Customer Reviews

The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a grandparent who has the privilege of being a regular one day a week babysitter, I found the Eco-nomical Baby Guide to be an entertaining and informative book. I was appreciative of the encouragement to find toys among everyday household items, buy quality used items when needed, and avoid the trap of too much stuff. There seem to be many more "green" options than when we had our own children. This book is well researched and provides a wealth of practical suggestions. It was not a heavy-handed environmental rant. The book provided a continuum of options and rationales in a very readable and often humorous way. Eco-nomical Baby Guide will give parents a strategy for becoming better consumers, better citizens, and possibly even happier and more content people. I am buying this book for baby shower gifts.

I recently purchased this book as I get ready for baby #2. There were things I would have like to have done differently with my daughter when she was a baby so I thought that this might help with the next one. A lot of the information was common sense I thought (buying used furniture saves money, making your own food is better, etc.) but would be good information for those first time parents. The only section I really liked was the one on clother diapering. I am planning to cloth diaper #2 and found some good information on it. None of this information was something I couldn't easily find online. In the end, like I said before, this was a good book for the first time parent that is looking to save some money and do something good for the planet.

I really appreciated the angle of actually buying LESS stuff and used stuff rather than a pure focus on fancy expensive "green" products. It's a great guide for people who live a simple life and are having their first baby, or for those who would like to simplify.

Unfortunately, the authors routinely mix up "free trade" and "fair trade", and have trouble with big words like "Bisphenol". For those wondering, no, there is not a new chemical out there known as "biphesenol-A" despite it being spelled this way throughout the book and in the index. These are errors that can confuse people and should not make it to publication.

When I actually had a chance to look through this book in person I was disappointed- most of the 'eco-nomical' suggestions were things I had already figured out myself, things I'd already been doing for years. The kind of thing any sensible person could figure out to save money or be more green like borrowing or buying things second-hand, cloth diapering, not buying a lot of extra baby gear you don't really need, etc. To me it was just common sense stuff and wasn't teaching me anything new. I returned it.

Just logged on to Amazon to purchase yet another copy of this informative and entertaining book. Each time I hear about approaching parenthood for a friend or family member, this little gem pops into mind. It is full to the brim with practical solutions, presented in intelligent, positive and light-hearted prose. I've gifted this book many times, and it's always met with ongoing gratitude. Truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Commonsense and good advice come to the nursery in "The Eco-Nomical Baby Guide," designed to provide ways to both save money and be healthy when it comes to raising babies.

The advice focuses on the environmental concepts of reduce, reuse and recycle but with the aim of eliminating unnecessary costs in the process. Very practical tips abound, from making your own baby food to switching to cloth diapers to breastfeeding and finding the safest, cheapest and greenest baby furniture. There's also advice on the greenest products and companies, a list of resources, ideas on shopping at thrift stores or getting used items from friends, and even infant potty training, to reduce the need for diapers.

Tips are offered in a humorous style, and the book is well organized for easy reference.

Some of this advice is ridiculous:

"Dancing and jiggling can replace the soothing movements of a rocker," (37).
"I could have saved $277 in maternity clothes by wearing my husband's jeans and bulky sweaters," (42). Yes, because this is definitely and option for working women.
"We could have used greener paint for the nursery," (44). And much more expensive too.
Buy breast pumps, cribs, and car-seats used. No thank you. Unsanitary, unsafe.
And while I have nothing against organic products, the organic formulas and organic cloth diaper products, which these authors push hard, are VERY expensive and not "economical" at all.

The book boiled down to this: Wait to buy anything until you "need" it. Then buy it used. OR, buy it organic. OR wish for it for free... and recycle.
The best thing I got out of this book was the cloth-diapering section and the laundering/care of cloth diapers (which I will be using).

Wonderful if you are strictly organic/green-minded (which I am not).

I was so excited to find this book on Amazon, and thus I was also so excited to receive it in the mail. I was not excited when I quickly tore open the packaging and took one whiff of the book as I flipped it open. Toxic chemical smells filled my nose and the area of the room. I immediately looked on the book and saw it was printed in China. Great- toxic chemicals AND made in China where we know there are cases in which toxins have been found to be extreme... Plus, this book is intended for people either with babies or with babies on the way, both sensitive populations to breathing toxic chemical fumes. So, if you purchase this book, let it air out outside for a bit (preferably in the sun to really get the fumes out of it) before you soak up all of its great information.

I have to admit it took me a bit to get over the toxic smell of the book and all my concerns that go along with being exposed to those chemicals, but after that, I got to enjoying the wonderful tidbits of knowledge the authors provide. If you are looking for a great resource for organic, natural options to provide your family and baby, this is the book for you. I particularly am loving the cloth diapering sections. I am a newbie with the idea of cloth diapering, and the authors have done a great job at explaining the basics and giving resources to connect with.

All in all, it would be great if the book were printed on recycled paper at a closer printer, but this book's info is fabulous for understanding the true essentials for baby gear, how to creatively save money and resources, and cloth diapering options. I still recommend the book- just please air it out before you dive in. :)

I purchased this book last year, 2010, while I was pregnant and getting ready for baby. It was very helpful in assisting with trying to be earthy, economical and green when it comes to baby (and the rest of the household).

This is a great resource! The diaper section alone is worth buying it for because it details all the different styles of diapers, as well as how to use and wash them. Do you really want your baby's disposable diaper sitting in a landfill for 500+ years? The ECO-nomical baby guide can guide you to a cloth diaper that will work for your needs and budget! It also has tips for all other aspects of what you will need to care for a baby from what type of crib mattress to get to how to make your own baby food for pennies a day!