As a parent of twins, you’ll likely want to purchase twin related products like books, clothes, gifts, etc. for both your twins and yourself.

Here’s a list of several online stores that offer products specifically for twins and parents of twins:

• Just Multiples
• Double Blessings
• Double Up Books
• Trends In Twos
• Twinz Gear
• Just 4 Twins

Do you have a favorite site you’d like to see added to this list? Please let me know.

As you prepare for your twins and stock up on the necessary twin baby gear, you will be spending lots of money.

Make sure you don’t spend more than you need to. Even though you may maintain the minimalist mindset and refrain from buying two of everything, these steps will only take you so far.

You need to find discounts.

There are some baby gear items that you will have to buy a pair of for use by your twins.

These include car seats, cribs, high chairs, playpens, and baby carriers (like a BabyBjorn), among others.

For example, we bought our car seats for the twins from Babies R Us. They gave us a “twin discount” of 10% off since we bought two of the same thing.

Remember: it never hurts to ask. Larger stores like Babies R Us offer discounts, so just ask.

If you are shopping at a smaller, local business, you may even have better luck since you’re more likely to garner sympathy from the more attentive business owner or store employee.

Get into the mindset when buying baby gear for your twins: “how can I get a discount on this?”

To get started, here is a great list of freebies and discounts for twins.

You know that you’ll need a lot of stuff to be ready for twins.

Once your twins arrive, the last thing that you’ll want to do — or have time to do — is go to the store.

The solution?

Stock up on everything.

“Everything” consists of two categories: stuff your twins will use daily and things that the rest of the family will consume.

Things for the Twins

Stockpiling a little bit here and there will be less of a shock for your budget later.

In addition to all the reusable baby gear that you’ll need (strollers, clothing, cribs, etc.), you’ll need to stock supplies that your babies will use (and use up) on a daily basis:

• diapers of all sizes
• baby wipes
• burp cloths
• baby formula
• bottles and nipples
• Desitin or another zinc oxide diaper rash cream
• baby body wash/shampoo

Things for the Household

When you think about the household items you use everyday, you’ll get an idea of the little things that you need to have stocked up for when the twins come:

• toilet paper
• paper towels
• soap
• dish washing detergent
• shampoo
• deodorant
• toothpaste
• laundry detergent
• dryer sheets

These are things you don’t want to worry about for a least a month after the twins arrive.

Stock your freezer. Remember, you can tell your friends you want a freezer meal shower.

If you have a stockpile of supplies by the time you hit the third trimester with your twins, you can relax a little as you enjoy the calm before the storm.

What other essential items would you add to the list to stockpile in your home?

If you aren’t familiar with Costco, then you are missing out. It is a large warehouse style retailer that sells food, household items, electronics, clothing, and a bunch more. If you don’t have a Costco in your town, perhaps you have a Sam’s Club or BJ’s Wholesale.

The bottom line is that you, as a father of twins, need a membership to Costco. Here’s why:

1. Diapers and Wipes

Your twin babies will go through lots of diapers and baby wipes. You may find yourself going through as many as 100 diapers per week in those initial days of newborns, and as the kids get older, that number will slow down to about 150/month. This means that you’ll be spending a lot of money on these items. We’ve found Costco’s store brand diapers to be superior to other store’s generic brands and that they even rival national name-brand quality. The bonus is that they come in a massive box, perfect for surviving twins’ diaper needs over extended periods of time.

2. Baby Formula

If you chose to bottlefeed instead of breastfeed your twins, you’ll need to find cheap formula. WebMD has a video interview with a doctor reminding us that essentially all formulas are the same, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to be brand loyal or not. Costco has a store brand which is really cheap but they also have Similac that our babies liked. Formula costs can be hefty (between $1500-3800/year) so you need to both find coupons (usually you can get these from the manufacturer) and a cheaper retail price (Costco fills this void).

3. Cheap Food

We’ll make our grocery list and go to Costco first. They don’t always have all the food we need, but if they do, it is generally cheaper than the grocery store. This includes gallons of milk that are usually a dollar or two cheaper than the grocery store.

Bonus: If you like to grill out or BBQ, Costco has the best-looking and best-tasting meat we’ve seen recently. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

4. Freezer Meals

Costco has rows of freezers full of ready-made meals as well as frozen fruits, vegetables, meats, and desserts. These quick-to-prepare foods will be how you survive the busy life that twins bring. Be ready: stock your freezer now. Watch your mail for in-store coupons at Costco, as they often include sale prices on these freezer meals.

5. Electronics Return Policy

OK, your twins probably don’t care about electronics, but you do. Especially once you realize you won’t get out of the house as much as pre-twins. You can buy televisions, computers, phones, and more from Costco at good prices and they come with an amazing return policy. You can return them anytime up to 90 days for a full refund. This is awesome and blows other store’s 15 return policies out of the water. So go buy that new TV or computer, try it out and if you don’t like it, no problem, take it back.

6. Free Samples

Let’s be honest, grocery shopping isn’t in the Top 10 of fun activities for a Dad. Costco will make it up to you: they have free food samples all over the place. This definitely helps make a trip there with the family in tow worth the effort.

7. Big Shopping Carts

Costco is the only place I’ve seen with huge shopping carts that have two seats for kids. Perfect for twins. You don’t have to worry about where to put the kids, as the cart solves that problem for you.

Get Your Membership

Yes, Costco has an annual fee for membership. It starts at $50. But listen, the savings you keep from their low costs and your volume twin-style purchases will pay for the membership and more.

If you are concerned about the price of the membership, convince family or friends to get it for you as a baby shower gift or for your birthday.

You can learn more about Costco at costco.com.