What’s in my diaper bag? (+ how to afford a NICE bag or purse!)

Apr 14, 2016 | Baby and Kids, clothing/fashion, DIY, Lifestyle, Lookin' Good

What's in my bag? Keeping an organized diaper bag is tough... I can help! I am sharing what I carry with me all.the.time (and how I keep everything neat & tidy!). www.FunCheapOrFree.com

Did you hear on Instagram that Page Baby #5 is coming 3 weeks from yesterday (at the latest)?? It's true! With BABY on the brain, I've been getting tons of questions like…”what are your baby must-haves?”…”what things do you keep on-hand in your diaper bag?”…and most commonly, “WHAT is your diaper bag and WHERE can I get one??”. I had several of you Freebs ask for a diaper bag tour video, and your wish is my command! I partnered up with Lily Jade and filmed a complete tour of what's in my diaper bag for all you curious folks!

After watching the video come back for a further breakdown of my favorite things, and my tips on how to afford a nice bag like Lily Jade, if that's something you're interested in investing in.

I used to lug everything around with me in my bag; spare onesies, hair bows, toys for the kids…then I wised up and now focus on carrying ONLY the essentials, then having a box or bin of extras in my car. That way it's always handy and accessible, without giving me a broken shoulder from a 1,000lb bag!

Here's more info on some of my favorite essentials:

What's in my bag? Keeping an organized diaper bag is tough... I can help! I am sharing what I carry with me all.the.time (and how I keep everything neat & tidy!). www.FunCheapOrFree.com

As mentioned in the video there are a few things I try to make sure I ALWAYS have on-hand:

  • KIRKLAND DIAPERS – They work just as good as the “name-brand”, but are WAY more affordable. I like to keep mine in a ziplock bag instead of a fancy wipes case. I love that my bag has pockets that are designed specifically to fit plenty of diapers, and also has a changing pad that comes with it.
  • KIRKLAND WIPES – Same story! So affordable, and great quality. LOVE them! (See my COSTCO PAGE for all my tips on shopping at Costco.)
  • BATH & BODY WORKS BODY CREAM – I have Peppermint Twist in my bag right now (from their Christmas collection), but honestly, any of their body creams are fantastic! Maybe you don't have as much of an issue, but in Utah it's SOOOOO dry. I always keep lotion on me. TRICK: it also works great as a hair product for kids, especially fine baby hair! Just apply a little lotion to their hair like you would hair gel. It manipulates the hair, smells great, and doesn't have the yucky gunky issue gel does.

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Here are some of things I keep in my bag for ME:

What's in my bag? Keeping an organized diaper bag is tough... I can help! I am sharing what I carry with me all.the.time (and how I keep everything neat & tidy!). www.FunCheapOrFree.com

  • ROOMY WALLET – I picked mine up from Ross or TJ Maxx, but Amazon has a ton of cute options if you'd rather have one shipped to your front door 🙂 I actually recommend one large enough to fit your monthly budget envelope! That was one mistake I made with my current wallet; it zips (I wanted to keep my kids out of my wallet!), so my envelope doesn't fit. One of these days I'll go back to a snap one so I can fit it back in!
  • EARBUDS – I always keep a pair on-hand. Anything to keep me hands-free!
  • GUM – My favorite is Trident Original (or whatever is on sale… you know how I roll!). I usually buy a big box from Costco when they have a coupon and keep a pack basically everywhere!
  • CANDY! – We all know I'm a sugar addict, so I like to keep a few pieces (at least) on-hand…for a mommy pick-me-up but also for emergency bribery purposes. Candy like Starbursts are nice because they are individually wrapped and don't melt easily.
  • BLUETOOTH HEADSET – Because who doesn't like to be handsfree? Okay, I'm a geek. I can't help it. Lets be geeks together… deal?
  • PORTABLE CHARGER – My phone gets quite a bit of use, and the poor thing is getting older and more crickety by the day. I like having one of these backup battery/portable chargers with me in my bag all the time.
  • SNACKS – No one likes a hangry mom or kid! I try to always keep at least one Fiber One bar on-hand for me, and a few Clif Kid ZBars for the kids. I like that they aren't super crumbly so they don't make as much of a giant mess as other things. I also like fruit leather, and fruit snacks are a nice alternative to candy when it comes to needing bribery.
  • COUPON KEYRINGS – One of my favorite organization and money-saving hacks! It's important to keep coupons and punch cards on-hand, but no one likes a bulky, cluttered wallet. This really is a life saver!

