Comments on: Having a Baby Without Breaking the Bank: List of essentials

By: Kacie

Kacie — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:46:17 +0000

I have been surprised at just how little money our baby has cost us so far. In fact, with this year’s tax credits, we’re coming out ahead right now!

We opted not to get a stroller just yet. Instead, we put our baby in a carrier and wear him around. He seems to really like that, and it’s less bulk and hassle. When he gets bigger, we’ll get an umbrella stroller.

Also, we chose to get a convertible car seat. The seat should last him until he needs a booster when he’s much older. We got the First Years TruFit, and it worked from the day we took him home from the hospital (he was only 5 lbs. 11 oz. that day!) and buckling him into the seat doesn’t take him that long. I don’t regret not getting an infant seat!

By: Rae

Rae — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:39:17 +0000

Just a tip to those saying that a new carseat is not neccesary if getting from a friend… even a minor car accident can cause stress fractures in carseats and make them unsafe which many people don’t know. So somebody that has a carseat that still looks like it is in new condition might think that it is just fine and not want to mention that it has been in an accident becuase they don’t want it to go to waste (and honestly think it is still safe). I personally would not risk my child’s safety just to save some money. Now if it is yours from a previous child and you KNOW that it hasn’t been in any accidents because you are the one who used it, this is different.

About the stroller… I agree that this depends on your situation. We hardly ever use ours and the times that we did, we could have done without. However, peolpe that do a LOT of walking or that live in the city and don’t have a car, it would be a necessity. Just think about your situation and how much you would be walking with baby (and where). For instance, when shopping, I find it easier to put the baby’s infant car seat in the cart since I can’t push a stroller and a cart. I use the infant car seat all the time so definitely got my money’s worth. If do opt for a stroller, you probably would be fine with a convertible carseat.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:03:26 +0000

In case no one has mentioned the lost art of borrowing, I wanted to mention it. Infant car seats are only useful for six months to a year, and it’s not hard to find a family with a fairly new infant car seat stashed in their attic or basement that they would be happy to loan out. Of course, the seat should be less than 5 years old (or whatever the latest safety info. suggests) and never have been in an accident.

Baby clothing is also not hard to borrow. The little ones go in and out of it so fast, it is a short term loan.

It may be convenient to borrow a cradle or bassinet for keeping baby in the bedroom with mom and dad until you get them into the crib that you will want to own. I have also used a “pack and play” instead of a crib, which has more uses and folds up so easily.

By: Marie

Marie — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:07:38 +0000

I am a daycare provider and quite honestly, I think you get what you pay for! I charge $35 a day (for 8 or 9 hours of care) to watch my friend’s little girl with my daughter (they’re the same age). You may balk at that $700 per month cost, but I am also super flexible with when they can pick her up/drop her off, I don’t charge them for being late, I don’t make them pay me “vacation days” or “sick days” and don’t mind letting them cancel at the last minute if the little girl’s grandparents want to be with her. She also gets to come with my daughter and me on playdates, to the library, or on a picnic to the park on a nice day. She also gets tons of kisses, hugs, cuddles and stories from one care provider who thinks of her as another daughter.

I’d be weary of trying to go the cheap route when it comes to your kid.

If you can possibly afford to cut back to part-time I would also recommend finding another part-time working mom and trade watching each other’s kids. My friend who is a nurse does this and loves it.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 11:52:21 +0000

If only I knew then what I know now about what is actually necessary for a baby. I spent a fortune on stuff we did NOT need when my kids were born. I look back and think, Oh what I could have done with all that extra money!

By: GIna

GIna — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:45:15 +0000

Britax usually has a sale on their car seats during February and September (I think it’s Sept for their fall sale). Google Britax Sale and you can find out about it. That’s definitely the best time to buy a car seat!

By: jillbert

jillbert — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:47:48 +0000

Two years ago we were given care of a newborn baby with only 1 hour notice (foster care). We had nothing for her. She came in a diaper & t-shirt with an extra pack of diapers and a few binkies. Within a day I was able to get all the necessities together (car seat & crib borrowed from friends, some basic clothes & a few bottles — all for under $20). She lived with us for 5 months and we bought a few more things (bath tub, bumbo chair, stroller — all used) and I knit her some cute hats and sewed some blankies and clothes, we never had any large expenses. Our philosophy has always been to get the basic equipment but go hog wild on showering a baby with love and attention. It’s free and the investment you make in holding and loving a child pays off for their entire life.

By: LANA

LANA — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:44:44 +0000

I needed the baby nail clippers for tiny fingers and toes. Wouldn’t have been able to go without! Only pinched 3 X combined; not bad:)

By: Kari

Kari — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:57:25 +0000

I think another necessity is receiving blankets/burp cloths. I don’t think you can have to many of those, especially if your kid ends up being spitter! I think a few more sleepers than 6 are helpful for the same reason – there were definitely days that we went through more than 6 outfits!

