new baby ... money saving advice please

blue_zebra

Can anyone give me some good hints and tips about saving money when preparing for a new baby. I can't believe how much all the baby stuff is and am looking for ways of saving money. Thanks!

Coupon-mad

I have 4 children and my best tip is not to buy everything new!

I know you will want some nice new things, and I think the pushchair, car seat and cot are important to have new, for safety reasons. For anything else:

#1. Ask friends & family if they have anything in good condition to pass on, if you're not keen on any of it give the surplus to a charity shop.

#2. Whilst in the charity shop have a good look for toys & clothes bargains, find out which are your best local charity shops (also car boots).

#3. Find out about your local National Childbirth Trust (NCT) group, or look the details up on the NCT website. You may want to join anyway for the companionship of other Mums, but I never did become a member myself as it seemed a bit expensive at the time. BUT anyone can go to NCT nearly-new sales where there are great bargains to be had, often new unused items for very little money. These are usually held at least twice a year somewhere near you (maybe September for winter stuff and March for Spring/Summer).

#4. Start getting your local free papers, they have their own Mother & Baby, and Toys sections to look through but they also will show you any other local Church or Playgroup nearly-new sales similar to NCT ones but not well advertised so usually less busy. These are often held twice a year too.

I expect loads of other Mums will have some tips of their own, have fun!

jellyhead

if you are buying anything new i always find https://www.kiddicare.co.uk has the best prices, including a cot with mattress and a duvet/bumper set should you want one for only £80. if you add these sunscreens to the order they are free http://www.kiddicare.com/invt/xdlkidcom2pcksnsdel

i get a lot of stuff from ebay too.

Counting_Pennies_2

I completely agree with the others. NCT nearly new sales are fab, there are so many great items there at a fraction of the cost, and you support the charity at the same time. Click on the link and put in your post code to find out when and where ones are near you.

http://www.nct.org.uk/local/events

Kiddicare.com are also great.

My other tip is to only buy when the shops have sales. There are always stacks of clothes and equipment. I got lots of clothes from Mothercare, M&S and Next Sales at a fraction of the cost.

Also don't get seduced by all the equipment and toys out there, only buy them when you need it. Baby only needs a few stimulating toys, believe me by the time a few birthdays and Christmases have gone by you will understand this. Friends and family will provide all the toys you need, and if not a couple from nearly new sales are all you need to get.

If asked by family about gifts ask for a play mat, and a bounce chair that has the ability to lay back flat.

chatta

With a 19 year old daughter and nearly 16 year old boy, my advice is try not to buy new, they dont appreciate the value for such a long time. After all they cant even talk about it. It was me that wanted all new things for them. they are so happy with just your time. I remember the fun I had at car-boot sales (so did they) buying second-hand books and toys. Wait till they insist on certain toys etc, which we still got at boot sales. With one at university now and another maybe on his way how I wish I had not bought so much new stuff that now sits in my loft as new as the day i got it. My boy wore pink vests that I bought new for my girl and believe me he doesn't remember.... Just try not to photograph it!!!!!! My first was spoilt rotten and isn't any the better for it.................. How I wish I had all that I spent then. good luck to you xxx

troll35

When deciding what pushchair to buy think about what you are going to use it for. Do you need one that is dual purpose ie you can attach the carseat straight from the car or do you use public transport. Ensure you get sales assistants to show you how they collapse and try it out yourself. Make sure it goes in the boot of your car (if you have one). Will you need to get it up and down steps? because if you do you should look at the wheel size and how the brakes work as they can catch on steps.

When DS was born 9 1/2 years ago I bought a maclaren pushchair that was suitable from birth to about 4 yrs. It has a bucket seat that lays back completely, you can fold it with one hand, it's pretty light, it has a tray at the bottom for bags and a solid handle. It is still going strong and has been used for lots of my minded children. It is invaluable for the school run as I can push it one handed and still hold a toddlers hand. It's been an absolute bargain and cost me just under £80 at the time.

Second hand cots are usually a good buy but I would advise buying a new mattress wherever it may have come from.

You don't need changing tables as the best and safest place to change a baby is on the floor. A cheap changing mat will surfice.

Don't go overboard on buying clothes as you will probably be given loads. When in the sales consider buying clothes that are about a year older than those you need then you will get cheap clothes that are the right season (you dont want to buy shorts that will only fit in winter)

Lastly (cos I can't think of anything else yet) Good Luck:beer:

Jet

Try and buy nappies in bulk when they're on special offer.

Use cotton wool and water instead of wipes - it's much kinder for babies skin too.

Breast feed if you can - it will save you loads on formula and loads of time in not having to prepare and sterilise bottles.

