Affordable Baby Clothes For Parents On A Budget

There’s nothing quite like finding out you're expecting your first child when you're actively trying to conceive. Although the news is obviously welcomed, it can be normal to feel a mix of excitement, anxiety, and even a tinge of fear. Especially once you make it past the initial shock and start thinking about all the looming to-do list (like buying all those baby clothes!) leading up to baby’s arrival. There's just so much to do — and so much to buy (making cheap baby clothes a must!).

One baby registry category that can be both extremely fun and endlessly frustrating for first-time parents is baby clothes. When I was pregnant with my first child, I was practically giddy as I started looking at all the cheap baby clothes options. I would make it a point to linger in the baby clothes section of any store that had one — just to “awww!” over how adorable and impossibly tiny everything was. I also found myself browsing online for baby clothes and watching in horror how quickly the total of my virtual cart rose (helping me quickly realize how important it was to look for cheap baby clothes).

As tempting as it was to fill my cart and/or baby registry with every baby clothes item that caught my eye, I soon realized that wouldn’t exactly jive very well with our budget. My husband and I got married one month after I graduated from college, and then we found out we were going to have a baby a few short months later. Needless to say, we weren’t rolling in the dough by any stretch of the imagination. So saving money any way we could was a top priority, which made me great at hunting for cheap baby clothes.

Although my husband and I did receive a fair amount of baby clothing at my baby shower, most of these items were sized for a younger infants — meaning we were left to fill in the gaps after those initial few months. Fast-forward to today, and we recently welcomed our fourth child. Along the way during my parenting journey, I’ve gained a decent sense of what brands and styles of baby clothing are both practical and affordable. And I’m here to share my wealth of cheap baby clothes knowledge with you!

Whether you’ve recently discovered you’re expecting your first baby or you’re adding to your family after a bit of a break between older kids, let’s take a look at some affordable — but still completely adorable — baby clothes options that won’t break the bank. (Be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it!)

Garanimals from Walmart

For all the rookie parents and parents-to-be, let me just say that Garanimals from Walmart is a solid option when it comes to budget-friendly baby clothes. These simple, classic pieces — from tops, bottoms, sets, sleepers, socks, and more — come in a variety of attractive colors and prints. Bonus: The separates can typically be mixed and matched to create entirely unique outfits every time your baby wears them. Another convenient thing about Garanimals is the brand is exclusively sold at Walmart. So you can easily pick up a few baby clothes essentials during your regular grocery shopping trip, as your baby grows, without having to make an extra trip to a special store. (Which can definitely be a hassle when you have a little one in tow.) To give you an idea of what Garanimals has to offer, let's take a look at a few pieces that are currently available.

This three-piece bodysuit set is only $5 — and each bodysuit would pair seamlessly with a simple solid pair of pants.

And hey, look at that — here's a very cute pair of Garanimals pants for $1 that would do the trick.

Garanimals also offers a variety of other sets of baby clothes. And you guessed it — the items can all be mixed and matched for endless outfit possibilities. This 20-piece Garanimals baby layette set, for example, is only $44.50. It includes five short-sleeved bodysuits, four pairs of pants, two pairs of zip-up pajamas, two opened-bottom gowns, three hats, and four pairs of mittens, for $44.50. It's an ideal "starter pack" of sorts for your newborn.

For the record, Garanimals also offers other baby clothes essentials/linens, such as socks, receiving blankets, and more. However, with spring coming up, you'd be silly not to grab up this three-pack of adorable ruffle skorts for $11.94.

Carter's

Carter's is another one of my all-time favorite baby clothes brands. One of the perks of loving Carter's is it seems like you can find it pretty much anywhere. (Okay, not literally.) But from Walmart, to Kohl's, Amazon, Macy's, JcPenney, and more, Carter's is relatively easy to come by. There are also a variety of lines within the brand that are widely available. The Child of Mine line, for example, is a Walmart staple.

This Carter's Child of Mine three-piece set — which includes purple leggings, a short-sleeved bodysuit, and a ruffle-sleeve button-up cardigan — is only $9.94. And it's the perfect spring outfit for a baby girl.

This two-piece Carter's Child of Mine set featuring elephant print pants and a ruffle top is $5. It's both a practical and adorable outfit, and you can find it at Walmart.

