Mothercare Baby Plan - is it worthwhile?

code-a-holic

I wouldnt bother..... Mothercare is more expensive for most things, especially big items.

nadnad

gingois wrote: »

I was already thinking of Mothercare and Babies R Us (which is next door to my local mothercare, how handy) as being a showroom for me to test things before buy online, so I'll be going down that route.

Thanks a million guys - and all our best wishes to those of you who are expecting at the moment as well.

thats the best idea - go to the shop so you can see and test everything you need and then look online for the best deals. I found that a local baby shop was actually better value as i bartered a bit with them and got a good discount - chains wont usually do this, so as well as internet check out any wee independant retailers.

robin_banks

You wont need half the stuff on that list.

Ebay, freecycle, charity shops will work out far cheaper than any money off vouchers mothercare may offer.

Baby no 2 arrives in 5 weeks if it's a boy (we don't know) we wont need to buy any clothes till he's 2 as we kept everything that could be kept. If it turns to be a girl then a chairty shop will do nicely out of us.

I've always found mothercare expensive for what it is tbh.

Evansangel

Also, the catalouge of stuff is very limited.
I went in and got one, i was going to get our pram on it. But the pram i want isn't even on their list.
Its a good idea if you want everything brand new and can afford it, but as everyone has said, you can get alot of stuff cheaper elsewhere

x x

lindsaygalaxy

With our first one I found most stuff cheaper in Babies R Us, and this time will be getting the bigger items e.g. travel system from there. In the back of the Babies r us catalogue are money off vouchers just like the ones that mothercare are offering.
This time i will also be shopping around, as have found muslin squares to be cheaper at tesco/asda, and I got the tommy tippee closer to nature range half price at tesco (though not BPA free), 2 anti-colic bottle £4.99, breast pump £12.99 and from argos microwave steriliser and bottles £6.99.

Join all the clubs, keep an eye out for offers and vouchers and its just like buying a bit at a time anyway like the plan. Also remmeber from April when you reach 26weeks (I think that is correct) you get £190 maternity grant, which I will be using to pay for most of the pram, though wish it was for a weekend at the spa instead!

foreversomeday

Agree with the others - Mothercare is very expensive. Everything there (big things) seems to be about 5-10% more expensive than it is anywhere else (and usually much cheaper online.) People told me this but I didn't believe them, as their baby clothes are good value for the quality of them! So the baby clothes are the exception I think.

I bought a few things much too early and later wished I'd bought something else. So my tip is go in, have a play with whatever it is you are looking at, narrow it down to about 3 or 4 different models, go home and research on the internet - look at the brand's own website as well as review sites. I also like to search for it on any non-review websites that I spend time on such as this one, in case it has had a mention. Then bearing in mind all of this information you might want another play with some of the models or a look at the colours in real life before you decide.

I would start putting money in a high interest account now to save up for the baby things. And then buy them as late as possible, in the 8th month of pregnancy (start looking at about 6-7 months for second hand things) - so you are still sort of paying in dribs and drabs, but no worries about the company going bust or hidden interest charges etc. Or stick it all on a 0% interest cashback credit card!