Does Buying Generic Brand Diapers Save You Money?

A common topic when I talk to other parents of small children is whether buying generic brand diapers actually saves you money. The answer? It depends. Every brand of generic diapers is different and the quality of each brand can vary drastically. Also, every child is different, so the way each brand of diapers fits your child can vary as well.

Generally speaking, you pay more for brand name diapers, but the quality is better so you end up changing your child less often. Generic brand diapers may cost less per diaper, but you will probably end up changing your child more frequently because generics tend to be less absorbent. Personally, I bought both generic and brand name diapers—my daughter wore generic diapers during the day and brand name at night. Generic brand diapers tended to leak through if she wore them all night and I figured paying a few extra cents per diaper in exchange for a good night's rest was definitely worth it!

After much trial and error, I ended up sticking to a combination of Target brand and Luvs diapers. I occasionally bought Pampers or Huggies diapers when I got my hands on a good coupon. If you have a favorite brand of diapers, check out their website to see if they have coupons, or a newsletter or club you can join to get more coupons and savings.

Also, be sure to check the Babies & Kids Offers on CoolSavings often as we usually have offers to join one of these money-saving clubs. (Hint: You will see more baby and kids offers if you are registered and logged into CoolSavings. Be sure your profile is updated, especially the question about whether you have kids, as some of the offers in this section are tailored for members who told CoolSavings they are parents.)

Any words of advice for those who are wondering whether they should stick to brand name or generic diapers? Thankfully my daughter just got potty trained, but I am sure others out there are wondering!