And isn't this Carter's Child of Mine long-sleeved bodysuit set just too precious? It's only $6.97, and this set will help keep your little guy warm while hanging out at home during the cooler months. Or, try using these for layering your baby for outings during those colder days.

This printed Carter's two-piece, zip-up pajama set from Kohl's will set you back $28. Not only are they a perfect way to keep your baby warm and cozy at night, but they're great for hanging out at home during the day.

And isn't this Carter's three-piece set for $32 simply adorable? 

Gerber

Most people are probably familiar with the Gerber brand and its iconic mascot, the Gerber baby. Although Gerber might be more widely-known for its baby food, this brand also offers a line of baby clothes (as well as other baby essentials) that's almost guaranteed to find its way into your baby's wardrobe at some point. That's because Gerber baby clothes won't break the bank as parents try to keep their babies' closets stocked with wardrobe essentials. These items are high quality, and will stand the test of time/baby messes. And of course, Gerber baby clothes are incredibly affordable — which is why this brand made my list in the first place. So let's take a quick look at a sampling of Gerber baby clothes, just to give you an idea of what's out there.

A staple in any baby wardrobe, once again, is the short-sleeved bodysuit. The snaps at the bottom are handy for quick diaper changes. Plus, unlike regular shirts, they won't constantly creep up and expose his belly. This five-piece set of white Gerber bodysuits is only $15.98 on Amazon. So be sure to add a few sets in various sizes to your baby registry, and you'll be set for a while.

Although zip-up footed pajamas are my all-time favorite piece of baby clothing — because they're just so darn versatile — opened-bottom gowns are also among my top five. (Especially when you have a really young infant.) This Gerber two-pack gown set is $11.97 on Amazon. This particular design features mitten cuffs, which effectively prevent your little one from scratching her face in the middle of the night. (Because as seasoned parents know all too well, those newborn finger nails are incredibly sharp.) The open-bottom design is also convenient for the many middle-of-the-night diaper changes that go down during those first few months. And since you'll likely be swaddling your baby for a while anyway, you won't have to worry about her legs and feet getting cold at night.

Question: What could possibly be cuter than a baby bodysuit with a sloth on it and a matching pair of pants? Answer: The same outfit with an adorable sloth hat, of course. This Gerber three-piece set is only $9.97, and is sure to elicit plenty of "awww" responses as you go about your day with your little sloth.

You can never have too many baby socks. Between their getting lost in the laundry and your baby kicking them off everywhere, it can seem like your sock stash is always dwindling. For this reason, it's smart to invest in a set of plain, white socks; that way, you won't have to worry about matching socks with specific printed designs — on top of everything else that comes with new parenthood. This Gerber six-pack of white baby socks is roughly ten bucks on Amazon, depending on the size you choose. (Although, you'll definitely want more than six pairs total.)

Gerber's got you covered when it comes to gift sets, too. Check out this Gerber 19-piece newborns essentials set — which includes two sleepers, five bodysuits, five hats, three bibs, and four receiving blankets for $50.88 on Amazon.

The Children's Place

I swear, every time I walk by a physical The Children's Place storefront, there's some sort of amazing sale going on. Because not only is this brand fashionable and affordable to begin with, its frequent price-slashing makes snagging cute baby clothes a cinch. Whether you're looking for premie-sized clothing or big kid items, there's sure to be something perfect for your child. What's even better is I've never been inside one of these stores without encountering some sort of sale or deal going on.

This three-piece set from The Children's Place gets pretty high marks for adorable details. The set features a short-sleeved bodysuit, a pair of pants, and a hoodie with, get this, a panda horn on the pocket. It's so cute, I can hardly stand it.

When I think of The Children's Place, one of the first things that comes to mind is the store's selection of cute prints. It's cute design at a budget-friendly price point. And I mean, what little guy wouldn't look adorable in this set with a sweet lion print all over it?

In case you were wondering, The Children's Place also offers a selection of gift sets to include on your baby registry — or to simply pick up for yourself because they're so affordable and cute. (Whichever comes first!) This six-piece set consisting of three knotted hats and three pairs of mittens would be a sweet addition to any baby girl's wardrobe.

Here's another sample of a graphic baby bodysuit that can be found at The Children's Place. What could be cuter than turning your football-sized baby into a little football while you can still sling him in your arms.