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What's in my bag? Keeping an organized diaper bag is tough... I can help! I am sharing what I carry with me all.the.time (and how I keep everything neat & tidy!). www.FunCheapOrFree.com

If I were stranded on a dessert island… these are the things I would end up with, because if given the option to bring one thing, my Lily Jade Essentials Case is it! (And all my favorite pretty things fit just perfectly inside!)

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HOW TO AFFORD A NICE DIAPER BAG/PURSE:

What's in my bag? Keeping an organized diaper bag is tough... I can help! I am sharing what I carry with me all.the.time (and how I keep everything neat & tidy!). www.FunCheapOrFree.com

Guys, let's be honest, I'm well aware $100 – $300+ for a bag is a LOT. I'm no fool, I know that's a lot of money. I have never spent anything even close to that on an item of fashion, bag included. I was lucky and had this bag given to me by Lily Jade. BUT…I love the bag and when my bag was stolen, I was fully committed to saving up and buying a new one to replace it. BUT – for those who weren't so lucky to get a free bag but want one, I don't love the excuse of “I could never afford a bag like that”. With a little creativity and some delayed gratification, you can afford just about anything!! (Remember my 3 Month Rule??) Here are a few tips for being able to afford a quality bag like this:

  • Save up! Be as frugal as you can throughout the week so you come in under-budget, then set the extra money aside. If you want a $300 bag, you would only have to save $3 per day for 90 days to be able to afford it! THREE DOLLARS!! That's NOTHING!
  • Do a spending freeze for 1 week. A spending freeze could get you several hundred dollars in one shot!
  • Ask for it as a gift. Baby shower, birthday, Christmas…put it on your list and tell people to contribute toward the gift. The more people you get involved the more likely you will be to get enough money for it!
  • Sell things you don't need. Have some old bags? Clothes? Decorations? Furniture? You can get $100 – $300 in a snap. Remember, Bubba sold his old Ti-83 calculator from high school a few years back and got $50!!!! It's amazing what people buy and need, so flush out the old to pay for the new! See “How to sell your stuff” for tips.

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TRUE STORY YOU WON'T BELIEVE…

If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen that my bag got stollen out of my kart at Kmart recently! It was devastating. As I was at the customer service desk filing a police report while on the phone canceling all my bank accounts and credit cards, I had to choke down the tears…not because of my cards…or cash…or only set of car keys going missing…but because of my BAG! The bag was given to me and I knew it would be a long time (like Christmas) before I would get a chance to replace my bag. It was embarrassing how sad I was about losing the BAG! I kept praying they would take whatever they wanted out of it, but ditch the bag somewhere at least.

You'll never believe…

As I was on the phone filing a report, low and behold someone found my bag ditched in the back of the store by the dressing rooms! Not only was my bag back, but they ended up leaving everything COMPLETELY untouched inside the bag!! I've been watching my accounts like a hawk and nothing has been disturbed since. MIRACLE, I tell you!

God is good. While Priya was at dance tonight I ran next door to Kmart to grab some things for our new house. I was there for about 40 minutes. At some point in my shopping someone stole my purse out of my cart and replaced it with this random Kmart clearance purse. Didn't even notice until I was at the checkout stand. I had to call the police and file a report, all the while on the phone with banks trying to cancel every account as quickly as possible (and y'all know we have a lot of accounts if you've ever taken one of my classes!!). But more than that I was sick over the $200 cash (that I NEVER carry but just so happened to have) and my brand new @lilyjadeco bag that is the nicest bag I've ever owned. Oh, and my only set of car keys since we lost our spares over a year ago. (And my @swignsweets Gift cards from friends! Dumb right? But sad, still.) A friend happened to be shopping at the same time and said a silent prayer during the fiasco. Wouldn't you know less than 2 minutes later an employee found my bag ditched in an empty cart by the dressing rooms, wide open, and completely untouched. COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED. I was speechless. So were the employees, who say this happens regularly…but rarely see a bag ditched that didn't have at least the wallet grabbed. Three things to remember: 1) lock your purse in your cart with the seat buckle and don't walk away from it ALL THE TIME like I do when shopping 2) God listens to prayers 3) don't trust me with cash. Oh and 4) Kmart seriously needs to up their security game if this really happens “all the time”. ? #TenderMercies #CountingMyBlessings

