How To Add a Cash Fund to your Babylist Registry

Welcoming a new baby is a joyous (and stressful) time, and cash funds can help manage the essentials.

Cash funds allow your loved ones to contribute financially, giving you the freedom to choose how best to use your resources.

Babylist stands out as a user-friendly baby registry.

Babylist allows you to add items and cash funds from any store, while Greatest Gift specializes in financial gifts for children, enhancing the cash gifting experience. 

With Babylist, you can add anything you need from any store, and also add cash funds.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the ins and outs of the Babylist’s cash fund, from setup to redemption.

To learn more about Babylist's other features, check out our full review of Babylist's registry.

We'll also introduce Greatest Gift, the financial gifting platform for kids that makes it easy to gather money gifts for your baby's needs and future. 

About Babylist Cash Fund

How it Works

Babylist cash funds work like an item added to the registry list. You can add multiple cash funds, one for each goal that you are saving for. 

This is added to your registry wish list, a list of items you share with family and friends.

Preset options include diaper fund, college fund, meal fund, first home fund, parental leave fund, doula fund, childcare fund, and adoption fund.

You can also add a custom named goal by choosing the create cash fund option.

The gift cash itself is not managed on Babylist however. 

Cash funds allow your loved ones to contribute financially, giving you the freedom to choose how best to use your resources.

Cash gifts are managed outside Babylist, meaning the platform doesn’t track the actual transfer of funds.

Instead, Babylist lets you choose to allow either cash and checks or PayPal as the gifting options. Or both.

With cash and checks, gift givers will be prompted to give the gift in person or mail it.

To use PayPal, you must have a PayPal account and provide Babylist with a 'payme' link for transactions.

Babylist Cash Fund Fees

There are no fees for adding cash or check funds to your registry, but consider the time it takes to deposit these funds. 

If you enable PayPal, you are subject to the PayPal fees. 

A fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents is applied to each credit card transaction.

Babylist does not track or manage cash gifts directly. Instead, consider Greatest Gift.

No fee is charged for payments made with a bank account or for transferring funds to your bank account.

Babylist does not track or manage cash gifts directly.

As such, Babylist doesn’t take a percentage of the cash funds. 

Pros and Cons

Cons:

• No tracking of gifts, so you won’t know what’s received unless informed or notified by PayPal.
• Gift funds are added as regular items on your registry and could be hard for gift givers to see
• Potential confusion for givers, especially if they are not familiar with cash funds.
• The gifting experience is lacking.

Pros:

• You can share financial goals with your friends and family.
• A considerate way to express a preference for cash gifts.

Adding a Cash Fund to your Babylist Registry on Desktop

Setting up a cash fund on Babylist using a desktop is easy:

1. Navigate to Cash Funds: Go to the cash funds section via your registry builder on the Babylist website, or directly access the cash funds page.
2. Choose Your Fund: Select from Babylist’s pre-existing cash funds for common needs like diapers or education, or create your own cash fund for something specific.
3. Customize: Personalize your cash fund by adding a note for your guests, setting a specific title, and choosing a picture.
4. Choose Gifting Methods: Decide how you want to receive gifts -  through cash and checks, PayPal, or both. If choosing PayPal:some text
   • Link your PayPal account to Babylist by entering your PayPal 'payme' link in the provided field.
   • Ensure your PayPal account is set up to receive funds.
5. Share Your Registry: Once the fund is active, share the updated registry with friends and family.

Adding a Cash Fund to your Babylist Registry through the App

Follow these steps to add cash funds from your mobile device:

1. Navigate to Add Items: Tap on 'Add Items' at the bottom of the screen to begin the process. Click on the Babylist icon to explore options directly from Babylist.
2. Search for Cash Fund: Use the search bar to find the cash fund option. Type in “cash fund” and the relevant options will appear.
3. Choose and Customize: Select the desired cash fund option and tap the 'Add to Babylist' button to include it in your registry. Customize with a note.
4. Choose Gifting Methods: Decide how you want to receive gifts -  through cash and checks, PayPal, or both. If choosing PayPal:some text
   1. Link your PayPal account to Babylist by entering your PayPal 'payme' link in the provided field.
   2. Ensure your PayPal account is set up to receive funds.

Babylist Cash Fund Alternative – Greatest Gift’s Baby Fund

Greatest Gift is a platform built for giving money as gifts to kids. 

By focusing on financial gifts for kids, it makes the process smoother and more enjoyable than Babylist’s cash funds. 

• Focused on Gifts: All the gift activities happen on GG, making it easy to track and manage with instant notifications.
• Fun and Personal: When giving money, people can add a personal touch with pictures or videos, making their gift stand out.
• Easy Thank Yous: GG lets you send thank you notes right from their site, making it simple to show appreciation.
• Guides for the Future: GG offers advice and tips on saving and investing for your child’s future, helping you plan ahead.

While Babylist is great for buying baby items and meeting immediate needs, Greatest Gift complements it by focusing on the child's future financial well-being. 

Both platforms together offer a complete package, covering current shopping needs and future financial planning.

How to Add Greatest Gift as a Cash Fund to your Babylist Registry

There are several ways to include Greatest Gift as a cash fund option on your Babylist registry. 

1. Registry Greeting: Use the greeting section on your Babylist registry to let guests know about your Greatest Gift fund. Include the link to your Greatest Gift page, guiding them directly to where they can contribute.
2. Custom Note in Cash Fund: Set up a cash fund on Babylist, and add a custom note in the fund description. Use the note to express your preference for Greatest Gift and include the link.
3. Customer Service Request: Contact Babylist’s customer service and request to add Greatest Gift as one of the official “add a registry link” options. This integration would make it easier for guests to access your Greatest Gift fund directly from Babylist.
4. Separate Registries: Set up both Babylist and Greatest Gift registries. When sending out invites, share the links to both registries separately. This way, guests can choose where they prefer to give their gift.

Final Notes

Babylist allows you to add items and cash funds from any store, while Greatest Gift specializes in financial gifts for children, enhancing the cash gifting experience. 

We showed how to set up cash funds on Babylist and integrate Greatest Gift, combining both services to meet immediate needs and future financial goals for your baby’s journey. 

Don’t forget to remind your guests about the cash fund option as your due date approaches.

Whichever you choose, you're on your way to a well-stocked nursery, ready for the many changes to come!