Definitely cheaper to go cloth. I reckon we've spent maybe $700 on MCN. These will be good to use for my next bub too... so no more $$ there (altho, I will be tempted to buy some more.. especially if this baby is a girl!). But compared to $1000 per year with sposies (and that's pretty generous with buying bulk & on special) for EACH child.. there's no doubt it's cheaper to go cloth.

Washing powder & washing costs - we've felt no impact at all. In fact because I use so little powder on the nappies.. it's made me cut down on the washing powder in normal clothes washes too LOL. So if anything I use LESS washing powder all round!

As for doing both cloth & sposies - we are actually full time cloth here, and I find it no less hassle whatsoever to use cloth whilst out .. especially if you use pocket nappies - soooo easy. Only difference is you bring the nappy home.. but that's no biggy at all (altho I'd be inclined to bring even sposies home - I wouldn't use other people's bin's for my kids nappies hehe) Also, switching between sposies & cloth makes DS's clothes not fit him properly LOL.

Have fun looking up nappies tho! Be careful - it's addictive. I haven't hung around the cloth nappy thread for a while - it makes me wanna spend money! LOL.