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Want to ask for money instead of more baby stuff? You can.
A good way to make it feel natural is to tell people what the money will help with, make it clear that gifts are optional, and give them an easy way to contribute.
Maybe you already have the stroller, crib and bottles. Maybe this is baby #2. Maybe you live in a small apartment and really don't need another blanket. Or maybe you'd rather use the baby shower to start something for your child's future.
It’s easier to ask for money when you can tell people what they’re helping with.
A baby shower is one of those rare moments when everyone is already asking the same question: What does the baby need? Sometimes the answer is not another thing.
This guide covers how to ask politely, baby shower cash gift wording you can actually use, and a few different ways to receive money gifts.
Up ahead:
Yes. You just want to ask in a way that still feels like a gift.
You don't want the invitation to make anyone feel pressured. But it's completely reasonable to tell friends and family what would actually be useful to you.
People tend to feel better about a money gift when they know what they're helping with.
“We want cash” can feel a little blunt.
“We already have most of the baby gear we need, and we’re starting a fund for the baby’s future” feels completely different.
You're just giving people some context. They still get to choose whether to give, how much to give, or whether they'd rather bring a traditional gift.
This is the big one.
If you're saving for childcare, say that. If you want to start college savings, say that. If the money is for diapers and the first few months at home, say that too.
You don't need a perfect 18-year plan before the baby is born. A little purpose goes a long way.
Start with the goal. The way you collect the money comes second.
A line like “Gifts are not expected, but if you’d like to give…” does a lot of work.
It takes the pressure out of the request while still telling people what you would prefer.
If you're asking for money, give people an easy way to be part of it.
You might use a cash fund, a baby registry with a money option, a baby fund, or a financial gifting page. You can put the link in the same place you would normally share your registry.
Wondering whether to share a gifting page or a payment app? See our comparison of Greatest Gift, Venmo and Zelle for money gifts.
Asking for money doesn't mean you have to skip a traditional registry.
Some people love buying the stroller or picking out tiny clothes. Someone else may be much happier putting $50 toward college or helping with childcare. Both can be meaningful.
You don't need a long explanation. A sentence or two is usually enough. Here are ten versions for different situations.
You don't need the perfect wording. Tell people what you're hoping to build for your baby, make it clear that gifts are optional, and give them an easy way to be part of it.
You know better than anyone what would actually help right now.
Cash gives you flexibility. It can cover something you need next month, like childcare or diapers, or it can become the start of something much longer-term.
Before deciding where the money should go, ask what you want it to help with, and when you'll probably need it.
Five hundred dollars for baby expenses this year is different from $500 you plan to leave invested until your child is 18.
If the money is for much later, time can do a lot of the work.
For example, $100 growing at about 7.2% per year for 18 years would grow to roughly $350. That is about 3.5 times the original gift. Actual investment returns vary, and growth is never guaranteed, but the example shows why starting early can matter.
That's the nice thing about money gifts: they can help in very different ways. A $50 gift for diapers next month has a different job from $50 you're setting aside for years.
A diaper fund is one way to make the purpose of the money very clear.
Friends and family contribute money toward diapers or other early baby expenses instead of buying those items themselves.
Different registries handle diaper funds differently, so it is worth checking what happens to the contribution and where you can use it. We have a separate guide to diaper funds for baby showers if that is what you have in mind.
You can also create a diaper fund with Greatest Gift if you want the financial gifts handled separately from a traditional baby registry.
A baby fund is broader than a diaper fund.
Instead of tying the gift to one specific purchase, you can tell friends and family what you are building toward: college, a first car, future activities, a start-in-life fund, or simply money set aside for whatever the child may need later.
You don't have to know the exact answer today. Maybe college eventually becomes a first car, lessons, travel, or something else entirely. What matters is that you're starting to set something aside.
The giver sees a baby shower gift. You see the first contribution toward a bigger goal.
If you know you want to save or invest the money for the long term, you may want an account set aside for that goal.
That could include a 529 plan for education or a custodial account, depending on what you are trying to do.
Figure out the goal first, then pick the account that fits it.
If you want more ideas, see our guide to financial gifts for kids.
Once you know what you'd like the money to help with, there are a few easy ways to share that with friends and family.
This doesn't have to be a huge, perfectly defined goal.
Maybe you're trying to cover diapers and childcare for the first few months. Maybe you want to start college savings. Maybe you just want to begin setting something aside for whatever your child may need later.
Having a goal makes the gift feel more personal. Instead of simply asking for cash, you're inviting people to help with something you're hoping to build for your baby.
This is often the most natural place to put it. Guests already expect to find gift information there.
You can keep a traditional registry for the things you still need and add a financial gift option alongside it.
Keep it short. You don't need to explain your whole financial plan. A sentence or two plus a link is enough.
Gifts are not expected, but if you wish to give, we’ve set up a fund for our little one’s future.
If someone is hosting the shower for you, they can help make the request feel even more natural.
A simple “They already have most of the baby gear and are hoping to start a fund for the baby instead” may be all people need to hear.
If you're hoping baby shower gifts can help start something financial for your child, Greatest Gift gives those gifts their own place instead of treating them like another item on a shopping registry.
You can create a page for the baby, explain what you are saving for, and let friends and family send financial gifts through the platform. Givers can add a message, photo or video, and you can keep the gifts and thank-you notes organized together.
And the page doesn't have to disappear after the shower. You can keep using it for birthdays, holidays, grandparents, and other moments when someone wants to contribute toward the child’s future.
That part matters to us. A baby shower can help with the things you need right away, and it can also be the moment your family starts building something for the child's future.
If that sounds like what you are trying to do, you can create a baby fund registry.
With a money gift, one of the nicest things you can do is tell the giver what they helped with.
You don't have to mention the dollar amount.
If the gift helped start the baby’s college fund, say that. If it paid for the stroller, tell them. If you're keeping it in a fund for later, let them know that too.
A simple note could be:
Thank you so much for the gift for Maya. We’re putting it toward the fund we started for her future, and it means a lot to have you be part of it from the beginning.
Add a photo when you have one. Grandparents especially tend to appreciate that part.
You don't need to apologize for preferring money to more baby stuff.
Tell people what you're hoping the gift can help with, make it clear that gifts are optional, and give them an easy way to contribute.
For some families, a baby shower is the perfect time to get the things they need now. For others, it's also a chance to start something for later. You can make room for both.
I love how easy it is to give a meaningful gift to the kids and tots in my life!
It means a lot to me that I can contribute to their future, and Greatest Gift makes the experience seamless and fun.
Alana S.
Our son just turned two. We created his gifting page with Greatest Gift and shared it on the birthday evite. The results were amazing! We received 12 gifts that will be going to his college fund and savings.
Love this platform.
Daniel A.
We have a 2-year-old and another baby on the way, and we love Greatest Gift’s discover section. I look forward to learning about the right financial tools to help build their future and set them up for success financially.
Hillan K.
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