at least $200 over 2 years by cloth diapering! And depending on what system you use, you could be saving over $750!
What? You want to use cloth wipes too?
We use cloth wipes. I feel like it only makes sense to wash them too instead of picking them out and throwing them away. Here are our costs:
OsoCozy Flannel Baby Wipes ($10.95 for 15 pk, we use 30 every 2 days)
$10.95 x 2 = $21.90
For a wipes solution, we use 2 cups distilled water + 2 Tbsp. vinegar + 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil + 2 Tbsp. Burt's Bee's Baby Bee shampoo and body wash, fragrance free. A large thing of each will last us 2 months. We wash these with our diapers, so there is no additional cost for detergent or water.
1 L distilled water: $0.99
33.8 fl. oz. extra virgin olive oil (from Trader Joe's): $8.99
32 fl. oz. vinegar: $4
21 fl. oz. Burt's Bee's wash: $14.99
Total: $28.97
$28.97 x 6 a year x 2 years = $347.64
Cloth wipes total for 2 years: $369.54
For disposable wipes, I'm going to also say 15 wipes per day.
15 wipes per day x 365 days x 2 years = 10,950 wipes
Up & Up (Target brand): 792 for $13.69 = $0.017 per wipe
$0.017 x 10,950 = $186.15
Pampers Fresh Baby: 720 for $18.49 = $0.025 per wipe
$0.025 x 10,950 = $273.75
Average cost for disposable wipes for 2 years: $229.95
So it looks like cloth wipes actually cost $139.59 more over the course of 2 years if you use our recipe for wipes solution with the expensive Burt's Bee's wash. Huh, didn't expect that.
Closing thoughts
It's not often that "going green" actually saves you money when you buy things (I'm looking at you organic produce). But cloth diapering is one of them. According to my calculations that include both the cost of the diaper and cost of care (i.e. laundry), even with the most expensive type of diaper I could find, you are still saving $200+ over two years. And depending on what type of system you choose, you could be saving $750+.
A couple more things worth noting: start shopping for diapers early for the best deals. Cotton Babies and other brands have periodic sales. Take advantage of these. Cotton Babies also has what are called "Seconds Sales" which are sales of diapers at a discounted price because they didn't quite make the cut as "first rate" diapers during the manufacturing process. There is nothing wrong with the absorbancy of the diaper, but the "damage" is purely cosmetic like uneven stitching or a grease mark from a sewing machine. I have bought 4 "Seconds" diapers and could only see something wrong with one of them (two tiny grease marks which were barely noticeable). The other three look exactly like the "first rate" diapers. I don't think my husband would be able to tell which diapers were "Seconds." Also, the way I figure, you kid is going to poop and pee in it. As long as it holds what it needs to hold, who cares if there is a tiny little grease mark on it? It's going to get poop on it soon enough.
A lot of work at home moms (WAHMs) also make their own covers for the prefolds + covers systems. There are plenty of patterns out there and I have seen the PUL fabric at JoAnn's and other fabric stores. If you are crafty, you may be able to save even more by making your own. Or consider helping out a small business by buying their covers.
Diaper Swappers is also another good resource for buying (and re-selling!) gently used diapers. I have never personally used this website, so I can't vouch for it, but I have heard good things.
Shop local when you can. A lot of local boutique stores sell the big brands of cloth diapers (i.e. GroVia, FuzziBunz, Cotton Babies brands) as well as locally made items. Most stores will match online prices as well. Help a small business out! Sometimes they even have local re-stash events where you can buy and sell gently used diapers from people in your community.
How much have you saved cloth diapering? I'm very interested to calculate my savings now, but that's another post for another day!
Hope this was helpful! And thanks for reading! :)
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