So how much will it cost??

Ok, so I'm on a mission to work out exactly how much I have spent on cloth nappies, nappy acsessories and washing/drying nappies since starting with them in 2010.
On average, an entire birth to potty set up can start at around £80 and some systems are as much as £250 - this all depends on the type and brand of nappy you use. I personally have tried various different styles and brands so my actual spend may look huge compared to how little you need to spend on nappies so as a comparrison I have also worked out how much it would cost for a mid range priced birth to potty system - I have used the energy ratings on my own appliances at home to calculate the cost of running a washing machine and tumble dryer and a cost of mid range detergent has also been added.
So here goes............

	mid range system	my usage	mid range disposable nappy
Nappies	165	300	864
acsessories	45	45	80
washing machine usage for a month x 18	43.2	43.2
tumble dryer usuage for a month x 18	86.4	86.4
detergent 3 washes a week x 4 weeks x 18	8.64	8.64
Total	348.24	483.24	944

　
I found the energy information from
http://www.ukpower.co.uk/tools/running_costs_electricity/
I also based the calculations for the disposable nappies on a mid range nappy with mid range disposable wipes and nappy sacks using this calculation average of 5 nappies a day X 18 months. 64 wipes a week (an average pack) x 18 months and 1 pack of nappy sacks (containing 100) per month
Makes interesting reading don't you think?

New to Cloth?

Happy summer!! For those of you new to real nappies I want to point you in the direction of Leicestershire County Council's Real Nappy incentive scheme. Like myself I'm sure you were a little daunted by the different types and styles of real nappies available and which is best to use.....well worry no longer! LCC have a real nappy lending scheme, they send a lovely advisor like myself along to meet you with a huge supply of nappies which you borrow and use for 2 weeks. During that time you'll have the support of both myself and my fellow advisors who are only just a phone call away - and you'll get the chance to try a few different types/styles of nappy without buying any! They do ask for a £150 cheque as a deposit which is returned to you at the end of the 2 week trial.
As well as the trail, they are currently opperating a £30 cash back scheme. To qualify you'll need to fill out a form with details of your little bundle and enclose a reciept for the nappies you have bought - they can also be preloved nappies as long as you have a reciept!
For further information and application details please log onto http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/environment/waste/reduce_and_reuse/real_nappies.htm


Now the weather's warmer (kind of) we're all looking to our holidays, and yes even though we've had ours it doesn't stop me wanting another lol
A question I get asked quite a lot is how I cope with real nappies when we travel or go away - I know I keep covering this but it is just as easy to Go Real when travelling/holidaying as it is at home. I'm always at the end of an email if you need any extra tips........