Why are diapers so expensive? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#441

Post by thatnerdyguy » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:03 PM UTC

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #386

watmough wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a huge relief to get the children weaned, and off the giant vats of Similac ... I feel that was probably even more expensive than the diapers.

Our kids were on formula as well. Between kid 1 and 2 we did buy a Baby Brezza (aka the Formula Keurig) which I'm mentioning here solely because it was such an unexpectedly positive help. It cut the process of mixing+warming+testing the formula down to just hitting a button (and likely saved my sanity).

Warming? Testing? We gave our 3 cold bottles premade a few hours before right out of the fridge. Thankfully they never complained, and made our lives a hell of a lot easier. I weep for the parents who need to do the whole warming thing... seems like a giant PIA

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#442

Post by bgirard » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:03 PM UTC

JackFr wrote: post #31

bgirard wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same, at first I wasn't sold on the concept but my wife wanted to try. It's way cheaper and better for environment. Now I don't regret it and find the idea of using 100% disposables silly. We still use one disposable each night because they absorb better or one here and there when we're out. The upfront cost was $150 so that might be an issue for some.

If you didn't have in home access to a washer and dryer (that is, assuming you do) would your opinion change?

It depends. If I can afford it then I'm likely to exclude any residence that doesn't have a washer and dryer. And if I can't afford it then I'm more like to use cloth diapers because then the savings is significant.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#443

Post by war1025 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:05 PM UTC

mantas wrote: post #269

war1025 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you are making minimum wage, which I believe is ~$7.50/hr, and are most likely not working full time, that is a good chunk of a day's pay. Granted, if you are in that situation, you are probably getting some government assistance. Also, some people are just terrible at managing money.

Let's say small packs cost $85/mo (as per $1k/year). Big monthly pack is $30. So weekly supplies in small packs are barely cheaper than buying in bulk for a month. Unless you pay day's diapers every day.. Do you think poor people are stupid and can't plan even a week ahead? They're getting paid weekly or monthly in most cases after all. In my experience, poor people are much better at managing money than better off f…

My comment wasn't about poor people being dumb. My comment was attempting to point out that, when you are poor, small amounts of money matter a lot more.

I may have worded it poorly or misread the context of the comment I was replying to, but the point I was trying to get across is that when you don't have much money, you have to be much more conscious about how you spend it. And if you aren't, then you go broke and don't eat for a while. It's an easy thing for well-off people to lose sight of.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#444

Post by TheCoelacanth » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

mantas wrote: post #269

war1025 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you are making minimum wage, which I believe is ~$7.50/hr, and are most likely not working full time, that is a good chunk of a day's pay. Granted, if you are in that situation, you are probably getting some government assistance. Also, some people are just terrible at managing money.

Let's say small packs cost $85/mo (as per $1k/year). Big monthly pack is $30. So weekly supplies in small packs are barely cheaper than buying in bulk for a month. Unless you pay day's diapers every day.. Do you think poor people are stupid and can't plan even a week ahead? They're getting paid weekly or monthly in most cases after all. In my experience, poor people are much better at managing money than better off f…

It's usually not that they are stupid, it's often that they literally don't have the money to pay the upfront cost of the bigger pack because they are living paycheck to paycheck.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#445

Post by swalsh » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:13 PM UTC

rubicon33 wrote: post #47

djrogers wrote: post #28

There are a couple of ‘facts’ listed here that don’t line up with my current reality and very recent knowledge (3 kids, most recent is 18mo). First off, 12 changes a day is a huge outlier - even for a newborn. 8 would be a more reasonable number, and it drops down to the 4-6 range in the first year, and by now we’re at 3 if we don’t go swimming. Second item that sounds waaay off is $1000/yr for diapers. Again, that h…

Why would people bring a child into the world if they can't even afford diapers, will always blow my mind.

Why should middle-class people be the only ones who can have children? I find it much more mysterious that we have people who work full time in this country who can't afford diapers.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#446

Post by ggg9990 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:15 PM UTC

lulmerchant wrote: post #83

FuckOffNeemo wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Using a legal loan shark to purchase nappies, we're now robbing Peter to pay Paul, the net gain once the legal loan sharks fees are rolled in would be pittance. How far did society have to fail for us to have to encourage the use of loan sharks so our children can take a shit, seriously? Edit: in an attempt to lighten the conversation which has suddenly became a class dividing conversation on economics and privilege.…

I don't know if the numbers in the comment you're referring to are correct, but let's assume they're close enough and do the math. If I pay $5 every other day for 10 diapers, then I'm paying ~$75/month for 150 diapers. $0.50/diaper, $2.50/day. If I take a pay day loan of $30 for a 200 pack of diapers, then I've just brought a 40 day supply of diapers. $0.15/diaper, $0.75/day. After 16 days I've recouped my original i…

This may be accurate math but it’s also the thought process of a non-indigent person sitting at a computer, not the thinking of someone who works all day for $8.25 and hour and is taking care of a newborn and trying to make ends meet.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#447

Post by ggg9990 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:16 PM UTC

senorjazz wrote: post #401

scandox wrote: post #214

To everyone talking about cloth nappies: you're insane. You do it for 3 years. Then do it for another 3 years. Then talk. They are a fecking nightmare to manage.

3 kids, all been in cloth / reusable nappies. We were not militant strict. Used dispoable for night due to extra absorption. But day time use, pretty much only reusable. Anecdotal of course, but they all were toilet trained before other kids. Whether that is because it is more noticeable the nappy is wet and uncomfortable or other factors (wife was home all the time, kids in a nursery from a young age all day seemed…

“Wife was home all the time” is the key here and a luxury not available to all.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#448

Post by triangleman » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:18 PM UTC

daeken wrote: post #299

watmough wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a huge relief to get the children weaned, and off the giant vats of Similac ... I feel that was probably even more expensive than the diapers.

Oh man, diapers pale in comparison to formula costs. My daughter gets changed ~8 times per day, but she eats up to 36oz of formula. That's about $1.76 in diapers and up to $6.79 worth of formula. Add in DI water (since we make it from powder) and the obscene cost of bottles, and it gets even worse.

We managed to save about 50% off the cost of formula by making our own. A can of goat milk powder (Myenberg) costs ~ $10 and makes 3 quarts. Before 6 months we made sure the formula matched breast milk, using a spreadsheet--I'm working on a web app!--but let's say after 6 months it's fine to feed straight goat milk. Assuming a quart (32 fl oz) per day, that's about $3.33 per day, compared to $6/day for Enfamil ($27 for a tub that makes 18 cups).

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#449

Post by ggg9990 » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:20 PM UTC

hennsen wrote: post #127

„Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark have poured billions of dollars into research and development“ Can that be true? Really Billions? Or just a story to justify a pricing strategy to maximize profits with those who can pay it leaving others aside?

Not per year, but in total over the last 100 years is believable.

Re: Why are diapers so expensive?

#450

Post by rukittenme » Thu, Apr 05, 2018, 4:25 PM UTC

arnoooooo wrote: post #141

rukittenme wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really tired of hearing the argument "we're the richest country on Earth and "X" still happens!" Of course "X" still happens. "X" is lower on our priorities list than other more pressing issues. Are diapers really the cross we're going to die on now? We spend ~$3tn helping people every year (federal, state, and local). I think its safe to assume the "richest country on Earth" is trying.

We can at least discuss how the 3tn are allocated, and yes, lament that what we consider the bare minimum is not met in some cases.

Yes of course but that's not the argument I'm responding too. I'm responding to the idea that "there's always more in the piggy bank". For an example of the mentality please reference aninhumer's response to me.