Having a child is perhaps one of the heaviest financial commitments a couple could get into – but extremely joyful being able to wake up each morning looking at that sweet innocent face sleeping. Over the long run, raising a child could possibly be more expensive than owning a house and definitely more expensive than owning a car. As such, it is imperative to try stretching every Ringgit and Sen wherever we can. My husband, being a diligent planner, tries to put our expenses into Microsoft Excel and identify areas where we can save on. Apart from that, he’s quite a good online bargain hunter – always hunting for online shopping sites for cashback and voucher codes.

Recall in my previous article on diaper reviews, I have reviewed seven different diapers from different price range and reliability. I have also mentioned that because infants use a significant amount of diapers each day, diaper costs can be quite hefty. So in this article, I will share some of our online spending tips which could help save some money for your child’s college fund.

1. Be an online bargain hunter

(img source: viraltemperature.com)

Baby items are generally cheaper online compared with brick-and-mortar stores. Coupled with credit card discounts, special event discounts, discount vouchers, discount codes etc., the end savings you can get can be quite significant. In total, since my daughter was born, I have purchased in excess of 700 pieces of diapers online! Here are some of my shopping tips:

2. Buying in bulk

I do not have to elaborate on this but buying in bulk is most often cheaper than buying individual packs. Although diapers have a typical lifespan of around two-three years, they can last much longer if the pack is properly sealed and stored in a cool dry odorless place. These days, there are plenty of online marketplace selling similar items but at various discounts. So the key is to be a little bit more hardworking (or some would say kiasu) to shop around to get the best discounts, best rebates, most cashbacks and of course, free shipping. One great site which I think offers extra discounts and cashback is Shopback.my. Hey, no one would complain getting cash deposited into your bank account or Paypal account for every online purchase made via this site!

3. Planning trips early

As most of my avid followers and readers would know, I hail from the ‘Land beneath the wind’ or for the less informed, Sabah and my husband is from ‘Semenanjung’ or also known as Peninsular Malaysia. We currently reside in KL. As such, we normally make our pilgrimage back to Sabah about twice in a year. Now that we are with an infant, there are additional costs to pay and soon enough, an additional ticket to buy – MORE THE REASON TO HUNT FOR CHEAP TICKETS AND TO GET MORE CASHBACK! Again, Shopback.my is a great site as it offers up to 8% cashback for purchases made on airasiago.com.my.

Back in 2014 when I got married, we used another great website, Hotels.com to book hotel rooms for our relatives when we had our second wedding reception in Kota Kinabalu. We saved a great deal of money by planning early and by utilizing special discounts offered online. Again, to enjoy Hotels.com discount codes, you can always check out Shopback.my

On a similar note, the more ‘traditional’ way of getting great holiday or travel packages is by flocking and wrestling your way through the sweaty crowd for travel deals at the Matta Fair 2016 – which just-if-anyone-of-you-would-like-to-know is happening this 11-13 March 2016 at PWTC KL. But why not book cheap flight tickets and holidays at home instead? Shopback.my is also having its own ‘Matta Fair’ (lol) featuring deals from Agoda, Expedia, Hotels.my etc. With the cashbacks, who knows you could end up with cheaper deals compared with the Matta Fair instead?

I hope this little knowledge sharing article would shed some insights to my fellow readers and I hope that all of us would be able to fill-up those little piggy banks we have beside our beds. Sounds good? Sign up now then!

Oh wait, there’s more.

On 22nd February 2016, ShopBack Malaysia will be celebrating their 1st Year Anniversary with a HUGE SALE.

ShopBack will be offering up to 100% Cashback for 24 hours only, at participating merchants like Lazada, Zalora, Agoda, Groupon, Booking.com, Qoo10, Taobao, AliExpress, and more!

That means that there will be items going for absolutely FREE! (I’m definitely marking my calendar). Stay tuned to ShopBack to snag your favourite Electronics (mobile, accessories and gadgets), Travel, Fashion, Home and Living items at insanely cheap prices. There will also be exclusive promo codes and discounts for ShopBack Malaysia customers, as well as lots of contests and free stuff for you to win on the day itself, so stay tuned to the ShopBack Facebook page and website!