Brand Name Diapers vs. Generic Diapers

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.