Bargain hunting for forthcoming baby.. help!

tressls

Hi everyone

We are bargain hunting for baby due early next year. We managed to bag a maxi cosi car seat (stage 1 though), for £10 new from Halfords, and a TT steriliser (electric) for £6.99 from Tesco using CC points.

I know plenty can be bought second hand but I wondered of any offers on or ways to get things cheaply? We have our eye on a couple of travel systems but both are quite costly and it's either pay a bit more and get from somewhere you can pay over a period of time, or pay less but all at once. Still looking though as it's early on.

If I am honest I would prefer new but I have looked around fb selling sites and eBay.... it's mainly for things such as more feeding things (TT), nappies (always used Pampers in the past and later on Boots or Tesco own have been ok if I recall) and we also need a new cot/cotbed, basket, mattresses, bedding/covers/sleeping bags (the baby ones), a sling or baby carrier and the pram as well as possibly a feeding/nursing chair and we also need a nice big tall wooden chest of drawers/tallboy for baby clothes as there's limited room in the (to be) nursery.

Any help appreciated as we are trying to save for a bigger car too so money is tight x

dizziblonde

Supermarket baby events are currently on at Asda and Tesco if that helps in terms of stocking up on bits.

katiechoc_2

Kiddicare is very good for cheap but nice furniture and bits. They also have a couple of good value travel systems too (and the usual Quinny, Icandy branded ones too). Probably worth trying some out in the store.

I think things like the nursing chair it'd be worth looking for second hand - personally I just sat on the sofa and very occasionally used a cushion to prop him up one when he was on for mammoth feed! You can get special feeding cushions a damn sight cheaper than a nursing chair too, but I'm a cheapskate, so maybe that's just me.

I got a couple of really nice baby sleeping bags off eBay for pennies, stick them in the washer and they're good as new, same with clothes. Then you can always splash out on one or two really nice outfits.

Kiddicare also do nappies which are perfectly fine, and the sainsbury and Tesco own brands are fine too. The only thing I prefer with pampers are the pictures on the front!

Congratulations too

kingfisherblue

I know you said you prefer new, but have you thought about Freecycle? Over the last couple of days, I have seen people offering a couple of new packs of Pampers, twenty swim nappies, and other things. Obviously the nappies will be new, so even if you just keep an eye for anything along those lines, it's worth checking.

dizziblonde

kingfisherblue wrote: »

I know you said you prefer new, but have you thought about Freecycle? Over the last couple of days, I have seen people offering a couple of new packs of Pampers, twenty swim nappies, and other things. Obviously the nappies will be new, so even if you just keep an eye for anything along those lines, it's worth checking.

Ain't seen our local freecycle - I had a moses basket, swinging chair and assorted other stuff up on there the other day! (gone now)

tootoo

have a look at your local authority to see if they promote reusable nappies. Some offer a free trial pack, others a voucher for you to buy some. They are an expensive outlay but save long term.

smartcat04

Have a look on the "Quick! Grabbit while you can" forum on this site. There is a thread called "Baby bargains" where people post any reduced or discounted items they have seen on sale. Had a few items for my bump from things I've seen on there.
Also consider car boot sales, things can be washed and wiped down and can save you a lot of money.

mi_jardin

Asda has a baby event starting next week, I think the 26th, it will definately be worth a look.

continualdiamond

Keep an eye on freecycle and fb selling sites that are local to you.

Off freecycle for me I got a bag full of maternity clothes. Some are only just coming in handy with me having just over 4 weeks to go, others I used early on and obviously don't fit into now.

I also bought bigger sized clothing instead of maternity range. I picked up a top for £5 and 2 dresses at £7 each in the sale. They only actual maternity clothes I bought were 2 pairs of jeans and even those were only £7.50 from mamas/papas in the sale.

Off freecycle I also got loads of baby/childrens clothes, 2 bags full of unisex, then a bag of boys and a bag of girls clothes as well as a box full of assorted sized pamper nappies.

I joined boots parenting club and got my free changing bag, you just had to buy pampers nappies.

I got my whole nursery furniture for £90 off a local fb selling site. I got a cotbed, changing unit with 3 shelves & 3 storage baskets and also has a little wardrobe section to the side of it, cot bumper, quilt, 3 wall pictures, teddy bear rug, curtains and tie backs. For free the lady then gave me a baby bath and a zebra play mat and for an extra £10 she gave me a teddy bear bouncer.

My in laws hated the idea of second hand furniture, they wanted baby to have new. However my father in law went along with my husband to pick it all up and was so impressed with its condition he quickly changed his mind. He definitely is one that would of said thanks but no thanks if he didn't think it was good enough.

We just bought a new mattress for it.

Other than that got my moses basket & stand for £10, again off fb selling site and then just bought a new mattress for it from mothercare.

We did get a pram new, we got a travel system and did the mothercare baby plan back in April.

This is my second hand furniture:

Nagme

I wanted new too for our DS, but things like a travel system is where you can really save yourself a bundle of cash. I bought a Mamas and Papas Pliko Prammette for almost £500 and it was absolutely brilliant, but they just go for nothing on ebay, I ended up freecycling it. Looking back, I wish I'd bought one 2nd hand.

I also bought a highchair costing £100, didn't use half the "features" and wished I'd bought the £11 Ikea one.

That first year we spent too much money on baby stuff that is so short term.

Don't bother with mitts, just use socks. Oh and mobile phones are not dribble proof.....

dizziblonde

Mamas and papas have outlet stores on some of the factory shopping villages as well - I know the East Midlands one has one.