How To Save $$$ on Potty Training Gear

Toddlers need lot less stuff than babies, but there is one area where everyone could stand to save a little money, and that’s on potty training gear. Most people buy at least one plastic potty for their tots, plus training pants and big kid undies when they’re ready to move on from diapers. The good news is all these things can be found in eco-friendly styles and at big discounts. Here’s how to save money on your child’s potty training gear.

Potty Sale

Toddler potties now come in a variety of styles, from seats and stools that hook onto the family toilet to free-standing plastic potties with removable bowls for easy cleanup. Our favorite is Baby Bjorn, pictured here, because the company makes a high-backed version that makes it easier for little kids to sit up on the potty without falling off. They also make a smaller version that’s good for a second bathroom or for car travel.

To find a potty at a discount, you can use a variety of the money-saving tips I list in EcoFrugal Baby: How To Save 70% Off Baby’s First Year. Those include the following:

• Social Media Sales: See if your local baby boutique offers Facebook fan discounts, Twitter sales, or mailer coupons. You can combine these with sales or each other sometimes for a great deal.
• Seasonal Sales: An item like a potty can be purchased in mainstream baby stores, too, so sign up for coupons from Babies R Us and keep an eye out for seasonal and holiday sales. The big seasonal sales at Babies R Us can easily net you 20% off one item. Once you’re done using that on big stuff like high chairs, it’s a great way to get a potty for next to nothing.

Cloth Training Pants

Pull-ups cost a pretty penny, just like disposable diapers, so consider moving to cloth training pants when you’re done with cloth diapers. For some people, the only way to convince their kid they’re done with diapers is to let them run bare butt for a week, but if your kid likes big kid training pants you now have some great options. Some cloth trainers are pretty close to underwear, while others feature a fleece lining and a stuffable pocket like a cloth diaper, so you can add absorbency when you need it. Our favorite brands for cute factor are Blueberry and Imse Vimse trainers, but Happy Heinys are best for adjustable absorbency.

• Giveaways: There aren’t as many cloth training pant giveaways out there as cloth diaper giveaways, but there also aren’t as many people entering them, so the odds are good for you to win one if you can find it. Check giveaway aggregator sites such as Online Sweepstakes or Prizey to search by keyword and quickly find a few giveaways to enter.
• Sales: Just as with potties above, check to see if your local eco-friendly baby boutique offers exclusive sales to newsletter subscribers, Twitter followers, or Facebook fans. Sometimes a boutique also runs a promotion for Earth Day or to support a food bank, which can get you a great deal.
• Diaper Swappers: Trainers don’t get used as heavily as cloth diapers, so if you’re open to trying gently used trainers, check out Diaper Swappers to see if anyone is selling or trading some cloth training pants.

Big Kid Underwear

Some cloth diaper companies like Charlie Banana have started making big kid undies in organic cotton, just like their trainers. But I’m pretty sure my daughter won’t happily switch from her super cute cloth diapers to big kid undies unless they are covered in toddlerific patterns, so we purchased big kid underwear with all her favorite cartoon characters on them to help her make the transition. Because this is a mainstream kid product and not part of the green parenting world, the money-saving tips are a little different.

• Discount Retailers: I love used gear, but I do draw the line at undies, so my first step is to try to find new big kid underwear at a discount. That means T.J. Maxx or a similar discount retailer. We recently purchased several packages of 2T/3T toddler undies for just $4 a pack at T.J. Maxx, and were able to nip over to the toy department to pick up a couple toys baby girl could work toward earning as she filled her sticker chart for going potty. I wouldn’t have gone for all this stuff if it were expensive. We got two toys for less than $20 total plus the panties, and we were good to go.
• Coupon Codes: If you’re shopping a mainstream retailer that allows you to shop online, such as Macy’s or JC Penney, check out CouponChief.com or RetailMeNot.com to see if any coupon codes are available to save you money. These are just the codes from mailer coupons and online sales all saved in one place. Add the code in the coupon code box at checkout and you instantly save money.

I hope that gives you a few ideas on how to get your kid’s potty training gear for less money. These tips can become a habit for purchasing all kinds of things, which will make it easier to outfit your toddler in eco-friendly gear on a budget. Happy potty training!