Make your own baby food - this willl save you loads and be much better for getting baby into good eating habits early on.

Don't feel the pressure to get every gadget going. Most people can manage perfectly well without a nappy bin, special changing table, swinging crib, baby walker etc etc. Really think realistically about what you will need, when you will use it and how long you will use it for.

suekjw

Try own brand nappies - I use Tesco nappies now, I find them better than either pampers or huggies. I know some people will say about using reuseables, but I'm quite happy with my disposables!

As everyone has said, get second hand clothes and other bits and bobs. I am always amazed that people will waste money on thngs that their baby is likely to grow out of in a couple of months, obviously a few new things are nice, but mix and matching are fine - there are some real bargains to be had on Ebay and the price pf baby clothes have dropped on there over the last few years. I gave a friend a massive bag of baby clothes last week, they were all in excellent condition (we were given so many I couldn't use them all on my baby).

I got my baby carrier from ebay and sold it again for the same price as I bought it for!

Sign up for all the baby clubs you can, either the supermarkets or nappy comapnies, they will throw samples and vouchers at you!

Got to agree about the gadgets, I got a nappy wrapper with No1. What a complete waste of money that was!

Anniek1969

We had to start all over again with no 3, gave away everything after my 2nd daughter as we decided at that time we weren't having any more. I bought a new cotbed, pram, moses basket and steriliser but everything else was either given to me or I bought it 2nd hand.

My sister was working in a charity shop at the time and got me a bath, boucy seat and one of those battery operated swings with lots of other little things like rattles for £20. I bought a Maws steriliser with bottles for about £18 and used the old fashioned method of tablets rather than pay more for a microwave or electronic one. Don't be tempted to go for the big names with things like your steriliser (if you're bottle feeding) as long as it does the job it doesn't matter how much it costs. You don't need all the gadgets, I've never had a baby monitor or changing table or nappy bin and really didn't miss not having them. The monitor you might want, they really weren't around when I had my first 2 so just never bothered with my 3rd but I know that a lot of 1st time parents like to have them and to be honest I probably would have too.

Always try and buy things like wipes when they're on special, Tesco quite often have them BOGOF. When the baby is newborn it really doesn't matter what kind of nappies you use as they're changed so often and when they wee there really isn't too much of it, I always went for supermarket own brands until they were a bit bigger, with my 3rd I used Asda own brand all the time. Nappy cream you can get from your doctor on prescription, they usually give you Sudocrem which IMO is the best. The pram I bought was a travel system which meant I didn't need a car seat for the first few months and I bought a cotbed which was only slightly more expensive than a cot and you can use as a bed until they're 5, the only thing you need to change is the mattress when they get a bit older.

You'll get a great Bounty bag when you're in hospital and it has lots of free samples in it and lots of vouchers. Register with them online and you get other vouchers and things, same with Pampers and Huggies and Tesco parent club (I think that's what it's called).

If you're on low income you would qualify for a one off payment, think it's called a maternity grant or something like that. It's about £500 and it was a great help to me, I qualified as we were on Tax Credits.

Hope some of this helps but the most important thing to remember is to enjoy your baby (they really don't stay babies for long). Good luck and I hope it all goes well for you. (Making me really broody now).

Lillibet_2

Buy 2nd hand where you can, where you have to buy new for safetly. health or urgency look at own brands over name brands as they are just as good. For example, I used a Tesco microwave steriliser which was fantastic and was a bargain at £3 delivered off ebay.
I buy clothes at least a year in advance and look for bargains, buy buying this far ahead I have the time to look for bargains rather than..."oh here comes the hot weather I must buy t shirts & shorts" right at the start of the season when they are all full price. Charity shop 50p buckets seem to be the best place for clothes for the first year or so and car boot sales thereafter!
Either use washable nappies, which will save you a fortune esp. if you buy 2nd hand & re-sell afterwards, or buy shops own brand nappies when they are on special offer/using coupons. It means your bathroom might be a bit full but it saves £££'s.
Borrow short use items like cribs, baby walkers etc, they get so little use that most families are glad to see them get some more by someone who appreciates them.
Don't be tempted to take to many shortcuts on the budget in favour of hard work initally, I'd suggest disposables & wipes for the first few weeks then once you've started to adjust to your new person slowly ease yoruself into the harder work items, otherwise you may find you just dispair of it all in the early days & miss out on enjoying your little one.
Finally, re-sell everything when you are done with it! Even stuff in less than perfect condition has it's use & it's price, just be honest about the condition then watch them fly out the door & remember that anything is better than nothing for them:D

Good luck;)

pink_phantom

Don't be caught up with gimmicks like "bath thermometers"! Good old fashioned elbow in the water works just as well.