"With a bundle of joy who you always want the best for, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed as you strive to make smart purchasing decisions. When it comes to feeding your little one, while breastfeeding is the gold standard, as many as 80% of moms supplement with infant formula at some point during the baby’s first year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Many moms are not aware that they can save up to 50% on infant formula, by choosing a store brand over a national brand. In case you are not familiar with store brand infant formula,
it is sold under individual retailer brands, such as Walmart’s Parent’s
Choice and Target’s Up & Up. They are as nutritionally complete as
the national brands, yet are typically half the price of the national
brands, and can save you about $600 a year.
Perrigo Nutritionals is the largest supplier of store brand infant
formula and nutrition products in the world and one of only four
companies recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for
meeting the strict FDA requirements for safety, nutrition, and quality
for infant formula-manufacturing in the United States.
Armed
with advice on what new parents can spend less on without compromising
on quality is Sandra Gordon, one of the nation’s leading baby products
experts. Sandra has just released a new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear, where she shares her top money-saving
tips for new parents, including her advice on safe products, like store
brand infant formula, that parents can buy for their baby without
compromising nutrition or spending a bundle."
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I was recently sent a Perrigo Nutritionals gift pack, which included the following:
- One can of Parent’s Choice Premium (nutritionally equivalent to Enfamil Premium® )
- One can of Up & Up Advantage (nutritionally equivalent to Similac® Advance®)
- One copy of Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear
- Baby bottle drying rack
- Formula dispenser
- Bottle brush
I don't know about you, but when I became a first time mom in 2010 to Savannah Rose, I had no idea what to buy. And, like most parents, we went overboard in buying clothes and baby gear and accessories we didn't need or even use. Luckily, we welcomed our second daughter, Arabella Sofia, in 2011, and was able to put to use some of the clothes and toys that Savannah never got around to using. But, as I sit here writing this post, I am picturing in my head the spare closet upstairs that is filled with clothes that still have the tags on them, along with a shelf of shoes that neither daughter has worn. I must have over $800 worth of baby gear, clothing and products that I bought because I thought I needed, but never used, and am now storing. If only I had read Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear by Sandra Gordon, which recently came out, or had stumbled across her website, www.babyproductsmom.com, maybe I would have saved myself money on preparing for baby. But, now, I feel that I am a more savvy shopper when it comes to buying baby must haves, and have switched from name brand formula to store brand formula, just to name money saving switch, and have seen a drastic decrease in the amount of money we were spending on formula. At one point, Savannah and Arabella were both on formula, which cost us on average $250 a week for cans of name brand formula that we thought they needed to be on. But, after talking with other moms at my mommy and me meetups, they shared the little secret, that store brand versions are the same as name brand products. The only difference is that you save on average up to 50% by switching to the store bought brand.
After receiving this gift pack of goodies over the weekend, I was excited to read Sandra Gordon's new book, and then pass it along to a few friends who are expecting for the first time. This book is easy to understand and a quick read. I was able to read it cover to cover in under an hour. Sandra does a great job in sharing the must have items to have for your new baby, down to the numbers of onesies, blankets, pacifiers, etc. -- so, new parents don't have to guess how many they need. I loved this section, and plan to share with those struggling to figure out what to add to their baby registry lists. :-) In addition to learning some great tips, I also found about a StorkBrokers.com, an online site similar to Craigslist.org, in which you can sell and buy new and gently used baby goods to new and expectant parents. The only difference with this site is that there is a 6% sellers fee tacked on to each sale. But, by using this site, you know that you are reaching your target audience of parents needing baby gear and products, and can sell your unused products much faster. I can't wait to find some extra time to start selling my closet full of items I thought I needed, but realized that I didn't.
As for the formula I was sent to review, we have been using the Parent’s Choice Premium (nutritionally equivalent to Enfamil Premium®, found at Walmart) with Arabella, while we had used Up & Up Advantage (nutritionally equivalent to Similac® Advance®), which is found at Target with Savannah. Again, the only difference is the amount of money you save by switching to the store bought brand. The ingredients are the same, and my daughters couldn't tell the difference. I will not hesitate to suggest store bought brands to expectant moms I know, as formula purchases, along with diapers make up the bulk of the baby expenses each month. I can't tell you how relieved I felt when I switched and saw the savings each month. :-) And, for the bottle drying rack, formula dispenser and bottle washer -- these are must have items that really do make prepping and cleaning bottles so much easier. I especially love the bottle washer I was sent, as it has a spot to add dish detergent. My other brush didn't, and was a pain to get into the crevices of the bottles.
If you are expecting a new baby or know someone who is, why not pick up a copy of Sandra Gordon's new book, Save a Bundle: 50+ Ways to Save Big on Baby Gear, in which she talks about the do and don'ts in buying for baby, which will saving you $$$ in the long run. And, who doesn't like to save when they have a new baby on the way? :-)
---GIVEAWAY---
One lucky reader will win the same Perrigo Nutritionals gift pack, to use with their little one, or share with a friend or expectant mom. To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
--NEED A NEW SET OF WHEELS FOR YOUR BABY?--
If you need a new set of wheels so that your baby can cruise in style, check out the Free Baby Formula sweepstakes at StoreBrandFormula.com. You have the chance to win a new Origami® Stroller by 4moms, the world’s first power-folding, self-charging stroller, or a weekly prize of two cases of baby formula. The Origami® Stroller comes with four cup holders, daytime running lights, and pathway lights that turn on in low-light conditions. It even comes equipped with an LCD display dashboard, featuring a thermometer, speedometer, and lifetime odometer.
Don't forget to follow Store Brand Formula on Facebook and Twitter (@StrBrandFormula) for special offers, promotions and sweepstakes (like the one above).
Disclosure: The Perrigo Nutritionals product, information, and two gift packs have been provided by Perrigo Nutritionals. I was under no obligation to write up a review. However, the views above are mine and mine alone.
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