1. Get anything and everything second hand - used items from friends, family, co-workers, freecycle (visit http://www.freecycle.org), garage sales, second hand stores, etc.

2. When you feel forced to buy something, think of an alternative. For example, before we were given a crib, I was going to use the pack 'n play we were given for as long as I possibly could. Many people may think you NEED a crib, but really the babe just needs a safe place to sleep and anything safe will do. Our daughter ended up using her pack 'n play to sleep in all summer while we traveled. From 13 till 16.5 months she's been sleeping there. We picked up a cheap pack 'n play mattress and she has done great!

3. Cloth diaper - I just put a ton of information about cloth diapering on my blog. Go to http://www.babygetgreen.com/clothdiapers.com to find tons of information about cloth diapering and how to order yours. It is very cost effective, great for your baby, and helpful to the environment.

4. Use Charlie Soap for diapers and all your laundry needs. It saves a bundle on all your washing - you use a lot less detergent, it is natural for you and the environment, you don't need to use softener, and on and on... If you are interested in Charlie's Soap you can get it directly from them at http://www.charliesoap.com . You can find info about Charlie's Soap in my diaper page, mentioned above, too.

5. Don't know the gender of your baby till it is born - specifically if it's your first born. Obviously, this is a personal decision, so hear my reasons and then make whatever decision is best for you. First off, you end up getting more practical things at any shower you have or gifts that you randomly get before the baby is born. Also, as nice as clothes are, you really need the practical stuff with your first baby. You will get neutral stuff that you can use for subsequent children. You may end up getting clothes later from people who just really wanted to get them clothes once they knew whether it is a boy or girl.

6. Breastfeed your baby - it is great for your baby (getting the nutrients that were perfectly designed for him/her), great for your body (helps you lose your baby weight), and great for your budget (it saves approximately $40 per week!!!).

7. Ask yourself, "Do I/the baby really need this?"

8. Don't buy toys - make stuff, use household items that are safe, play with your child, get books from the library, take hand-me-downs, give lots of tummy time when they are little. With the toys that you do acquire, trade with other moms when your babies/kids are tired of their own.

9. Meal plan ahead of time and freeze what you can. If people stop by with meals or offer to make something, accept it! This is such a blessing when transitioning to a new addition in the family (and anytime, for that matter!). Check out http://www.amonthofmeals.com/amonthofmeals1.com for a month of planned meals.

10. Make your own stuff. For example, I really wanted a baby sling (they are normally about $50). My sister ended up getting a pattern for free online and making a sling for me. There are some things that are great products, but could be made quite easily.

11. Take unneeded or duplicate items back. Sometimes after receiving an item, or a duplicate item, you realize that you won't be able to utilize it. When registering, you may have thought that you needed it, but once baby comes, you realize it's not essential. If people give a gift receipt, just return it. If there is no gift receipt, bunch any items into one group for each store to return. Most stores only let you return 2 "lots" per year without a receipt to get in-store credit (using your driver's license). Also, I know that at some stores you can return things without a receipt if they are on your registry (no matter when you actually add them to your registry - hint, hint). Thanks to the nice customer service lady at Target for that fabulous tip!

These are things that have worked really well for us in pregnancy and the first year of life!