By: Melanie

Melanie — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 13:17:39 +0000

I have some thoughts for the Mother’s interested reducing daycare costs. I worked in two different daycares. The cost for infants in the national franchise center I worked in were considerably more than the smaller independent center. Your baby will need more spare clothes and diapers at the center than you think and outgrow them fast, so bring in more cheaper mix and match clothes and fewer fancy coordinating pieces. It is easier to just change pants for a small spot than a complete outfit. The same for bedding, more cribsheets don’t bring a qulit they are usually not allowed because of SIDS, a thick blanket sleeper is better.
Label everything!
This is a hard one to say ,please have a plan for when your baby gets sick. I did my best to keep things clean, but when both staff are feeding or changing babies it is nearly impossible to pick up dirty toys before another child grabs them and puts them in their mouth.Your baby will get sick even before crawling around just from breathing in the air.
Try to plan Dr. visits on Friday. We had to send home many babies with fevers etc. from reactions the day after vaccines were given.
Please be very patient with the staff. There are times when Mom and Dad can’t calm one fussy baby, so imagine two people with eight!!

By: Nicole Feliciano

Nicole Feliciano — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:22:40 +0000

My advice additional advice. Buy a convertible car seat instead of an infant and then a toddler seat. Spend more to save in the long run. Also consider a stroller system that will take you from infant to toddlerhod. Buying a cheap snap and go and then a “real”stroller is a waste. I’m loving the new Quinny–but it is pricey.

Also don’t forget about all those excellent contests! This month is Expecting Mom’s Month on Momtrends and I am giving away more than $600 in goodies. Here’s one to start with:

http://momtrends.blogspot.com/2009/02/giggle-momtrends-help-expecting-moms.html

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:14:44 +0000

I love the big consignment sales that they are having now. They are a little bit more than garage sales,but not much, but everything is in one place, sorted by size, and must be stain & hole free. It saves so much time.

Also, a good place to look for an affordable crib is IKEA, we were able to get our current crib and mattress for $120. They aren’t fancy but sturdy and good quality. We really like it.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 11:10:14 +0000

Thank you Crystal!

By: Sarah S.

Sarah S. — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:13:32 +0000

When my son was little *(he is 10 now) my mom and I hit Walmart often! There were many times that we found clearance outfits that would fit my son the following year. A good idea to hit for is infant-toddler clothes sizes(at least for my kids) ran small. So other than say Carter’s or Children’s Place my boys were wearing 18 months at 12 months, etc. Children’s Place is a great place to shop ahead of time, hit their Monster Sales (get on their email list) then they also mail out their 15-20% off coupons. Their pj’s are wonderful!!! I miss my son wearing them, the footed ones go to about size 3.
We also got very into Babies R Us double couponing (not sure if they still do this, you can ask them) but we used to use coupons from Pampers, plus their diaper coupons making diapers cheap and wipes. Watch their clearance on clothes as well.
I totally agree with everyone that said you don’t need a lot of stuff, I received a lot of stuff at showers and had a lot to get rid of when it was all said and done. The swing is nice—if the baby likes it, surprisingly some don’t! Good luck to everyone in their baby planning! With my youngest who is now 5, we went a lot more basic and it was a lot of fun just interacting with him.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:00:35 +0000

I highly agree with the folks who recommended the sling/carrier. For us, it was a necessity if I did not want to go insane! But we got ours (a $40 sling) at a consignment sale for $8. (www.jbf.com–a national bi-annual sale) I also think the high chair/booster seat is a necessity when they are eating solids, unless you just want to get mess everywhere!!! (and some bibs, of course, a lot easier than tying towels which come off around the neck)

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:13:53 +0000

I agree with the list and would only add 2 things to it. One is a diaper bag. However it need not be a commercial diaper bag. Most of us have back packs or other cloth or gym bags around the house and this can be used just fine for a diaper bag. If not most grocery stores are selling reuseable grocery bags for around a dollar a bag so that would be a cheap option. The other thing is more of a sanity saver which I found necessary.
A sling or ergo which you can often get from craigs list or yard sales etc. or often from someone at church who no longer needs theirs. It really helps to be able to carry the baby around with you while you are trying to get your basic necessity housework done. Also, for the larger priced items often your parents or inlaws or others will ask what you need so you could have a small list of things you’d like to have when they do ask.

By: Becky

Becky — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:24:14 +0000

Thanks for the great list! I think our country has totally gone overboard with “essentials” for baby. Not only do expecting moms feel the pressure to buy everything under the sun, but it seems everything has to be top-notch.

Thanks for sticking to the basics and helping readers know that you don’t have to have much when you’re expecting a little one!

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:22:46 +0000

Crystal – Thank you so much for posting this information and opening up the forum for discussion! I’m expecting my first baby in April 24 and plan to stay home, so our income will definitely be limited. This list is so helpful to me as I figure out what is really necessary and what we could live without (or what we should register for).

By: tripnmama

tripnmama — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:15:05 +0000

If you are going to buy a crib, you will also need at least 2 crib sheets and a mattress pad. You can skip the bumper pads, quilts, etc. though.

Also if you are going the formula route, don’t forget you will need bottles. Generally, it is easier to get enough bottles to get you at least through one full day.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:20:15 +0000

I found the book “Baby Bargains” by Alan & Denise Fields to be invaluable. It kept us from buying a lot of junk we didn’t need and also had reviews from other parents.