A photo posted by Jordan Page | Costco Pro?? (@funcheaporfree) on

Moral of the story? Don't leave your purse unattended in a cart, and buckle it in just to be safe.

So there you go! What are YOUR diaper bag essentials? Comment below and share!

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Thanks for the bag and generous support, Lily Jade! As always, this video was 100% my idea and opinions.

11 Comments

  1. Sally

    Seriously??? How is a $100 diaper bag and a $69 makeup bag being frugal!!! Being frugal means to save or make do or go without. Sacrificing your grocery money to use it for an expensive diaper bag is not frugal. Coupons…clearance…sales and common knowledge can get you the items your family needs without having them go without or starve. I have five kids and have always put them first which means I might have to go without a new shirt…fancy makeup…and many other things. Yet somehow my family has not gone without and I managed it all without an overpriced $300 diaper bag!

    Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      Yes good point! The video isn’t about being frugal though, but I do teach how to be able to afford something nice that you might really want. I’ve never had a diaper bag like this before, and some people may prefer to spend their money other ways. The point is to learn to afford whatever it is that is important to you, the right way without putting it on credit cards. So I’m with you! But don’t worry, pretty much 99.9% of all other posts and videos are all about the über frugal and low-end products that I love! But once in a while it’s worth the investment, and this is one of those cases. So thank you for your concern! But rest easy seeing that I’m not “shifting”, I’m just being realistic about finding balance how I’m able to afford nice things once in a while in my own life. Thanks so much for taking the time to share!! XO

      Reply
    • Debbie

      Wow you are on one big high horse. I’m sorry you have to go without and are bitter about it. Jordan doesn’t sacrifice anything her family needs for a fancy diaper bag. Being frugal means to save and be smart with your money so you can afford the things that are really important. Which varies from person to person. And cheaping out isn’t always cheaper in the long run. It is obvious from the pics she posts (I.e. Pantry tour, thrift store hauls on winter clothing, etc) that her kids are not going without or starving. My gosh woman! Perhaps you should start your own blog on being frugal and miserable.

      Reply
    • CDL

      The expense of the bag is clearly stated in the original message. Followed by advice on how you can treat yourself to a nicer bag that you may have been admiring or coveting for some time without feeling totally guilty for not being “frugal.” When you have small kids and you are utilizing a diaper bag for a great deal of time, I have always advised my friends to invest in a good diaper bag, stroller and car seat. These are the essentials that wear down easily and may not last when you are using them for multiple children/years, the rest of the baby/kid essentials are okay to skimp on.

      Reply
  2. Stephanie

    This is my dream bag! Currently saving up to get one.

    Reply
  3. Amy Bravo

    I use a savvycents wallet for my monthly budget cash. It has the dividers already built into the wallet, so it’s a little thick, but then I don’t have to mess with envelopes! I love it 🙂 love your blog!

    Reply
  4. Aileen

    Ugh love that bag! I use a cheapo $25 backpack from Target and I love it! I was getting tired of leaning this way or that and having the bag fall off my shoulder when carrying my son. With the backpack I have both arms/shoulders free and don’t have to worry about it.

    Reply
  5. Shannon

    I love this post on what to look for and have in a diaper bag but I’ve got a tip for you. I just found out about a new app called KepRing that lets you keep all your store cards and coupons on it and then you don’t have to carry them at all! I just downloaded it about a week ago and so far so good, thought that might make your bag a bit lighter! Congrats on the new baby!

    Reply
    • Shannon

      Sorry it’s KeyRing ?

      Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      NO WAY! That’s amazing!! Thanks for the tip!

      Reply

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