And this two-piece set of zip-up, footed pajamas is simply dreamy. I mean, who wouldn't want a sleeper set featuring cheerful stripes or springtime flowers?

Here's another example of a perfect newborn gift set. This baby boy sleeper set comprised of a pair of zip-up pajamas, one pair of footie bottoms pajamas, one hat, and an adorable onesie. The safari prints and designs are sure to keep your little boy or girl styling and cozy at night.

Little Wonders

If you're not familiar with this particular brand, Little Wonders can be found at Sears. Unfortunately, hundreds of unprofitable Sears and Kmart locations have closed in the past several years as a result of Sears Holdings declaring bankruptcy, according to USA Today. The good news is, even if a Sears location has recently closed near you, you can still purchase this adorably affordable line on Sears.com. So if you did lose your local Sears, don't let that hold you back from checking out what Little Wonders has to offer. Because I can almost guarantee you'll find something amazing for your little one.

Like many items in the clothing line, this Little Wonders button-up sweatshirt, onesie and leggings set features an adorable print paired with a cute saying that's perfect for upcoming springtime. It's priced at $10.55, too — so it won't break the bank.

This 3-pack of Little Wonders long-sleeved infant bodysuits will keep your baby cute during the warmer months while also making diaper changes convenient. With three printed designs — and regularly priced at $7.91 — who said bodysuits had to be boring or expensive?

This Little Wonders 3-piece bodysuit set offers the perfect mix of colorful prints and whimsical graphic designs for your baby girl.

And I mean, come on. This Little Wonders strawberry hat and shirt set is basically the cutest thing for a baby girl.

Little Wonders also has a wide variety of pajamas and pajama sets from which to choose. This Little Wonders pair of unicorn pajamas featuring a rainbow print adds a little pizzazz to your baby's wardrobe, if you've grown tired of solid colors.

And for a gender neutral option, these Little Wonders star-print footed pajamas are totally adorable. One of the best things about the Little Wonders brand is that the prints are cute and the colors are perfect. This footie set is no exception, and it rings in at only $9.99! 

Jumping Beans

If you happen to be a frequent Kohl's shopper, then you've probably noticed there is a variety of baby clothing brands available at this popular retailer. Among them is Jumping Beans — another affordable option for parents to consider — which is sold exclusively at Kohl's. As with the first brand on this list, Garanimals, when I think of Jumping Beans, I think of a wide selection of separates that can be mixed and matched to create outfits. With this in mind, there are also a number of adorable outfit sets worth looking into.

Kohl's also has the market cornered on Disney products, and you'll find onesies and infant sets featuring characters from Bambi and The Lion King, among many others. It's also where you'll find a good selection of Minnie and Mickey options for your kids, in a range of colors and styles. 

This Jumping Beans Minnie Mouse dress — is $18 and sure to attract plenty of compliments. 

This Jumping Beans three-piece set comes with printed leggings, and would look chic on any baby girl. 

Here's a graphic Jumping Beans set that's perfect for summertime play dates, complete with unicorn leggings and a cute pink headband. From experience, there's almost always some sort of sale going on, and this one is on clearance for $8.16.

Speaking of separates, the bodysuit above would go well with this pair of Jumping Beans jogger pants, below, wouldn't it? These are just $4.08 with the sale price taken into account.

For an extra bit of coziness during the colder months, try finishing off a bodysuit and pants combination with a pair of adorable crew socks like this Jumping Beans set of six critter pairs from Kohl's.

And there you have it, folks. Clearly, this isn't an exhaustive list of cute but affordable baby clothes brands available today. However, I'm confident the options I've provided here will help budget-conscious parents get started on the right foot — whether they're in the process of creating a baby registry, or simply trying to fill in the gaps after all of the gifts have come in. (Because undoubtedly, well-meaning gifters will have purchased roughly a million graphic infant bodysuits in newborn sizes, but next to nothing for an older baby.)

As you can see, saving money on clothing doesn't have to be at the expense of style. There are plenty of brands out there that offer everything from basic separates, outfit sets, pajamas, socks, dress clothes, and more. I wish you luck as you create your baby's first wardrobe — and as you embark on this crazy, wonderful and exhausting journey known as parenthood. You're going to rock this in style, I just know it.

We hope you love these products! So you know, Livingly may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.